MLS Odds to Watch as the Race for the Playoffs Heats Up

Bill Reno August 21, 2026

Every MLS season reaches a stage when the margin for error begins to disappear. Clubs across both conferences are battling for playoff places, stronger seeding, and the Supporters’ Shield, making each remaining result increasingly important.

Source

The growing pressure is also reshaping expectations around the league’s leading contenders. Some teams have strengthened their positions through consistent performances, while others are building momentum at exactly the right time. As the regular season enters its decisive stretch, the latest MLS odds offer a useful snapshot of which clubs and players are attracting the most attention.

Inter Miami CF Leads the Odds Board

Inter Miami CF continues to sit near the top of the championship conversation, with MLS odds generally placing the club between +228 and +350. That range reflects sustained confidence built through strong performances, experienced leadership, and the ability to deliver results against quality opponents throughout the season.

Lionel Messi remains the headline attraction, but Miami's success extends beyond one player. Despite dropping points in key matches, Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul, Sergio Reguilón, and Dayne St. Clair, along with an improving supporting cast, have helped create a balanced side capable of controlling possession while producing moments of quality in decisive situations.

Recent performances have reinforced Miami's status among the league's elite. The attack continues creating chances at a high rate, while improved defensive organization has helped the team navigate difficult stretches of the schedule. Maintaining consistency has been just as important as collecting victories during the playoff race.

Vancouver Whitecaps Stand Out in the West

Vancouver Whitecaps have established themselves as one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference, with championship odds generally ranging from +600 to +675. Those numbers reflect a side that has combined tactical discipline with consistent execution, earning recognition as one of the conference's leading contenders.

A strong defensive structure has provided the foundation for Vancouver's success. The team limits quality opportunities while remaining dangerous in transition, creating a balanced approach that has produced positive results against both conference rivals and visiting opponents throughout the campaign.

Coaching decisions have also played an important role in maintaining momentum. Tactical flexibility, timely substitutions, and effective squad rotation have helped Vancouver navigate injuries and fixture congestion. Players across the roster have contributed in key moments, strengthening confidence heading into the final stretch.

Nashville SC Chasing the Supporters' Shield

Nashville SC continues to attract attention, with championship odds generally ranging from +800 to +1 142. Those figures suggest the club remains firmly involved in both the playoff picture and the wider Supporters' Shield conversation, provided recent momentum continues through the closing portion of the regular season.

Defensive reliability has become one of Nashville's defining strengths. Organized positioning, disciplined teamwork, and dependable goalkeeping have limited opponents' opportunities, while efficient attacking play has delivered enough goals to secure valuable points across a demanding schedule.

Several remaining fixtures could shape Nashville's position before the playoffs begin. Matches against fellow contenders naturally carry greater significance because they offer opportunities to gain ground while simultaneously slowing direct rivals in the standings. Strong performances in those contests could influence perceptions heading into the postseason.

Nashville has demonstrated composure during meaningful matches in previous seasons, giving supporters confidence that the team can handle late-season pressure. Continued balance between defensive discipline and attacking efficiency will remain essential over the coming weeks. If that formula holds together, Nashville should remain firmly involved among the league's leading contenders until the regular season concludes.

LAFC's Odds Reflect Playoff Potential

LAFC continues appearing in the championship conversation with odds commonly ranging between +1 000 and +1 100. Those prices acknowledge the team's considerable talent while also reflecting questions surrounding consistency. When performing at its highest level, LAFC has shown it can compete with any opponent in MLS.

Returning players have strengthened the squad during the second half of the season. Improved fitness throughout the lineup has expanded tactical options, allowing the coaching staff to rotate effectively while maintaining intensity across multiple competitions and important league fixtures.

Recent results have produced encouraging signs, particularly when LAFC controls possession and creates sustained attacking pressure. Strong individual performances have contributed to positive momentum, although occasional lapses in concentration have prevented the team from fully separating itself from several direct playoff rivals.

