Four Shady Side Academy seniors signed letters committing to college athletics programs on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, the first day of the NCAA signing period. The signing ceremony and celebration was held outdoors at Michael J. Farrell Stadium entrance plaza. The signees, who were joined by their coaches, college counselors, families and friends, included:

• Adam Lauer - Golf, Davidson College (NCAA Division I)
• Madison Recker – Lacrosse, Rhodes College (NCAA Division III)
• Melissa Riggins – Track and Soccer, Georgetown University (NCAA Division I)
• Nyla Rozier – Basketball, St. Francis University (NCAA Division I)

Lauer is a four-year varsity letterwinner who helped the SSA boys' golf team to four section titles and four top 4 finishes at the WPIAL Team Championship. He qualified for the WPIAL Individual Championship three times, placing third in 2019 and second in 2020 to advance to the PIAA Championship both years. He finished fifth in the state in 2019 and sixth in 2020. Lauer also runs on the SSA cross country team, and in 2020 he placed 10th in the WPIAL and 21st in the PIAA races. The SSA boys golf team coached by Mark Hessler. The Davidson College Wildcats compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference of NCAA Division I.

Recker transferred to Shady Side in her junior year, and unfortunately due to COVID-19 has yet to play her first WPIAL game in an SSA uniform since the spring 2020 season was canceled. An attacker and midfielder, she plays with the True Lacrosse club team, where she has been a member of the 2021 National Team. Recker also plays field hockey at SSA. The SSA girls lacrosse team is coached by Katy Phillips. The Rhodes College Lynx compete in the Southern Athletic Association of NCAA Division III.

Riggins won nine WPIAL and PIAA gold medals in track and field in her freshman and sophomore years, sweeping the 800-meter and 1600-meter events at both events in 2018 and 2019 and also winning WPIAL gold in the 3200-meter relay in 2018. She currently holds the PIAA Class 2A record in the 800 meters (2:08.86) and is undefeated in every race she has ever run in Pennsylvania. The SSA girls' track and field team is coached by Paul Bodnarchuk. In soccer, the center midfielder helped SSA to its first PIAA state title as a freshman in 2017 and to a WPIAL title as a junior in 2019, tallying 61 goals and 34 assists in her four years. The SSA girls' soccer team is coached by Mary Lynch. The Georgetown Hoyas' track and soccer teams compete in the Big East Conference of NCAA Division I.

Rozier helped the SSA girls basketball team to its first-ever appearance in the WPIAL championship game as a sophomore in 2018-2019, shooting 41% from the floor. As a junior in 2019-2020 she averaged 19.8 points per game and turned in a 37-point performance, included six three-pointers, in an overtime win vs. Carlynton. The SSA girls' basketball coach is Caroline Fitzgerald. The St. Francis University (Pa.) Red Flash compete in the Northeast Conference of NCAA Division I.

Congratulations to all four student-athletes!

View the Signing Day photo slideshow below: