By: Jared Barton
A section-leading nine North Allegheny girls’ soccer players were named Big 56 All-Conference selections Tuesday morning. Of the nine, five of them took home first-team laurels. Additionally, Head Coach Chuck Kelly took home Big 56 Section Three Coach of the Year honors.
First Team selections included senior defenders Mia Bosley and Ava Hutter, senior midfielder Emma Schupansky, junior forward Kieran Shannon and junior midfielder Rosalia Varlotta. Second team honors included senior forwards Averie Bierker and Avery Ruffus, along with junior goalkeeper Jordan Beemer and defender Sahara Catlos.
Bosley has been a key facilitator in the midfield, particularly along the touch lines for the Tigers this season. She has contributed three goals in 2025 and now has a total of six for her career. Bosely was named all-section earlier this season. Additionally, the senior is a multi-sport athlete participating in flag football.
Hutter has been a steady presence along the NA back line for multiple seasons. She was named an All-WPIAL and all-section player earlier this season. The La Salle University commit also has a goal in 2025, while being a leader and producer in free-kick situations. In 2024, Hutter was a Big 56 All-Conference second team selection and was named to the Moe Rosensteel Most Outstanding Player Watchlist. The center back scored her first career goal with the Tigers in a matchup against Upper St. Clair that year as well.
Schupansky was an All-WPIAL and all-section pick earlier this year. She has three goals on the season and now has 10 total in her Tiger career. She was tied for fourth on the top goal scorers list for the Tigers last season with four. The UMBC commit was a Big 56 All-Conference first team selection in 2024. She was solid in the midfield this entire season and also earned All-WPIAL honors. Emma was a second-team Big 56 All-Conference selection two years ago. She was included on the Moe Rosensteel Award Watch List each of the last two seasons as well.
Shannon is now a multi-time All-WPIAL player as well as an all-section selection this season. She leads the Tigers with 19 goals so far in 2025. Last year, the forward led the team in scoring with 10 goals. This follows a 2023 campaign where she tallied 15 markers and finished second on the roster behind the University of Kentucky’s Abigail Stager. Shannon earned All-WPIAL honors in the 2024 season and was also a Big 56 All-Section 2nd team player last year.
Varlotta was named an all-section pick earlier this season. She is the team’s second leading scorer, tallying 13 goals so far. Some of those goals have been in clutch moments, including the game-winning goal in double overtime for the WPIAL Championship, and the game-winning penalty kick in overtime to advance to the PIAA semifinals on Saturday. She is a multi-sport athlete, also participating in basketball.
This is Bierker’s first all-conference selection of her career. The Miami (OH) commit has contributed seven goals this season so far and 13 for her career. She has played a key role in the offensive end for the Tigers all year, including the game-winning marker in the WPIAL semifinals over Peters Township. Bierker had a breakout junior season with NA last fall, tallying five goals, which was good enough for third-best on the squad behind Kieran Shannon and Aubrey Wells.
Ruffus is now a multi-time all-conference selection, after receiving Big 56 honors in her junior campaign with Allderdice. Since her transfer to North Allegheny, she has contributed six goals, while also earning all-section laurels.
This is Beemer’s first selection to the Big 56 All-Conference team. The junior has been a bright spot in net all season, contributing to 14 shutouts. She was integral to securing victory over Pine-Richland in the WPIAL quarterfinals, making several key stops in penalty kicks.
This is also Catlos’ first selection to the Big 56 All-Conference team. The junior has played a clutch role down the stretch, including her game-clinching penalty kick goal that propelled North Allegheny to the WPIAL semifinals over Pine-Richland.
This is Kelly’s second coach of the year honor from the Big 56, previously winning the award in 2019. He had amassed a 165-49-9 record with the Tigers in 11 seasons.
The full Big 56 All-Conference selections can be found here.
North Allegheny is now 19-3-2 on the season and will continue its push in the PIAA playoffs tonight, as the Tigers face Central Bucks East in the state semifinals from Chambersburg at 6:00 p.m. That match will be broadcast on the North Allegheny Sports Network.
