Diego Restrepo Joins Tampa Bay Rowdies
Photo credit: Tony Quinn
Diego Restrepo is returning to the Tampa Bay Rowdies after the club agreed to a transfer with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Restrepo is signed with the Rowdies through the remainder of the 2016 NASL season with a club option for 2017. Per club and league policy, further contract details are undisclosed.
Restrepo was in his first season with the Strikers and played in 11 NASL matches and four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches.
“Diego is a goalkeeper I know personally from playing with him in 2013 and from serving as an assistant coach in 2014,” Rowdies coach Stuart Campbell said. “He’s a great goalkeeper and he’s played well this season, particularly in the U.S. Open Cup. We’ve brought him here because he makes our squad better.”
His best performances this year came in the U.S. Open Cup, where he led the Strikers to the quarterfinals. Restrepo prevailed in penalty kicks in back-to-back rounds, stonewalling the Richmond Kickers (three saves in four attempts) and D.C. United (one save), as well as beating Orlando City SC in stoppage time. His performance against Richmond earned him Player of the Round honors.
“I’m excited to return to a club that I know very well,” Restrepo said. “The staff, players, and fans at the Rowdies have always been great with me so it’ll be an easy transition. I can’t wait to start training with my new teammates and most importantly help the club reach the playoffs.”
Restrepo, 28, was Tampa Bay’s starting goalkeeper in the 2013 season and also spent 2014 with the Rowdies, but was sidelined by an Achilles injury.
He played for the University of South Florida before transferring and winning a NCAA National Championship at the University of Virginia in 2009. He spent the early portion of his professional career in Colombia and Venezuela before joining the Rowdies in 2013.
After leaving Tampa Bay, Restrepo had a brief stint with the USL’s Charlotte Independence before heading to Colombia to play with Metropolitanos in 2015.
