PITTSBURGH (May 15, 2025) — Pittsburgh Riveters SC will begin its first-ever season this week with three final players with local roots added to the active roster, Syracuse University midfielder Mackenzie Dupre, Syracuse University defender Aleena Ulke and Coastal Carolina University goalkeeper Aris Lamanna.
Dupre, 21, is a rising senior for the Orange and has appeared in 23 matches for Syracuse after transferring to the ACC school following her freshman season at Towson. Prior to college, the midfielder was a standout player for Upper St. Clair High School and played for Internationals SC in the Elite Clubs National League.
“We are pleased to welcome Mackenzie back to the organization. Mackenzie is a very hard-working player, very solid technically, and strikes a ball very well. She will provide even more depth to our midfield department throughout the course of a very busy season,” Riveters head coach Scott Gibson said.
Ulke, 20, saw limited action in her first season with the Orange, and an injury suffered before her sophomore season prevented her from building on that initial campaign. A star at perennially strong Moon Area High School, Ulke also played in the Riverhounds Development Academy and received multiple ECNL Ohio Valley Conference honors, including Defender of the Year in 2019.
“Aleena has a positive energy and mindset that is contagious. After suffering some serious injury setbacks over the last few years, Aleena has continued to work as hard as she can to work herself back to full fitness. We are proud of her journey and she will bring more defensive quality and tenacity to our group,” Gibson said.
Lamanna, 19, appeared in 13 matches, starting eight, in her first year with Coastal Carolina in 2024. The goalkeeper also recorded a pair of shutouts for the Chanticleers. A product of Franklin Regional High School, where she was a 2023 all-state and three time all-WPIAL selection, Lamanna also played her youth soccer in the ECNL with the Riverhounds Development Academy.
“We are pleased to add Aris to our goalkeeper department. We are very familiar with Aris as a player in our Academy, and she has gone onto have a very good freshman year at Coastal Carolina,” Gibson said. “She is a commanding goalkeeper who is a very good shot stopper and works hard at her game each day. We are excited to see how she further develops this Summer.”
The Riveters take the field for the first time at 7 p.m. Friday when they host the Cleveland Force at Highmark Stadium in the USL W League opener for both teams. Limited tickets remain for the opener at Ticketmaster and through the Highmark Stadium Box Office.
