North Allegheny junior Reagan Riordan is a two-sport athlete with a one-track mind.
Whether on the lacrosse field or the volleyball court, Riordan is driven to win.
“She is an absolute team player,” NA lacrosse coach Courtney Killian said. “She wants everyone to succeed, and she wants to help everybody. That’s what I love about her.”
Riordan, who helped the school’s girls volleyball team to the PIAA Class 4A championship in the fall, is having another prolific spring in lacrosse. The midfielder had a team-best 38 goals heading into the regular-season finale May 7 at Sewickley Academy. She has netted 92 career goals — despite playing only six games as a freshman — and could reach the milestone No. 100 this season.
The Tigers (4-11, 3-5 as of May 6) were scheduled to open the WPIAL playoffs May 12.
“I hope to get it by the end of the season, but who knows?” Riordan said of her 100th goal. “I’m really excited. It’s definitely been one of my goals in high school.”
Said Killian: “That is so special. To hit 100 in her junior year is remarkable.”
Riordan began playing lacrosse in third grade and said much of her motivation came from her older brother, Seamus, a four-star midfielder at Shady Side Academy who has committed to top-ranked Cornell.
“My brother is so good at lacrosse, and following in his footsteps, obviously I look up to him,” Riordan said. “I’m accomplishing my goals and what I have planned for myself.”
While Riordan is a big scorer in lacrosse, she is all about defense in volleyball. She plays defensive specialist for the Tigers, who went 21-1 last season and won their eighth consecutive state volleyball championship. Riordan, a second-team all-section pick, had 17 digs in a 3-1 victory over North Catholic in the 2024 WPIAL championship.
She plays club volleyball in the offseason — she quit club lacrosse before high school — but said her favorite sport “depends on the season.”
“A lot of people say I’m better at lacrosse,” she said, “but I definitely enjoy the culture around volleyball. Winning with our volleyball team has been one of my favorite memories through our high school seasons.”
The 5-foot-4 Riordan has created more memories this spring. She scored four goals in a 12-10 win at North Hills on April 28 as the Tigers snapped a five-game losing streak. She had a season-high six goals — on seven shots — in a 14-13 loss to Shady Side Academy on April 14 and ranks first or second on the Tigers in ground balls, caused turnovers and draw controls.
“She’s all over the field,” Killian said. “She has great stick skills. She isn’t afraid of the defense crashing on her and still manages to get the ball in the back of the net. She’s just an aggressive player, and I think that’s what helps her be such a great attacker.”
A midseason varsity call-up as a freshman in 2023, Riordan scored a team-best 50 goals last season. She has augmented her quickness and speed with excellent stick work and shot accuracy. She ranks among the team leaders in shot percentage.
“I’ve definitely seen my shot placement improve and the power that I have on my shot,” she said. “Also knowing how to dodge my defenders and when to pass the ball and not take a shot.”
Riordan also knows how to balance her time between the two sports. She hopes to play both sports at the next level and said she has talked to college coaches about that possibility.
“She is doing a fantastic job managing all of it,” Killian said. “She has missed very, very little lacrosse. To juggle all of that and do everything she’s doing is impressive. It has been very difficult for her, but she has handled it very well.”