Soccer has taken Tessa Dellarose to destinations all over the globe.
A 2022 Brownsville graduate, Dellarose has been a key contributor on the North Carolina women’s soccer team for the past three seasons. The Tar Heels junior has also played internationally as a member of the United States U-20 Women’s Youth National Team.
The next stop for Dellarose will be home.
The expansion Pittsburgh Riveters Soccer Club announced Wednesday it had reached an agreement with Dellarose to make her the first player in the pre-professional USL W League women’s soccer franchise’s history.
“I think it was really cool, and it was a great honor,” said Dellarose, 20, who also played in the Riverhounds Development Academy. “Just seeing all the support that the Riveters received from the city of Pittsburgh was really cool to see. I knew right from the start that this was something that I wanted to be a part of.
“To be asked to be, one, just a part of the organization, but also be the first person that they signed was just a great opportunity that I knew I had to take.”
Dellarose’s roster spot is pending approval from the USL W League and U.S. Soccer once the league’s registration period opens prior to the 2025 season.
The Riveters will play their inaugural match in May. The franchise will play its home matches at Highmark Stadium in Station Square along with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
“She’s a perfect fit for us and embodies what we’re looking for,” Riveters SC head coach Scott Gibson said. “I’m excited about that.”
Dellarose — a 5-foot-5 holding midfielder — has started every match for North Carolina this season and has been integral to the Tar Heels racking up an 11-1 record. She has three goals and two assists on 12 shots, 4 of which were on goal in 2024.
“She’s an unbelievable person,” Gibson said. “She’s a hard-working woman, a competitor in everything she does. She’s matured a lot, obviously, over her time at North Carolina. She’s breaking all types of records in terms of fitness tests. She’s just an absolute competitor. She’s a very caring person, too. She gives back.
“She’s just a role model,” he added. “That’s someone we want to be here and be around the culture we have. Off the field, great person, on the field, she crosses that white line and she’s a warrior.”
Predominantly a defender for most of her time in Chapel Hill, Dellarose now has four goals and five assists during her three seasons at North Carolina. Aside from playing midfield, she also has performed as a left back in the Tar Heels defense.
During her tenure with the U-20 Women’s Youth National Team, Dellarose played in eight matches, which included every match of the team’s 2023 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship final run in the Dominican Republic.
“Every opportunity I get to come home, I’m always looking to train with the Riverhounds or with Scott, specifically, so getting to play under him again with the summer league team is going to be super awesome,” Dellarose said. “It’s kind of a little bit interesting with the national team now since I’m phased out of the U-20. The next step really is either the 23s or the full national team.”
Dellarose said she is looking forward to the opportunity to play for the Riveters.
“I just want to make the most of the opportunity of being home, being back in my home environment with Scott and with all the girls that he’s going to continue to recruit and just prepare myself for the next steps,” she said.
Gibson said the Riveters will continue to make acquisitions and tryouts will soon be scheduled for players interested in joining his franchise.
Starting with a commitment from Dellarose, a player he coached as a youth in the Riverhounds Academy, is certainly a step in the right direction.
“It’s a good landing spot for players who are playing collegiately currently at a high level but also players who are out of the college game and want to play at a high level,” Gibson said. “It’s a mix of both. For someone like Tessa, obviously, it’s certainly a steppingstone to the NWSL or the leagues that are above this one.”
Aside from developing players, though, Gibson said the Riveters are committed to playing at a high level and competing for USL W League titles.
“Giving these young women a resource to build a team in Pittsburgh is something that I think is very important,” Gibson said. “There will be a process involved with it, but it’s a really good start, obviously, to have someone like Tessa Dellarose as the first person committed to doing this.”
Dellarose said she plans to be instrumental in the development of the Riveters. She said she intends to assist in recruiting teammates in consultation with Gibson and his staff, aside from being the first face of the franchise.
“There’s definitely a few older teammates from past Riverhounds teams and some local girls, even from Pitt,” Dellarose said. “I’m keeping an eye on all of them, and hopefully when they come back home for the summer they’ll be around to get to play again together.”
John is a copy editor and page designer at the Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at jsanta@unionprogress.com.