cover photo from Libby Stout's Blog
We haven't had a proper pool update since July. In September we looked at the top goalkeepers in the college game - which we'll revisit at the end of the year - but we're overdue for an update. I've been reluctant to expand to a full 100 as the bottom twenty would mainly be filled with seniors. Seeing as most senior don't go on to play professionally afterwords, the names stop at 80. I don't expect to get to 100 any time soon but we will get there eventually. Maybe even 200, who knows.
The biggest news since the World Cup was the NWSL final, featuring Nicole Barnhart and FC Kansas City topping Hope Solo's Seattle Reign for the second straight year in a row. Barnhart is one of the few goalkeepers to continue playing into her 30s. (There are only five goalkeepers in their thirties on this list.) It was great to see her continue her career at such a high level and even beating the reigning World Cup champion goalkeeper, especially how Barnhart herself was left off the roster.
On a less positive note, the W League ceased operations for 2016. It's unclear what is going to happen to the clubs and players at this time. The obvious answer is that they will become absorbed by the WPSL but that's not always the case with clubs surviving a league collapse. The list includes seven ex-W League goalkeepers because I expect them to keep playing and didn't think listing them as "free agent" was completely accurate.
Last thing, I've bumped the ratings to parallel the men's ratings. (In July Harris, for example, was a 58.) You may notice the highest goalkeeper here, which is also the best goalkeeper in the world in my opinion, is only a 72 here. In contrast, FIFA has Solo at an 87 and Harris at an 80. Clearly the gap between Solo's and Harris's FIFA rating displays FIFA's ignorance on the women's game so in that sense I'm happy to disagree with them. Additionally, I do not believe that the women's world development has reached its peak in thirty years of playing the game. There is a higher ceiling yet to be reached by players. It will take time but to think that American women goalkeepers, which is essentially the best crop in the world, has produced the most supreme athletes while the men's game continues to struggle does not make sense. The men's game is routinely critiqued for the lack of efficient coach-player development but somehow the women's game is immune to this? Or, if the men's players were to switch coaches they would all be 80s? Obviously not. The lack of competition not does mean superiority. I really enjoy watching Harris play goalkeeper but even she could be much better, despite being the world's best. Admittedly, this list has its problems in its early stages but this is a good start. Come back next month when we'll revisit the top goalkeepers in the college game.
1. Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride / USA.1) 72.3 (30.1)
2. Libby Stout (Liverpool / England.1) 72.2 (25.4)
3. Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers / USA.1) 72.1 (27.6)
4. Hope Solo (Seattle Reign / USA.1) 71.9 (34.3)
5. Katie Fraine (Linkoping / Sweden.1) 71.7 (27.9)
6. Michelle Betos (Portland Thorns FC / USA.1) 71.5 (27.8)
7. Michele Dalton (Chicago Red Stars / USA.1) 71.3 (27.5)
8. Chantel Jones (Western New York Flash / USA.1) 70.9 (27.3)
9. Brittany Cameron (Sky Blue FC / USA.1) 70.8 (28.9)
10. Ashley Thompson (Sandviken / Norway.1) 70.6 (29.8)
11. Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City / USA.1) 70.2 (34.1)
12. Brett Maron (Kristianstad / Sweden.1) 70 (29.4)
13. Adelaide Gay (Kvarnsveden / Sweden.2) 69.8 (26)
13. Adrianna Franch (Avaldsnes IL / Norway.1) 69.8 (25)
