Ellie Coffield, Melissa Riggins picked for national All-American soccer game

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 | 3:30 PM

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A pair of WPIAL standout midfielders will represent District 7 in the High School All-American soccer game.

Mars’ Ellie Coffield and Melissa Riggins of Shady Side Academy were selected to the national all-star showcase set for May 29 in St. Louis.

Coffield, a United Soccer Coaches Region II All-American, was a USC All-Region East team selection for the second year in a row.

A Pitt commit and the TribLive HSSN Player of the Year, she had 26 goals and 36 assists to guide the Fightin’ Planets (19-0) to two consecutive WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A championships.

Mars finished the season No. 1 in the USC national rankings. The Planets have won 41 straight games.

Riggins, an all-state and All-WPIAL player, is a Georgetown recruit — and a noted track runner who has won multiple WPIAL and state titles.

She holds the PIAA Class AA record in the 800-meter run, a race she has never lost.

No WPIAL players were selected to the boys’ All-American game.

Past WPIAL players chosen for the game include Greensburg Central Catholic midfielder Nate Ward, Gateway goalkeeper Madisyn Neundorfer, both 2019 picks, Norwin’s Emily Harrigan and Josh Luchini of North Allegheny in ‘17, and Bailey Cartwright of Greensburg Central Catholic and Max Silberg, who spent a year at Fox Chapel before transferring to The Kiski School, in ‘16.

Full girls All-American Game rosters here.

Boys rosters here.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Mars, Shady Side Academy