After Rhode Island FC's 2026 USL Championship campaign ended at the hands of Charleston Battery, it was announced that RIFC defender Frank Nodarse was named to the All-League Second Team.
“Frank has been a critical piece of our squad from the very beginning, and was a reliable and consistent defender for us all season,” Rhode Island FC head coach and general manager Khano Smith said in a statement. “He is incredibly deserving of this honor, and we are extremely proud of his development throughout the season.”
Nodarse's outstanding performance this season helped RIFC let in just 1.1 goals per match, with the versatile 25-year-old defender able to play anywhere on the backline and ranking highly in many defensive statistics.
Nodarse's defensive contributions rank him in the top 3% of USL Championship defenders, with his 72 tackles and 49 interceptions both first in the league. Nodarse is again in the top 3% with his 125 recoveries, but by far his most impressive stat is his 258 duels won, once again ranking him first in the Championship.
Since joining RIFC in December of 2023 after stints with Fort Lauderdale CF, Charleston Battery, and Rio Grande Valley FC, Nodarse has been an integral part of the RIFC backline, surpassing the centurion mark for appearances this season, now with 107. In that time, 10 goal contributions and 28 clean sheets kept have helped RIFC to three straight playoff appearances in their first three years as a club.
With the season now concluded, Nodarse and RIFC will have to wait until March for their next match, learning their schedule in mid-December.
