There have been many success stories for Rutgers athletes on the professional level. Twin brothers Devin and Jason McCourty won Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. Isiah Pacheco has done the same, rising up to become one of the top running backs for the Kansas City Chiefs. Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are projected top-three picks in this year’s NBA draft.
But one that might be flying a little more under the radar is the success of women’s soccer player Riley Tiernan. During her time at Rutgers, Tiernan was a top goal-scorer and shot creator for the team. As a forward for Angel City in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Tiernan has made the most of her opportunity, going from a non-roster trialist to one of the league’s leaders in goals scored as a rookie. Here is a little more on Tiernan, her time at Rutgers, and the sensational start to her pro career with Angel City.
Riley Tiernan grew up in Voorhees, New Jersey and played soccer from a young age. Her older sister Madison also played soccer for Rutgers, before playing in the NWSL briefly for Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC), and is currently an assistant coach for the Rutgers women’s soccer team, a position she started when Riley was a sophomore. Just as Madison did, Riley racked up accolades in high school, winning the Group IV state championship in 2018 and being named the Courier-Post Player of the Year in 2020 during her time at Eastern Regional High School.
When Riley got to Rutgers, she impressed as a freshman, starting all 25 games and leading the Scarlet Knights to a 10-0 record en route to a Big Ten regular season title. After reaching the final of the Big Ten tournament, Rutgers went on a deep run in the NCAA tournament, advancing all the way to the national semifinals before falling to Florida State. Riley had 8 goals and 13 assists, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earning first-team All-Big-Ten honors.
Although Rutgers did not have the same success in the following years, Tiernan earned conference honors in 2022 and 2023, before returning to double-digit point totals in 2024 with 4 goals and 11 assists. Tiernan left Rutgers as the all-time assist leader with 34 assists in 83 games, with her final two coming in the 2024 Big Ten tournament, which helped Rutgers make the final once again.
With the NWSL making the stunning decision to discontinue the draft, Tiernan watched as many other star college players signed contracts with professional teams. Eventually, she got an opportunity to try out for the team and impressed at the preseason Coachella Valley Invitational, earning her a roster spot. Tiernan signed a two-year contract with a club option for the following year in early March and made her debut on March 16, playing the entire game.
Tiernan scored her first goal against the Seattle Reign on March 30th, the eventual game-winner to break a 1-1 tie and give Angel City its first win of the season. In the next game, Tiernan contributed an assist and goal against the Houston Dash on April 12th, a 3-1 victory for Angel City. After winning Rookie of the Month in April, she scored two goals, including the game-winner in stoppage time against the Washington Spirit. Since then, she has added two more goals, with an impressive six goals and an assist in just ten matches with the side.
Tiernan has broken out on the professional level, with back-to-back Rookie of the Month honors, and is at the top of the list for Rookie of the Year. Her six goals are tied for third in the NWSL, behind only league stars Barbara Banda and Esther Gonzales, who have seven. Tiernan has previously represented the United States at the U-23 level after being called into training camp for the U-20 side. If she continues to play like this, she may even get called up to the USWNT, following in the footsteps of Rutgers and U.S. soccer legend Carli Lloyd.
Riley Tiernan’s breakout success in the NWSL may have been somewhat unexpected in this fashion, but she has always played with a high motor and strong work ethic, which has given her an edge. From a standout player in high school and college, she has taken the next step as a professional athlete, and is up there with the top players in the league in her first season. Tiernan continues to make Rutgers proud, and Scarlet Knights fans couldn’t be happier to see it.