ROCHESTER, N.Y. – When they arrived in Rochester ahead of the 2016 season, new additions to the defending USL Cup champions, goalkeeper Tomas Gomez and defender Joe Farrell weren’t necessarily penciled in for big things.

While the Rhinos had seen 2015 USL Goalkeeper of the Year Brandon Miller depart, former PDL Goalkeeper of the Year Adam Grinwis was still with the side, providing an imposing roadblock in Gomez’s path. Farrell, meanwhile, was joining a defensive group that had set a USL record for goals against as the club claimed both the regular season and postseason championships.

In the end, neither proved a major impediment to success for either player. Farrell became a mainstay on the back line in his rookie season, making 29 appearances and scoring five goals as his nose for goal off set pieces came to the fore, while Gomez led the USL with a 0.69 goals-against average to claim the league’s Golden Glove as the side finished fourth in the Eastern Conference.

For Gomez, who had spent the 2015 season with the San Jose Earthquakes, the honor was a nice feather in his cap, although he laid much of the credit at the feet of his teammates.

“It was nice for the team to be recognized with this award,” Gomez told RhinosSoccer.com. “The backline and the midfielders made my job easier and they deserve this honor that comes with having the lowest goals-against average.”