15. Allysa Clark (Masinac Nis / Serbia.1) 69.4 (29.2)
16. Haley Kopmeyer (Seattle Reign / USA.1) 69.2 (25.4)
17. Jeannette Williams (Vikingur Olafsvik / Iceland.2) 69.1 (26.8)
18. Alyssa Whitehead (Mallbacken / Sweden.1) 69 (25.9)
19. Alexa Gaul (SC Sand / Germany.1) 68.8 (24.5)
19. Arianna Criscione (Saint-Étienne / France.1) 68.8 (30.8)
21. Bianca Henninger (Houston Dash / USA.1) 68.6 (25.1)
22. Kelsey Wys (Washington Spirit / USA.1) 68.6 (24.8)
23. Kelli Cornell (Beach Futbol Club / USA.2P) 68.3 (25.2)
24. Shelby Tomasello (Höttur / Iceland.2) 68.3 (25.1)
25. Aubrey Bledsoe (Sky Blue FC / USA.1) 68.2 (24)
26. Samantha Depken (New York Magic / USA.2W) 67.8 (26.7)
27. Jillian Mastroianni (New York Athletic Club / USA.2P) 67.7 (25.2)
28. Dijana Haracic (Krokom/Dvarsatts IF / Sweden.2) 67.4 (23.8)
28. Katherine Linn (Issy / France.1) 67.4 (23.8)
30. Yiana Dimmitt (Spurs East Bay / USA.2P) 67.2 (25.8)
31. Rebecca Ritchie (Real Salt Lake Women / USA.2P) 67.2 (27.8)
32. Che Brown (Boston Breakers / USA.1) 66.9 (23.5)
32. Robyn Horner (Charlotte Lady Eagles / USA.2W) 66.9 (30.8)
34. Emily Krueger (Portland Thorns FC / USA.1) 66.7 (23.8)
34. Jami Kranich (Boston Breakers / USA.1) 66.7 (23.5)
36. Lindsey Maricic (LA Premier FC / USA.2P) 66.7 (23.6)
37. Kaycee Gunion (San Diego Sea Lions / USA.2P) 66.5 (25.8)
38. Megan Kinneman (Arna-Bjørnar / Norway.1) 66.5 (23.4)
39. Victoria Christ (Västerås BK30 / Sweden.2) 66.2 (23.8)
40. Paige Burnett (Boston Breakers / USA.1) 65.9 (23.1)
41. Audrey Baldwin (Fortuna Hjørring / Denmark.1) 65.9 (23.7)
42. McKenzie Sauerwein (Thróttur Reykjavík / Iceland.1) 65.7 (23.5)
43. Caroline Stanley (Seattle Reign / USA.1) 65.6 (22.7)
44. Emily Lillard (Washington Spirit / USA.1) 65.6 (22.3)
45. Yvette Bedoy (Texas Spurs FC / USA.2P) 65.6 (24.8)
46. Brianna Alvarado (Cincinnati Lady Saints / USA.2P) 65.4 (25.3)
47. Ryann Torrero (Santa Clarita Blue Heat / USA.2W) 65.3 (25.8)
48. Monica Gonyo (Chicago Red Stars / USA.1) 65.1 (23.1)
49. Katherine Courter (North Jersey Valkyries / USA.2W) 65 (23.8)
50. Caitlin Hoffer (New York Magic / USA.2W) 65 (24.8)
51. Kristina Utley (San Francisco Nighthawks / USA.2P) 64.9 (22.3)
52. Nicole D'Agostino (ETG Ambilyy / France.3) 64.4 (23.4)
53. Lyndse Hokanson (Washington Spirit / USA.1) 64 (23.6)
54. Katelyn Rowland (FC Kansas City / USA.1) 63.9 (21.7)
55. Britt Eckerstrom (Penn State / USA.N) 63.6 (22.5)
56. Ally White (ETG Ambilyy / France.3) 63.6 (22.8)
57. Morgan Glick (IA Akranes / Iceland.1) 63.5 (22.4)
58. Alex Kubrick (Charlotte Lady Eagles / USA.2W) 63.4 (23.5)
59. Sammy Jo Prudhomme (USC / USA.N) 63.4 (21.8)
60. Megan Tock (Western New York Flash / USA.1) 63.3 (23.5)
61. Rebecca Lewis (New England Mutiny / USA.2P) 63.2 (23.8)
62. Jane Campbell (Stanford / USA.N) 63.1 (20.8)
63. Holly Van Noord (Liberty / USA.N) 63.1 (21.3)
64. Bryane Heaberlin (North Carolina / USA.N) 63 (22)
65. Abby Smith (Texas / USA.N) 62.9 (22.1)
66. Emma Crenshaw (FC Pride / USA.2P) 62.8 (23.1)
66. Hannah Steadman (West Virginia / USA.N) 62.8 (23.1)
68. Lindsey Harris (North Carolina / USA.N) 62.8 (22)
69. Michelle Craft (San Diego / USA.N) 62.8 (21.4)
70. Hannah Seabert (Pepperdine / USA.N) 62.7 (20.8)
71. Erin Quinn (Washington Spirit Reserves / USA.2W) 62.7 (22.7)
72. Eve Badana (Drexel / USA.N) 62.7 (22.8)
73. Rachel Boaz (BYU / USA.N) 62.7 (23.8)
74. Lauren Watson (Texas Tech / USA.N) 62.6 (21.9)
75. Jordan Day (Houston Dash / USA.1) 62.5 (22.6)
76. Jovani McCaskill (Cal State Northridge / USA.N) 62.5 (22.2)
76. Abigail Steele (Seattle Reign / USA.1) 62.5 (22.2)
78. Madalyn Schiffel (San Francisco / USA.N) 62.5 (21.8)
79. Kathryn Scheele (Colorado / USA.N) 62.4 (21.3)
79. Andi Tostanoski (Santa Clara / USA.N) 62.4 (21.3)