Greater consistency remains the next objective. Turning competitive performances into regular victories would likely strengthen confidence in LAFC's postseason prospects. The talent already exists throughout the squad, and maintaining focus across ninety minutes could make a significant difference during the decisive weeks leading into the playoffs.

Top Goalscorer Odds Add Another Layer of Intrigue

Soccer narratives point out that the race for the MLS Golden Boot remains one of the league's most compelling storylines, with several prolific forwards separated by relatively short odds. Lionel Messi leads the market at +175, reflecting both his remarkable scoring consistency and his ability to influence matches whenever he steps onto the field.

Chicago Fire striker Hugo Cuypers sits next at +500, highlighting the impressive campaign he has put together. His movement inside the penalty area, clinical finishing, and steady production have kept him firmly in the conversation despite strong competition from established stars across the league.

FC Dallas forward Petar Musa follows at +1 000, rewarding a season filled with important contributions in front of goal. Nashville SC's Sam Surridge is close behind at +1200, continuing to build his reputation through composed finishing and reliable performances in crucial matches as the playoff race intensifies.

With several weeks still remaining, the Golden Boot contest could change quickly as every match presents fresh scoring opportunities. A productive run from any of the leading contenders would reshape the standings, making the individual race just as fascinating to follow as the battle for playoff positions and the MLS Cup itself.

Eyes on the Final Weeks

The final weeks of the MLS regular season will bring greater pressure across both conferences as clubs compete for playoff places, stronger seeding, and momentum. Inter Miami, Vancouver Whitecaps, Nashville SC, and LAFC each enter this stretch with different strengths, while the Golden Boot race adds another compelling storyline.

With every result capable of shifting the standings and changing expectations, the championship picture remains open. Consistency, squad depth, and composure will prove decisive as teams push to secure their positions and build confidence before the MLS Cup Playoffs begin soon.

How Goalkeeper Mechanics Have Improved in Football Video Games

Bill Reno August 12, 2026

Football video games have evolved dramatically over the past two decades. While improvements in graphics often receive the most attention, the biggest changes have taken place behind the scenes. Modern titles feature more sophisticated artificial intelligence, realistic physics, motion-captured animations, and gameplay systems that better reflect the pace and tactics of real football. These advancements have transformed every position on the pitch, creating a more authentic experience for players and fans alike.

Much of that progress has been made possible by changes in the way games are developed and delivered. The shift toward digital storefronts and ongoing post-launch support has allowed studios to refine gameplay long after release, making regular improvements based on player feedback and performance data. This broader transformation in game releases has given developers greater flexibility to improve complex gameplay systems over time rather than waiting for the next annual installment.

For football games, that has meant continuous refinements to passing, defending, player movement, and perhaps most noticeably, goalkeeper mechanics.

From Canned Animations to Intelligent Behavior

Early football games handled goalkeepers through a library of pre-set animations. When the ball traveled to a certain zone, the keeper triggered a specific response: a dive left, a punch, a catch. The system worked well enough when players accepted its limitations, but it created an artificial ceiling. Keepers felt mechanical because they were mechanical, operating on if-then logic rather than anything resembling spatial awareness.

The transition toward behavior-driven systems replaced that rigid framework with something far more adaptive. Instead of selecting from a fixed set of responses, modern keepers process the ball's position, speed, and trajectory in real time, then generate a response that suits the specific situation.

This means no two saves look identical, and the keeper's movement before the shot matters just as much as the reaction after it. Positioning, angle coverage, and micro-adjustments became genuine gameplay elements rather than cosmetic details.

A Last-Second Dive That Actually Means Something

A last-second dive. A fingertip save that turns the momentum of a match. A goalkeeper taking a subtle step to narrow the angle before launching toward the ball. These are the defining moments that make football so compelling, yet replicating them in a video game depends on far more than detailed player models or fluid animations. It requires an AI system capable of recognizing the context of each play and responding with the same awareness expected from a real goalkeeper.

