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Get the most interesting and important stories from the University of Pittsburgh.If your heart lies in the middle of the Venn diagram that includes Panthers fans and women’s soccer lovers, you’re in for a treat this summer — current and former Pitt standouts are dominating the pitch across three leagues.
Most notable is Sarah Schupansky (A&S ‘24), who plays for Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), widely considered the most competitive women’s soccer league in the world. The Pittsburgh native has already notched a goal and three assists thus far in her rookie season. The third assist came in the semifinals of the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup, helping to punch Gotham’s ticket to the final, where they defeated Mexico’s Tigres Femenil for the title.
That solid club work has also earned Schupansky two call-ups to the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team, the training ground for the legendary senior team.
And she isn’t the only former Panther to join the NWSL. Amanda West (A&S ’22, BUS ’23G) is under contract with the Houston Dash. Meanwhile, sophomore Deborah Abiodun signed a three-year deal with the Washington Spirit but is currently on loan to Dallas Trinity FC of the USL Super League, where fellow Pitt alumna Athalie Palomo (A&S ’23) also plays.
While Dallas’ season is over and West is out with an injury, you can still catch Schupansky in action with Gotham — the team has 16 televised games between June and November.
Catch a game closer to home
Prefer to watch your soccer live? Two current Panthers are playing for Pittsburgh teams this summer in the USL W, an amateur league made up of mostly college soccer players.
Margaret Wilde is on the roster for Steel City FC, while Lucia Wells plays for Pittsburgh Riveters SC (the sister team of the men’s USL team, the Riverhounds).
Steel City and the Riveters, both of the Great Forest Division, are set to face off twice this summer — on June 11 at Founders Field in Cheswick and on June 27 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh’s Station Square. Who smells a rivalry cooking?
Photo courtesy of Gotham FC