Pulse of Pittsburgh Soccer: Riveters SC, Steel City FC to compete in USL W-League’s Great Forest Division

Photo courtesy Randy Warner

Thursday brought some interesting news with the USL announcing that it will be looking to launch a Division One league — targeted for start in 2027-28.

We provided two reaction pieces to this development, as I shared my immediate takeaway that the USL is taking a bold, calculated gamble by moving forward with these plans that they’ve been talking about for years.  Plus, Mark Goodman believes that USL Division One is a bad idea.

Opinion: Please, USL, don’t add a D1 League

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC continue their push through the preseason — and we have plenty of coverage on that including this week’s Riverhounds Notebook which addresses the team’s ambition to become a better possession side this coming season and a recap of the Hounds most recent preseason match (2-1 win at Indy Eleven).

Riveters SC and Steel City FC Schedule Release Coming February 18

Even though it’s mid-February, there’s plenty of other soccer activity is brewing with college teams fully into spring seasons while the Women’s pre-professional teams are getting closer to their schedule releases, which will come next week.

The W League will release its full 2025 season schedule on Tuesday, February 18.

The Pittsburgh Riveters SC will make their debut this coming Spring as the newest women’s soccer pre-professional entity while Steel City FC, will make the move from UWS to join Riveters SC in the USL W-League.

The two clubs will be part of the Great Forest Division consisting of teams from Western Pennsylvania and Western New York.  (see all teams below)

The teams’ schedules will be released on February 18.

Great Forest Division

• Cleveland Force SC
• Erie Sports Center*
• FC Buffalo*
• Flower City 1872*
• Pittsburgh Riveters SC*
• Steel City FC*

Though the Riveters are embarking on their inaugural season, with Riverhounds SC organizational infrastructure and resources already in place, they’ve been backed by a strong marketing campaign and established Riverhounds Development Academy program, the Riveters have taken a very ambitious approach as they get set to kick off the club’s inaugural campaign.

This week, the club announced two of it’s latest signings and for the first time, adding a pair of players who are no longer in college — with experienced players to help round out its inaugural roster for 2025, bringing on forward/midfielder Sabrina Bryan and midfielder Chloe Kuminkoski to their squad.

+2! 💪 
 
Join us in welcoming two new Riveters! Pittsburgh natives Sabrina Bryan and Chloe Kuminkoski are ready for 2025! 💥 
 
Read More Here: https://t.co/6vE7ARtBKB 🔗 
 #RivetersRise pic.twitter.com/usfk2OhIjh

— Pittsburgh Riveters SC (@RivetersSC) February 12, 2025

Both players have Pittsburgh-area roots and history in the Riverhounds Development Academy before going off to complete successful Division I college careers. Their places are pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval once 2025 registration opens.

While the Riveters SC are building a roster that includes some of the most talented female players in our region, many who are still competing for Division I schools, Steel City FC has an established group with many talented players of their own who also play at very high levels of college soccer (many Division I players too). Steel City’s core has been playing together and part of the same system which has produced playoff level squads in the past few years in UWS.

**Steel City FC’s First Team Roster (subject to updates)**

RIveters SC roster (as of 2/13/25)

• Chloe Kuminkoski (Loyola [MD], Moon Twp)
• Sabrina Bryan (Hofstra / Canon-McMillan)
• Tanum Nelson (Cornell , Duxbury, VT)
• Kate Friday (Xavier / Fox Chapel)
• Bailey Herfurth (West Virginia / Northport, NY)
• Ava Boyd (Pitt / Pine-Richland)
• Sydney Lindeman (Towson / Franklin Regional)
• Tessa Dellarose (North Carolina / Brownsville)
• Pauline Nelles (Arizona St / Germany)
• Bella Vozar (American / Thomas Jefferson)
• Lucia Wells (Pitt / North Allegheny)
• Kennedy Neighbors (Indiana, Evansville, IN)
• Piper Coffield (Indiana Univ./Mars)

The USL W League is gearing up for its fourth season, kicking off in less than three months — sometime in mid-to-late May.

The 2025 W League season will feature 93 teams across 15 divisions.

During the offseason, the W League has established three new divisions: the SoCal Division, the Great Forest Division and the Chesapeake Division. Five clubs will compete in the SoCal and Chesapeake divisions, while six clubs will make up the Great Forest Division.

The 2025 season will feature 28 expansion clubs — including both the Riveters and Steel City FC — with at least one new club in 13 of the 15 divisions.

Each team will play either 10 or 12 matches against divisional opponents over the course of the regular season. Upon the start of playoffs, conferences will be used to regionalize match ups with player welfare in mind. More information of the W League playoffs will be released prior to season kickoff.

Pittsburgh Soccer Schedule (2/16 – 2/22)

Sunday, February 16

3:30 p.m.   Riverhounds SC vs Columbus Crew 2 (MLS Next Pro) — Highmark Stadium

Friday, February 21

6 p.m.   Riverhounds SC vs Pitt  — Ambrose Urbanic Field

Saturday, February 22

7 p.m.   Pitt vs Duquesne (Women) — AHN Sports Complex at Cool Springs