Rather than programming a fixed response for every situation, modern football games rely on extensive AI training to expose virtual goalkeepers to countless attacking scenarios. This process helps them develop more refined positioning, timing, and movement patterns before a shot is even taken.

Small adjustments, such as shuffling across the goal line, anticipating the striker's options, or choosing the right moment to commit, combine to create saves that feel believable. The result is goalkeeper behavior that appears less scripted and more like the split-second decision-making seen in professional football.

Machine Learning and the EA SPORTS FC 26 Goalkeeper

The goalkeeper system in EA SPORTS FC 26 represents one of the most technically ambitious implementations in sports gaming. Built through a collaboration between EA SPORTS, Frostbite, and EA's Search for Extraordinary Experiences Division (SEED), the project applied deep reinforcement learning to train goalkeeper behavior from scratch.

The approach allowed the system to learn through playing, discovering optimal positioning and decision-making patterns without being explicitly programmed for each scenario. Alessandro Sestini, a Research Scientist at SEED, explained that the system relies on reinforcement learning, allowing the AI to improve by repeatedly playing and learning from its own decisions.

A dedicated evaluation and fine-tuning framework gives developers clear feedback on goalkeeper behavior, making it easier to adjust and refine performance without rebuilding the entire training process. As a result, virtual goalkeepers can react more intelligently to unfamiliar situations instead of relying solely on scripted animations or pre-programmed responses.

The Numbers Behind Better Goalkeeping

Measurable gains back up the qualitative improvements. The reinforcement learning-driven goalkeeper delivers a 10% improvement in ball-saving rate compared to traditionally coded systems. Training time dropped by 50% relative to standard reinforcement learning methods, with full overnight training cycles now feasible. A validation framework covering more than 300 unit-test scenarios ensures the system is continuously evaluated and refined as new situations are introduced.

Those figures matter because they reflect real in-match differences. A 10% improvement in saves changes outcomes. Faster training means developers can iterate on keeper behavior throughout a game's active lifecycle rather than locking in a version at launch. The validation system ensures that gains in one area don't introduce regressions elsewhere, a common problem when modifying complex, interconnected AI systems.

What Better Goalkeeper AI Means for Competitive Play

For competitive players, goalkeeper intelligence directly affects how matches are approached. When keepers hold realistic positions and respond to angles intelligently, the exploits that once made scoring too easy lose their effectiveness. Players have to work harder for clean finishes, choose their moments, and account for a keeper who genuinely reads the situation.

This raises the standard of play across the board. Shooting becomes more deliberate, crossing patterns require more thought, and the goalkeeper becomes a genuine obstacle rather than a formality. The mechanical depth that players now bring to outfield positions extends naturally to how they think about beating the last line of defense. Goalkeeper improvement, in this sense, improves the competitive quality of the entire game.

The progression from animation libraries to machine learning-trained behavior represents a genuine leap in what football video games can deliver. Goalkeepers that position intelligently, cover angles correctly, and react with authentic timing change the texture of every match. The investment required to build those systems was only possible because the broader shift in how games are developed and distributed gave studios the tools and the time to do it properly.

NCAA Men's Goalkeeper Rankings (Preseason Fall 2026)

Bill Reno August 10, 2026

Goalkeepers are ranked based on a number of factors, mostly boiling down to recent performances and long-term potential. Everybody Soccer does its best to cover the hundreds of goalkeepers in collegiate soccer but ultimately it’s a team effort to platform the deserving goalkeepers. So if someone wishes to put a goalkeeper on the radar - or if you simply have questions or comments about the article - please reach out via the contact page.

