Long before Sarah Schupansky graced fields across the NWSL and captured a trophy double in her debut season at Gotham FC, she was undersized and not on the radar of the United States women’s national team youth programs.
By happenstance, two-time NCAA national champion head coach Randy Waldrum spotted something special in a teenage Schupansky.
Waldrum was just settling into his early days as head coach of the University of Pittsburgh women’s soccer team in 2018 and was searching for talent for his ambitious project that eventually transformed the Panthers into Elite Eight finishers in the 2023 NCAA Division I tournament.
The United Soccer Coaches Hall of Famer recalled being urged by a local Pittsburgh club coach to watch a potential transfer player at a nearby training event. Instead, it was Schupansky, who caught his attention even though she was barely 5-foot tall and competing against older players who were already college-bound.
‘She Was the Best Player on the Field’ — Waldrum Saw Something Special in 8th Grade Schupansky
“I went out to this training event to see this kid that was looking to transfer, and I spent two hours watching the game – Sarah was in that game as an eighth grader, and she was the one who caught my eye,” Waldrum told South Ward Central.
“I remember telling the coach that I definitely liked the transfer kid. She’s a good player, and we certainly talk about that, but the one I really liked was Schupansky. He told me that she’s only in the eighth grade. I told him I know that, but she was the best player on the field. That’s the one I liked.
“We had her on our radar right from the jump once I got to Pitt. She was the very first player that I saw that I wanted to recruit to Pitt, and we were fortunate to get her to buy into the vision that we were going to change the program and get into national prominence.”
Building Something Bigger Together at Pittsburgh
Schupansky, her teammates, Waldrum and the coaching staff pushed Pittsburgh to new heights. When Waldrum took over the Panthers, the program only had two winning seasons across a 22-year history and had a 285 RPI (Rating Percentage Index) out of over 300 Division I college teams.
Schupansky and the Panthers twice reached the Sweet Sixteen at the 2022 and 2023 NCAA Division I tournaments.
“Every year while she was here, we got better and better and better,” Waldrum recalled. “She not only was able to grow individually, but she was able to help the program grow into the top 25. I think in her junior year, we finished sixth in the country and reached the Elite 8.”
From Pittsburgh to Gotham FC, Schupansky Keeps Improving
Schupansky is currently in the second season of her NWSL career and continues to play a prominent role in Gotham’s success. She credited Waldrum for recognizing her potential at a tender age and playing an instrumental role in her development.
“I think Randy Waldrum is an incredible coach and human being,” Schupansky told South Ward Central. “He did nothing but help me throughout those four years. I actually committed to play for the University of Pittsburgh when I was in eighth grade, a freshman in high school, so super, super young. But he showed his belief in me and really instilled that belief from early on.
“I still remember the first couple of phone calls I had. I was barely five foot when I was a freshman in high school, and he got on the phone, and he just knew, he just saw the potential, and he knew that I was going to develop into the player that I ended up being. I think from our first conversation, I knew he was the coach I wanted to play for, and even though Pitt did not have the history that some of those women’s soccer programs out there do have, I knew that he was going to build something that would be a very incredible, very incredible to be a part of.
“It was special to build a little bit of a dynasty there for a few years, and I credit all of my success throughout those four years to him and the rest of the staff at Pitt because they believed in me when sometimes I didn’t even believe myself. So I really appreciate them.”
It’s no surprise to Waldrum that Schupansky continues to make great strides with Gotham and the United States women’s under-23 national team.
“She had the technical tools, which is what caught my eye initially when I saw her on that very first day,” Waldrum said. “She was highly skillful and technical with the ball. The other thing is that her character was really outstanding. Knowing her parents, I knew that her upbringing was exceptional.
“I also knew she was the kind of player who just had that drive to get better and better. I think the big thing there was getting her to understand what her full potential was — not only for us at Pitt but to go on and play professionally. I felt a lot of my job was not only preparing her to bring Pitt to new heights but also having the longer vision of preparing her to become a pro.”
Waldrum on Schupansky: ‘I Couldn’t Be More Proud of Her’
Waldrum hopes that Schupansky’s continued growth as a pro will lead to an eventual call-up to the USWNT senior team as part of the next generation that breaks through into Emma Hayes’ plans following the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“I couldn’t be more proud of her right now with all she’s accomplished with Gotham and the U-23s,” Waldrum said. “Hopefully, after the World Cup, she gets into the senior team for the next cycle. When she gets on the field, she’s got an edge to her as a competitor, she’s got some bite to her.”
Waldrum is equally pleased that Schupansky continues to be down-to-earth and humble in the face of spotlight and success.
“She’s the most considerate, nicest, most thoughtful person that you could think of,” he said. “She’s so respectful and professional in everything that she does. It’s been great that she’s been able to maintain her personality and the way that she grew up while being a professional athlete. I’m extremely proud of her.”
Schupansky and Gotham will return from the international break against Bay FC with Saturday’s kick off at Sports Illustrated Stadium scheduled for 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
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