PITTSBURGH (September 11, 2019) – The Pittsburgh Riverhounds Development Academy (RDA) has 11 players selected to participate in a U.S. Soccer Youth National Team Identification Center this Wednesday in Pittsburgh, including sessions at Montour Junction Sports Complex, the training home for the RDA.
Athletes selected include Lola Abraham, Ava Boyd, Tessa Dellarose, Kate Friday, Tatum Gretz, Fiona Mahan, Sarah Schupansky, Jayden Sharpless, Minah Syam, Alexis Tylenda and Madison Vukas. All players will have the opportunity to train under the direction of U.S. Soccer Talent Identification Managers in an environment made to mirror Youth National Team camps.
“We are excited for the RDA girls to have the experience to take part in the YNT Identification Center,” Academy Director Scott Gibson said. “It will be a great opportunity for the players to perform in a high-level training environment and will provide the players the chance to be evaluated and assessed by the talent identification managers. It’s the icing on the cake for the girls to be able to have this here in Pittsburgh. We wish the players the best of luck.”
This announcement comes on the heels of a widely successful RDA season. Three players of this group, Dellarose, Schupansky and Gretz, are members of the 2003 RDA Girls team, which won the ECNL Showcase Cup this past season. Vukas competes for the 2002 Girls squad, which fared well in the same tournament with a semifinals finish.
This past July, Dellarose was also selected to an ECNL National Training Camp. She earlier participated in a U.S. Soccer Youth National Team Identification Center this past May in Arlington, Virginia as well.
In addition, Abraham, Boyd, Friday, Mahan, Syam and Tylenda were members of the 2005 Girls team that advanced to the championship game of the 14U Super Group at U.S. Club Soccer’s National Cup XVIII in Commerce City, Colorado this past summer.
Unlike the others who have already been in the player development system, Sharpless has joined the RDA for this upcoming season.
For more information on U.S. Soccer Youth National Team Identification Centers, please visit ussoccer.com.