Seniors

1. Nigel Van Haveren (FIU, Netherlands)
2. Wyatt Nelson (UCLA)
3. Rowan Schnebly (Stanford)
4. Seth Wilson (UNC Greensboro)
5. Devin Armstrong (Seton Hall)
6. Scott Williams (UC Irvine)
7. Andrew Samuels (Princeton)
8. Justin Stewart (Oregon State)
9. Marius Helias (Rider, France)
10. Owen Cornell (UIC)

11. Zack Andoh (California)
12. Jadon Bowton (Washington)
13. Kael McGowan (Southern Indiana)
14. Jonathan Munteanu (USC Upstate)
15. Levi Bieber (Seattle)
16. Eddie DeMarco (Louisville)
17. Cal L’Hommedieu (Washington U, D3)
18. Trevor Maloney (VCU)
19. Ky Mani Dade (Loyola Marymount)
20. Alex Svetanoff (Charlotte)

Storylines to Watch: Just so everyone is on the same page: there are no serious 25 year old goalkeepers in the college ranks. Without going roster-by-roster, there’s likely around a single-digit number of goalkeepers at that age in all of Division 1 soccer. However, they’re not playing college soccer at that age because they’re an amazing talent. The only reason a 25 year old goalkeeper is still playing college soccer is that it’s the only level that will take them, not to mention they’re a year or so away from retirement. College is the end of the line for these goalkeepers because they’re barely at the level, not way above it.

That said, it doesn’t mean there aren’t goalkeepers who took a winding path to get here. Armstrong, Williams, Stewart, Munteanu, and Svetanoff hit the transfer portal in hopes of finding a good springboard to wrap up their collegiate careers with.

Expect to see Schnebly, Wilson, Samuels, Andoh, and, of course, reigning national champion Bowton in postseason play. There aren’t many “easy” games in Division I, so even though they’ll be on one of the better squads more times than not, their teams will still need to see big saves throughout the season, not just in November.

Although there are some smaller schools to keep tabs on - McGowan and L’Hommedieu doing their best to put their universities on the map - watch out for Van Haveren and Wyatt to set the tone for the season. Both have an immensely high ceiling but 2025 was a tumultuous season for both goalkeepers. If they can get back to the good run they had before, they’ll be All-American candidates. If not, they’ll end up being some of the biggest “what ifs” in collegiate goalkeeping since the turn of the century.

Juniors

1. Blake Kelly (Notre Dame)
2. Matisse Hebert (UCF, Canada)
3. Jonah Mednard (Wake Forest)
4. Kyle Durham (Connecticut)
5. Matthew Hudson (Creighton)
6. Charles DeMarco (Georgetown)
7. Alastair Hafner Schnee (Holy Cross)
8. Sebastian Stanaj (Oakland)
9. Philip Hovers (Loyola Marymount)
10. Declan Finnegan (IU Indianapolis)

11. Kyle Jansen (Syracuse)
12. Leo Ledin (Virginia Tech, Sweden)
13. Aleksandar Kolar (Cleveland State)
14. Marten Brink (College of Charleston, Germany)
15. Connor O'Keefe (Loyola Maryland)
16. Carlito Saylon (Tulsa)
17. Kai Darrell (Williams, D3)

Storylines to Watch: Not a whole lot to build off of with this group. Although there are some standouts, the class is largely filled with goalkeepers off the radar at either smaller schools or ones who haven’t quite got the play time to really make the waves they’re looking for. Jansen entered college with a lot of buzz but still hasn’t really capitalized on it yet, while goalkeepers like Ledin and Kolar showed impressive moments over the past couple of years but both are so far off scouts’ radars it’s hard to really tout them.

Kelly, Mednard, and Durham are the clear American standouts with pro potential but scouts are going to want to see them all be more than just pure shot stoppers, with the most egregious example being Mednard’s amazing triple save yet his reluctance to handle aerial service in Wake’s 5-4 loss to SMU to end their season. It’s one thing to be a top college goalkeeper, it’s another thing to be a top goalkeeper in even just the USL.

