Pitt Women's Soccer Freshman Named Gatorade POY

Pitt Panthers freshman for the women's soccer program earned the distinction of Gatorade Player of the Year for Pennsylvania.

Dominic Campbell, Ari Meyer | Jun 30, 2024

Pitt women's soccer freshman Lola Abraham received Gatorade Player of the Year honor for Pennsylvania Girls' Soccer / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- An incoming Pitt Women’s Soccer recruit had reason to celebrate, as Lola Abraham was named the Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls' Soccer Player of the Year.

Abraham, an incoming midfielder in the Class of 2024, earned the honor over 102 other Pennsylvania girls' soccer players. Abraham joins an elite class of high school athletes, with one male and female athlete named per state and Washington D.C. earning the honor for soccer.

The award officially celebrates excellence “on the field, in the classroom and in the community”, and Abraham certainly put the work in. With 77 goals and 20 assists for Riverview High School in nearby Oakmont, Pa., Abraham was able to score a hat-trick in 18 of her 25 games played this year.

She earned the Moe Rosensteel Most Outstanding Player Award, given to the best soccer player in Pennsylvania. Additional accolades of Abraham’s include two first-team all state selections and an illustrious prep career with 176 goals and 37 assists.

Abraham was a member of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds club team, playing in the ECNL. The ECNL is the highest level of club soccer for girls soccer, and Abraham showed consistently her ability to play at that level.

Abraham finished with a selection to the ECNL all conference first team as well as earning a spot in the player pool for the United States Youth National Team.

Off the field, Abraham finished high school with a 4.2 GPA, emphasizing the classroom aspect of the Gatorade award. She also volunteers as a youth soccer coach and referee.

Outside of soccer, Abraham was a three-sport athlete in high school, also playing basketball and track and field.

Senior midfielder Ellie Coffield, received this award in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021 in Pennsylvania as well. She was also a WPIAL product, playing at Mars High School in Mars, Pa., about 25-30 miles north of Pitt's campus.

Pitt women's soccer will look to build off of an incredible 2023 season, which they set the record for wins, made the ACC Tournament Semifinals and also the Elite Eight, both for the first time in program history.

Having two Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls' Soccer Player of the Year honorees on your team in Abraham and Coffield will help the Panthers try to reach their first ever College Cup.

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Published Jun 30, 2024