“We Can Do It!” and they did. Riveters SC was founded in 2024 and in 2025 they won the USL W League’s Great Forest Division and made an appearance in the playoffs - this year they hope to go even further and have the support of The Burgh to add another title to “The City of Champions.” We wanted to know how it all got started and Matt Grubba from Media Relations was willing to give us the story.

Tell us the origin story of Pittsburgh Riveters SC - when was it founded? By whom and what is its mission?
The Riveters were established in 2024 and began play in 2025 as the women's first team in the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC organization. The Riverhounds Academy began fielding competitive girls teams in 2013, and while the club has produced more than 100 Division I women's players and players who would have played professionally in the U.S. and Europe, the club did not have a senior-level women's team. The Riveters were established to fill that gap, providing senior-level soccer for our academy alums and for players from elsewhere looking to play at a high level.

Tell us about your badge and colors – how does it connect to the community?
Our badge is a stylized depiction of Rosie the Riveter inspired by the famous World War II-era poster "We Can Do It!" that was commissioned by Pittsburgh-based Westinghouse Electric and created by local artist J. Howard Miller. The club's primary colors, black and yellow, are the shared colors of the City of Pittsburgh, appearing on the city's flag and also worn by the city's four men's professional teams, the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and Riverhounds. The Riveters also have red as their official third color and appearing in the badge, a nod to Rosie's bandana in the famous image.

What league or leagues does your club participate in and why did you choose those to join?
Our team currently plays in the USL W League, as the Riverhounds' men's team is one of the foundational members of the current USL Championship.

How does the club stay funded and how can our readers support you?
Ticket sales, merchandise and in-house food & beverage all play a big role in our team's revenue. We have a full team store available online and at F.N.B. Stadium, where fans can buy kits, apparel and other Riveters merchandise. We are also one of the only W League teams to broadcast all our home matches on linear TV, airing on SportsNet Pittsburgh, allowing fans who can't be at the stadium to watch from home.

How did you finish last year and what are your goals for the 2026 season?
The team finished with a 6-1-3 record in its inaugural regular season, winning the Great Forest Division and reaching the USL W League Playoffs before losing to eventual Central Conference champion Minnesota Aurora. This year's goal is to repeat as division champs and progress further into the playoffs to contend for the league title.

How does Pittsburgh Riveters participate in or give back to their community?
Our players and staff remain committed to growing soccer and women's sports in general in the Pittsburgh region, and we have a trio of Community Impact Pillars (available on our website) that guide how we work toward those goals. For just a few small examples, we have participated each year in a Girls & Women In Sports Day drive hosted by the Steelers to provide sports equipment for girls at local schools, our players attended the grand opening of a new sports bar that is dedicated to airing women's sports, and our front office operates a job shadowing program aimed toward girls and young women with an interest working in sports.

If there were one or two teams, within a 100 miles of you, to play a friendly against – who would you play and why?
We're fortunate to have a number of strong teams in our division, which was one of the most competitive in the W League a season ago, and they are the best competition available in the 100-150 mile radius. If there were a chance to play a friendly against one of the professional teams in the U.S., particularly to host it at F.N.B. Stadium, that would be our dream matchup. Geographically, the two D.C. Teams — Super League's Power and NWSL's Spirit — make the most sense, but it would also be fun to face the Chicago Stars, whose lineup now includes 2025 Riveters captain Tessa Dellarose.

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