It’s a polarizing group, none of whom have really stood up and said “I’ll take it from here.” Hopefully in 2026, we get some real contenders for potential USMNT prospects. Otherwise it’ll just end up being another proto-MLS Next Pro group that gets lost in the wash in a few years.

Sophomores

1. Jonathan Evans (SMU)
2. Judewellin Michel (Wisconsin, Canada)
3. Luke Shrivers (Wisconsin)
4. Aleksander Kapciak (Seattle)
5. Nick Bishop (Portland)
6. Cole Kowalski (Notre Dame)
7. Alex Provost (Denison, D3)
8. Jacob English (Southern Indiana)
9. Payton Roehrich (Fort Hays St., D2)
10. Keegan O'Brien (Cal St. Dom. Hills, D2)

11. Owen Barnett (Wake Forest)
12. Nash Skoglund (Coastal Carolina)
13. Joseph Grossman (Connecticut)
14. Owen Beninga (UC Santa Barbara)
15. Keller Krieger (Grove City College, D3)
16. John W. Smith Jr. (Holy Cross)
17. Jayden Quemada (Northeast CC, JUCO)

Storylines to Watch: Where the juniors have dropped the ball in establishing themselves, the sophomores have picked up the slack, albeit from all over the country. Lower division goalkeepers showed well for themselves last fall from D2 to D3 to JUCO. Admittedly, the lower levels don’t have a great history of continuing development for goalkeepers, so don’t be surprised if any of these goalkeepers transfer to the D1 game for more exposure. But as for right now, they’ve shown well.

Obviously the goalkeeping battle at Wisconsin will be one to watch as the Badgers brought in Canadian Judewellin Michel to challenge returner Luke Shrivers for the number one spot. Usually head coaches don’t just casually bring in an international goalkeeper so maybe the competition is already decided, but keep an eye out regardless.

Other goalkeeping battles to watch include Seattle (Bieber-Kapciak), Notre Dame (Kelly-Kowalski), Wake Forest (Mednard-Barnett-Syrett), Connecticut (Durham-Grossman), and Holy Cross (Schnee-Smith). Although some of those schools have fairly established starters, expect to see the underclassmen find minutes here and there to make a case for themselves, if not outright take the starting position like Florida State’s women’s team did last fall.

Skoglund leaves South Carolina for Coastal and English was awkwardly announced as a transfer to Kentucky, despite being back at Southern Indiana (or never left?). However, it’s Evans’ move to SMU that stands out the most. The former Penn State freshman took the starting spot and ran with it last fall, conceding just 18 goals in 14 games for the Nittany Lions. But a move to SMU propels the Mustangs into an even more favorable position for a postseason run.

Freshmen

1. Quinn Syrett (Wake Forest)
2. Lucas McPartlin (Saint Louis)
3. James Romero (Oregon State)
4. Zach Cielewich (Maryland)
5. Kai Zeruhn (Columbia)
6. Felix Huebner (Loyola Maryland)
7. James Rhodes (Pittsburgh)
8. Jan Hejna (Harvard)
9. Cooper Roney (Loyola Marymount)
10. Nathan Juillard (Santa Clara)

Storylines to Watch: Although the same sentiment from the women’s ranking applies (TLDR: preseason rankings for first years are a crapshoot), the men’s game has an added wrinkle that the women’s game doesn’t have. Goalkeepers like McPartlin and Cielewich have foreign talent ahead of them on the depth chart. Although some fans love to tout overtly nationalistic complaints of foreigners taking Americans’ spots, our top goalkeepers actually are propelled forward with the foreign infusion. They aren’t simply handed a starting spot for four years. They must earn it. And although the bottom 99% admittedly lose playing time at these schools to the international players, there are 1500 colleges that would still love to have them, not to mention the hundreds of USCCS teams around the country as well.

Sure, it’d be nice if Americans were filling every spot and playing at a high level, but if the international players were removed, the overall level plummets and our top prospects are worse off. And ultimately, if our top prospects can’t compete with Europe’s washouts, then they’re not top prospects to begin with.

