Pulse of Pittsburgh Soccer: As openers approach, Pittsburgh’s women’s soccer pre-professional rosters take shape

Welcome to a new edition of the Pulse of Pittsburgh Soccer, where the energy in the city is shifting from a slow spring build to a full-on summer sprint.

While the Riverhounds SC first team remains on the road this week, their focus pivots to the USL Cup for a Friday night clash against the Charlotte Independence. Here’s a fun fact to chew on this week regarding Hounds facing the Indepedence: although Charlotte now competes in a lower division, they remain a historical white whale for the Hounds, who never managed to secure a road victory against them during their shared years in the USL Championship. (Riverhounds’ all-time record against the Charlotte Independence is 1 win, 8 losses, and 5 draws!!)

The broader soccer world is also beginning to turn its eyes toward the summer, as we are now just a month away from the FIFA World Cup. PSN contributor Mark Goodman recently set the table for the international stage with a poignant op-ed, “Can FIFA Save World Cup Reputation?”, exploring the high stakes of the upcoming tournament. Locally, that global fever is already taking shape with confirmed plans for massive fan zones at both F.N.B. Stadium and Acrisure Stadium.

Most pertinently for local supporters, the women’s pre-professional season officially kicks off in the coming days.

The roster builds across the city showcase two fascinatingly different philosophies: the Pittsburgh Riveters SC have adopted a mercenary strategy, scouting and recruiting elite talent from across the nation to build around its own local core to field the most competitive squad possible. Meanwhile, Steel City FC and Beadling SC are leaning into a more practical, homegrown approach, relying on local standouts and deep-rooted academy connections to compete at the highest level.

We have the full look at each squad’s roster below.   Look for a feature to come later in the week as Rachael Palmer visited Riveters’ training last week.

Here is the consolidated overview of Pittsburgh’s women’s pre-professional squads as they head into the 2026 season kickoff.  The full rosters (as we know them — can be found all the way at the bottom of this post)

Pittsburgh Riveters SC (USL W League)

The defending Great Forest Division champions have finalized a roster featuring some local stars and current/recent Division 1 talent. Visiting Hounds practice one day last month, Head Coach Scott Gibson walked by with a young player and her parents, acknowledging that he was showing around a new ‘recruit’ they were hoping would make the commitment to play with the team this year.

And so it goes.  In year two, the team that — with the support of Riverhounds’ organization resources — was able to pack strong crowds into Highmark (now FNB) Stadium in its debut season.

There’s a lot of talented players on the roster.

The question and challenge that Gibson and his staff will have once again this year — is can they get this group to play at a high level and build chemistry in their Great Forest Division title and look to get into the USL W League postseason tournament once again?

From the looks of it, they have a returninng core that’s strong, built around Sabrina Bryan (Canon-McMillan / Hofstra — also has been coaching at South Fayette HS), Azalea Mihailovich (former UNC Ashville standout from Cumberland, MD, but played with Hounds Academy) and coming back is the team’s leading scorer from last year, Tanum Nelson (formerly Cornell University).

Two interesting additions with distinct international backgrounds include: Ellen Molloy: Midfielder and Republic of Ireland international and Ashley Townsend: Midfielder/Forward with experience in the English league system (South Shields and Durham)

Among the current Division I talent includes Kennedy Neighbors (Indiana), Hadley Murrell (Oklahoma), Lucia Wells (North Allegheny / Pitt), Lola Abraham (Riverview / Pitt), Alexis Tylenda (Shaler, Beadling, University of Kentucky), Fiona Mahan (Avonworth / University of Alabama), Robin Reilly (Latrobe / West Virginia University); Shannon Studer (Appalachian State), Brooke Fabri (South Florida),, Piper Coffield (Mars / Indiana), Sydney Lindeman (Franklin Regional / Towson), Natalia Disora (Upper St Clair / Wake Forest), Ella Bulava (Latrobe / Maryland), Grace Bannon (Montour / Campbell), Kate Friday (Fox Chapel / Florida Gulf Coast), Lexi Grundler (Bowling Green), Aris Lamanna (Franklin Regional / Coastal Carolina), Mia Deramo (South Fayette / Youngstown State), Annamarie Williams (Highlands / Virginia), Lilly Bane (Canon-McMillan / Maryland), Caitlyn Thompson (South Fayette / Miami-OH), Bella Vozar (Thomas Jefferson / American); Bailey Herfurth (West Virginia)

Steel City FC (USL W League)

Head Coach Tom Ovenden and Steel City are doubling down on continuity, returning 16 players from their 2025 campaign to anchor their inside-out developmental model.

