March 29, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release
PAWTUCKET, R.I. – Rhode Island FC announced today it has signed defender Collin Smith for the 2024 USL Championship season, pending league and federation approval. The former FC Dallas Homegrown becomes the 23rd all-time acquisition for RIFC.
“Collin is a proven player at the USL Championship level,” said Rhode Island FC Head Coach Khano Smith. “His athleticism, speed and composure on the ball makes him a great addition to our back line. We’re excited to have him and know that he will be able to contribute immediately.”
The 20-year-old brings five career goals and seven assists across five professional seasons. Smith began the 2024 season with MLS Next Pro side New England Revolution II, where he started and played the full 90 minutes in the club’s season opener against Philadelphia Union II.
Smith spent the 2023 season on loan with Birmingham Legion FC, where he was a regular in Head Coach Tom Soehn’s starting 11. He appeared in all but five of the club’s USL Championship matches, starting 26. The defender logged two goals and one assist in 2,284 minutes. In each of Birmingham’s two playoff matches, Smith started and played all 90 minutes.
After making his professional debut on July 25, 2020, with then USL League One side and FC Dallas affiliate North Texas SC, Smith went on to become the all-time appearance leader for the club, playing in 66 matches across three seasons. He scored three goals and six assists in that time, including a five-assist season in his last year with the club in 2022, its first in MLS Next Pro.
Smith was eventually called up to FC Dallas’ first team in 2023 after initially signing as a Homegrown Player with the club on April 28, 2021. He earned a pair of starts midway through the season while also being loaned out to Birmingham. At the international level, Smith was called up to a U.S. Under-16 National Team camp in 2019.
Name: Collin Smith
Position: Defender
Height: 5-10
Weight: 173 lbs.
Birthday: Dec. 4, 2003
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
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