For those complaining about Americans not getting enough chances, raise your complaints to the professional level, not the college ranks. Our top collegiate prospects are lifted up by the international players, not dragged down.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2025: Preseason and Final
2024: Preseason and Final
2023: Preseason and Final
2022: Preseason and Final
2021: Preseason and Final
2020: Preseason and Final
2019: Preseason and Final
2018: Preseason and Final
2017: Preseason and Final
2016: Preseason and Final
2015: Preseason and Final
2014: Preseason and Final

NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2026)

Bill Reno August 9, 2026

Seniors

1. Izzy Lee (Illinois)
2. Victoria Safradin (Virginia)
3. Annabel Austen (USC)
4. Olivia Shippee (Boston College)
5. Keara Fitzgerald (Washington State)
6. Aubrey Brown (SMU)
7. Kate Phillips (Missouri)
8. Nona Reason (Clemson)
9. Ellie Goodrich (Old Dominion)
10. Sarah Wommack (Mississippi State)

11. Jayden Emmanuel (Florida)
12. Mallorie Benhart (South Dakota State)
13. Audur Scheving (LSU, Iceland)
14. Olivia Bodmer (Rutgers)
15. Jordan Brown (Georgia)
16. Atlee Olofson (Miami)
17. Jackie Hollomon (Notre Dame)

Storylines to Watch: The senior class is filled with goalkeepers looking to prove themselves as they either aim to finish on a strong note or propel themselves forward into the professional ranks. Fitzgerald and Brown are returning from injuries that derailed their 2025 seasons and while it’s clear both have plenty of gas left in the tank, questions will always surface about how quickly they can return to 100%.

Goalkeepers familiar with the transfer portal like Wommack (Appalachian State), Reason (UNC), and Olofson (Notre Dame) have yet to have that great season that shows why they transferred in the first place and now former Penn goalkeeper Annabel Austen joins the group as she headed west to join USC.

For goalkeepers like Brown, Emmanuel, and Bodmer, it’s been a lot of peaks and valleys so far in their collegiate careers. The question isn’t about the ceiling, which is high for each of them, but more about finding consistency as a great goalkeeper, not one who happens to find great moments every now and then.

All-American front runners have to include Lee and Safradin, both of whom spent time training with Racing Louisville this summer. The two are not only some of the more rounded out goalkeepers in the collegiate ranks, but their ability to make the game-saving action puts them in their own category.

There’s still a lot left to fight for in 2026 and the senior group should provide weekly highlights to thrill USWNT fans of upcoming prospects.

Juniors

1. Liv Geller (TCU)
2. Sonoma Kasica (Notre Dame)
3. Caroline Dysart (Duke)
4. Keegan Smith (Arkansas)
5. Valentina Amaral (Wake Forest)
6. Sarah Martin (Minnesota)
7. Mariangela Medina (UCLA, Mexico)
8. Cameron Gabrielson (Georgetown)
9. Nimu Karani (St. Louis)
10. Paloma Pena Toro (Florida, Dominican Republic)

11. Sammy Widnick (La Salle)
12. Kaiya Jota (Stanford)
13. Aris Lamanna (Coastal Carolina)
14. Sydney Fuller (Texas A&M)
15. Kennadie Marchand (Vanderbilt)
16. Jamie Campbell (Colorado)
17. Addie Todd (Texas Tech)

Storylines to Watch: The junior class enters 2026 largely trying to get the taste of 2025 out of their mouth. Very few of the top juniors notched the majority of their team’s minutes with their schools last season. Lamanna and Smith are returning from injuries, whereas exciting prospects like Medina, Gabrielson, Karani, Jota, Fuller, Marchand, and Campbell barely saw the field last season, despite clearly having the ability to play at the D1 level.