Steel City played Riveters to two tight contests that weren’t decided until the final whistle last season.  In bringing back such a large core group of returnees, there should be few questions about the chemistry with this group and understanding of the system.

• Key Returnees: Emily Graeca (Dubois / James Madison), Coco Dorman (Marquette), Regan Reilly (Latrobe / Eastern Kentucky), Audrey Bianco (CMU), Payton O’Mally (Chartiers Valley /Bowling Green) and Kaitlyn Killinger (Plum / Duquesne)

• Local Ties: The roster features several Moon High School products, including Skylar and Kaitlyn Leseck, alongside Chartiers Valley standout Payton O’Malley.

• Coaching Core: Veteran Jaclyn Ketter (Kent State), currently the head coach at Wheeling University, provides an essential veteran presence on the pitch.

Beadling SC (WPSL)

Continuing its run in the WPSL, Beadling’s roster is clearly a sign that Pittsburgh’s women’s soccer talent goes well beyond the W League.  Beadling coaches including Matt Fonagy have assembled a talented group who will begin play on Wednesday, May 20, when they face Internationals SC, in Cleveland.

• Featured Attackers: Hailey Longwell (UNC Wilmington)—the former Moe Rosensteel Award winner (Moon) and reigning CAA Attacking Player of the Year—and Auburn’s Gracie Brown (former Beadling youth academy and Morgantown High School standout) lead the line.

• Collegiate Powerhouses: The squad includes West Virginia University standouts Josie Johnson and Mia Lough, and High Point’s Aleena Ulke.

• The Duquesne Connection: A strong contingent of Dukes will feature for Beadling, including Ashlyn Basinger, Ali Hughes, Bryn Ramsey, and Paige Kuisis.

May Women’s Pre-Pro Schedule

Note: All local schedules begin in earnest this weekend, highlighted by the Riveters’ opener on May 16.

Pittsburgh Riveters SC (USL W League)

• Lola Abraham
• Lilly Bane
• Grace Bannon
• Annalyse Bauer
• Ariana Borneo
• Sabrina Bryan
• Ella Bulava
• Piper Coffield
• Mia Deramo
• Natalia DiSora
• Makenna Dominguez
• Brooke Fabri
• Kate Friday
• Lexi Grundler
• Bailey Herfurth
• Brielle LaBerge
• Aris Lamanna
• Sydney Lindeman
• Fiona Mahan
• Azalea Mihailovich
• Ellen Molloy
• Hadley Murrell
• Kennedy Neighbors
• Robin Reilly
• Coley Sidloski
• Shannon Studer
• Caitlyn Thompson
• Ashley Townsend
• Alexis Tylenda
• Bella Vozar
• Lucia Wells
• Annamarie Williams

Steel City FC (USL W League)

• Audrey Bianco

• Coco Dorman

• Gabi Folino

• Emily Graeca

• Jaclyn Ketter

• Kaitlyn Killinger

• Kaitlyn Leseck

• Skylar Leseck

• Margherita Memoli

• Kaitlyn McGuire

• Payton O’Malley

• Regan Reilly

• Bri Ross

• Marissa Salsbury

• Saveria Ulizzi

• Mackenna Yaracs

Beadling SC (WPSL)

• Adrienne Altizer

• Ashlyn Basinger

• Brooke Bodamer

• Gracie Brown

• Reese Dunaway

• Addie Hammond

• Ali Hughes

• Madison Hurst

• Josie Johnson

• Paige Kuisis

• Gabrielle Larson

• Ava Lewis

• Hailey Longwell

• Mia Lough

• Teagan Mehalko

• Lauren Muhanna

• Brooke Opferman

• Melia Peer

• Tessa Peer

• Maddy Petruzzi

• Bryn Ramsey

• Ellie Shanholtzer

• Aleena Ulke

• Aubrey Wells