As a young player, former Foxes soccer standout Kate Friday looked up to female soccer legends of the time, such as Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz, and the other members of the U.S. women’s national team. Kate especially admired Julie Ertz because they played the same position, and Julie excelled at heading the ball, something Kate admits was a challenge for her as a young athlete.
Now, after years of tireless dedication and growth, Kate became an inspiration herself. A 2024 Fox Chapel Area High School graduate, she was selected to play for the Pittsburgh Riveters in their inaugural season in the USL W League, the nation’s top pre-professional platform and a key stepping stone to the pros.
A holding midfielder, Kate contributed to the Riveters’ 6-1-2 regular season record. The first-year squad clinched the division title in their debut season.
For Kate, one of the memorable aspects of the season wasn’t just playing on an elite team and with some of the best women’s soccer players in the country. It was also performing in front of sellout crowds where thousands of young girls were eager to meet the players. She says it was then that it hit her that playing her best was about more than winning – it’s also about supporting and furthering young girls’ opportunities and participation in sports, particularly soccer.
“Some questions they’ve asked me is what it was like to play for the Riveters and if they could have the same opportunity, too, when they grew up,” says Kate, who notched the winning goal that won Fox Chapel Area’s women’s soccer program its first WPIAL championship in 38 years. “I told them to always have confidence, because that was something I struggled with at times, and it can make or break you as a player.
“I also told them that playing on a team allows you to grow as a person and provides opportunities to form lifelong relationships with teammates and coaches.”
This summer also brought a chance for Kate to reconnect with some friends that she’s made through soccer, including former Foxes teammate Lucy Ream (Class of 2021), now a captain of the Steel City women’s pre-professional team.
“It’s been fun playing with women I’ve known and admired my entire life,” says Kate, who just departed the area for soccer training camp ahead of her sophomore year at Florida Gulf Coast University. “Lucy was a senior when I was a freshman in high school, and I remember I was so intimidated by her!”
Clutch Player at Fox Chapel Area
Kate’s four years with the Fox Chapel Area High School soccer program are legendary. Most notably, she scored the winning goal that upset perennial powerhouse North Allegheny and brought home the Foxes’ WPIAL championship in 2023.
According to current Foxes girls coach Carlo Prati, Kate was a clutch player who could make the difference in close games.
“I can remember we put her in as a freshman versus Norwin, and she scored in overtime to get us the section title. She scored some big overtime goals for us,” the coach says.
Kate served as a co-captain of during her junior and senior years, and earned numerous honors. She was a two-time All-WPIAL selection and a three-time all-section pick, and she was named a “player to watch” three times. Her speed, athleticism, and tenacity helped her earn a full scholarship – first to Xavier College for her freshman year, and now onto Florida Gulf Coast.
Still, at times, she misses her high school years, her teammates, and soccer friends.
“Carlo (coach Prati) came to a few of my games, and it made me miss Fox Chapel so much,” Kate says. “I am so happy I was able to represent my school and community this summer.”
Kate also keeps her playing days at Fox Chapel Area High School alive by staying in contact with teammates and soccer friends such as 2025 graduates Anna Troutman, Carson Krushanski, and Pablo Linzoain (who did not play for the Foxes in his senior year due to playing for the Riverhounds’ professional team), Colin Lazzara, and current girls team members Caylie and Taylor Wilkinson.
Onward with Confidence
“I’ve learned that a lot of being successful has to do with pushing yourself every day, which is very hard, but learning early on is the way to keep going after high school, in college, and at the pro league level,” a philosophy Kate abides by and shares with young players.
After a strong summer, Kate is taking that same drive into training camp at Florida Gulf Coast, where she will pursue a degree in finance.
Kate’s soccer journey story has gone from a riveted fan of women’s championship squads to now being an inspiration herself to future generations of female athletes, with her best playing days still likely ahead.