And looking at our top goalkeepers, they all had sour endings to 2025 and are certainly looking to finish on a stronger note in 2026. Whether it’s Geller mishandling a bouncing shot on frame against Florida State… or Kasica misplaying a cross in double overtime against Ohio State… or Dysart getting a better jump on the free kick against Stanford… or Amaral getting a strong hand against the looping shot from Michigan State… or Sarah Martin and Minnesota not being especially close to seeing even just the conference tournament… the juniors are likely looking forward to 2026 more than the other three classes.

Sophomores

1. Kate Ockene (Florida State)
2. Noe Henning (Michigan State, Canada)
3. Emilie Maihs (Kentucky, Germany)
4. Lexi Baldwin (Iowa)
5. Caroline Birkel (Stanford)
6. Molly Vapensky (Duke)
7. Hannah Folliard (Georgia)
8. Daphne Nakfoor (UCLA)
9. Charlotte Wilfert (UC San Diego)
10. Brooke Goerish (Colorado)

11. Tyra Bengtsson-Stenseth (San Francisco, Norway)
12. Mateya Dessieux (Texas)
13. Sienna Smart (Mississippi)
14. Brooklynn Harding (Illinois State)
15. Kennedy Zorn (Arizona State)
16. Pepper Escher (St. Louis)
17. Grace Shoemaker (High Point)
18. Chase Rooney (Virginia Tech)
19. Gianna Mlynek (Xavier)
20. Kaele Smith (NJIT)

Storylines to Watch: Unlike the junior class, the sophomores are looking to use 2025 as a positive stepping stone. Henning survived a tough goalkeeping battle with Zorn, although the latter has already found a new home to continue to build out her collegiate resume. And for other goalkeeping battles, Baldwin, Folliard, Nakfoor, and Goerish are all more than aware that their school has another top goalkeeper on their respective roster (scroll up or down to see who). It’s not a matter of having talent, but rather being able to create more winning moments for their team than their teammate can.

Goalkeepers like Vapensky, Smart, Harding, Shoemaker, Rooney, Mlynek, and Smith were largely off the radar in 2025 but all should make some noise this year, barring an untimely injury.

And although Wilfert was the surprise for 2025, going from relative unknown to a top prospect in her class, it’s Ockene who really left her stamp on the scene. Ockene’s nine-save shutout in the final against Stanford marked the highest profile goalkeeping moment in women’s college soccer since Katie Meyer’s 2019 penalty shootout heroics.

Unlike the other classes, just because someone’s not at the top of the list doesn’t mean they don’t have pro potential. The sophomore class is stacked and more goalkeepers who didn’t make the cut here will surely surface down the line to make a name for themselves.

First Years

1. Ella Wiederaenders (Tennessee)
2. Madelyn Macdonald (Georgetown)
3. Peyton Trayer (North Carolina)
4. Braelynn Galt (Iowa, Scotland)
5. Isabel Willems (Yale)
6. Natalie Cohen (Virginia)
7. Emeline McClenahan (Iowa State)
8. Wicki Dunlap (Virginia)
9. Malia Zillman (Michigan)
10. Lily Selvy (Penn State)
11. Ella Moersch (Iowa State)
12. Lizzie Thornton (Wake Forest)
13. London Phoenix (UNC Asheville, Jamaica)

Storylines to Watch: Preseason rankings for first years are always a crapshoot but these thirteen here - and there are more to come - are yet another stepping stone in women’s goalkeeper development. The general athletic level and tactical understanding of the position have skyrocketed from just ten years ago. The early part of the century didn’t see schools recruiting the program’s best goalkeepers they’ve ever had as even smaller schools are able to find young goalkeepers who can cover more and more of the goalframe.

It’s much too early to say anything of real substance for these goalkeepers other than the new “5 for 5” rule should pave an easier pathway for these goalkeepers to get minutes, if they’re anywhere near ready to play. No longer do goalkeepers have to sit a year to preserve a redshirt and even a 45 minute spell can be a significant vote of confidence in knowing where first years stand in the school’s long-term plans.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings