Thrilled to play for hometown team, Plum alum Gina Proviano leads Riveters into playoffs

As the team’s inaugural regular season comes to a close and the playoffs draw near, the Pittsburgh Riveters have received key contributions from one of Plum’s own.

Gina Proviano, a 2021 Plum graduate, has been an impact midfielder for the Riveters.

“It is a surreal feeling to play in front of my home city,” Proviano said. “There is no (women’s) professional soccer here, so the feeling is like no other.”

She has contributed three goals in the 10-game regular season. The Riveters finished with a 6-1-3 record and will meet the Minnesota Aurora in the conference semifinals at 1 p.m. Friday at Highmark Stadium.

“I’ve played in front of New York City with the Statue of Liberty in the background, but playing at Highmark Stadium is still the best place I’ve ever played,” Proviano said.

The Riveters won the Great Forest Division title to qualify for the playoffs. Proviano scored in stoppage time to give the Riveters a 2-1 division-clinching victory over Steel City FC last Friday.

“It doesn’t matter who is there on a given week,” Proviano said. “We put our heads down every day and go to work preparing the same for each game.”

Before suiting up for the Riveters this summer, Proviano was a three-year captain at Long Island University.

“We had a few different coaches, but it never stopped me from playing for them,” Proviano said. “I loved coming into a new school that was almost freshly Division I and building something for the school.”

She graduated in May with a degree in health sciences. The opportunity to continue playing soccer at the next level is something Proviano is mulling over.

“I’m still trying to decide on the future of my soccer career,” Proviano said. “If I were to keep playing, there is always the option to play overseas in Europe.”

Riveters coach Scott Gibson, who helped to recruit Proviano to the team for this summer, has developed a great relationship with her over the years. She has been with the Riverhounds Academy since she was 14 years old.

“We have worked with Gina for many years,” Gibson said. “We know what type of person and character that she is, and she has gotten stronger as our season has gone on.”

Gibson had to assemble a team from scratch, trying to cook up the right blend of talent from the Riverhounds Academy and beyond. The call to Proviano didn’t take much contemplation.

“It was a no-brainer,” Gibson said. “We wanted to find a balance among our academy alums, and she was one of the first people that we got in touch with.”

Gibson has been a key mentor for many, including Proviano, trying to grow the game of women’s soccer around the city of Pittsburgh.

“Scott is the best coach I’ve ever had in my life,” Proviano said. “I left my old club at Arsenal and went to the Riverhounds Academy at 14, and those were the best years of my life.”

She also mentioned that Gibson’s ultimate goal for women’s soccer is to get a NWSL team to the city eventually.

As for now, the Minnesota Aurora are next on tap for the Riveters, who are hoping to get a playoff victory in their inaugural season.

“It is going to be a big day Friday,” Proviano said. “I never thought I would play in front of a sold-out crowd in Pittsburgh, and I hope the city has been enjoying it.”

Kings Hammer FC from Cincinnati will meet Detroit City FC in the other conference semifinal at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Highmark Stadium. The winners will square off at 7 p.m. Sunday.