cover photo belongs to Lyndsay Radnedge, Stanford Athletics
We haven't had an update on the goalkeeper pool in over a year and since the NWSL has kicked off, we’re overdue for an update. There's not a ton of change at the top but I've changed gears on including college goalkeepers. There are still a number of collegiate players on the list (42, to be exact) but previously we were having too high of a turnover rate. Over half of last year's top 100 aren't playing anymore and most of them are seniors who didn't make the jump. In an attempt to find some more consistency at the end of the list, college goalkeepers now have a higher focus on their development as well as long term potential.
1. Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars / USA.1) - 29
2. Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride / USA.1) - 31
3. Brittany Cameron (Vegalta Sendai / Japan.1) - 30
4. Michelle Betos (Valerenga / Norway.1) - 29
5. Katie Fraine (Vittsjö GIK / Sweden.1) - 29
6. Michele Dalton (Chicago Red Stars / USA.1) - 28
7. Nicole Barnhart (FC Kansas City / USA.1) - 35
8. Haley Kopmeyer (Seattle Reign / USA.1) - 26
9. Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC / USA.1) - 26
10. Adelaide Gay (IBV / Iceland.1) – 27
Bill says: Naeher and Harris still top the list. Betos joins other top goalkeepers in leaving the NWSL, which simultaneously opens the door for Franch in Portland. Somehow Barnhart is defying the odds by still playing at a high level. Kopmeyer has twenty-seven NWSL starts entering the year but this is the first season Seattle has placed her as the undisputed starter and she’s more than ready for the season.
11. Libby Stout (Boston Breakers / USA.1) - 26
12. Hope Solo (Free Agent) - 35
13. Ashley Thompson (Sandviken / Norway.1) - 31
14. Brett Maron (Kristianstad / Sweden.1) - 30
15. Arianna Criscione (Kungsbacka / Sweden.1) - 32
16. Rebecca Ritchie (Real Salt Lake Women / USA.2W) - 29
17. Cat Parkhill (FC Kansas City / USA.1) - 26
18. Micaela Crowley (ÍR Reykjavík / Iceland.2) - 32
19. Aubrey Bledsoe (Orlando Pride / USA.1) - 25
20. Kaycee Gunion (San Diego Sea Lions / USA.2P) - 27
Bill says: WPSL goalkeepers are tough to track. One season they're there and the next they're not. Ritchie and Gunion have been two of the few consistent goalkeepers in the WPSL and should be returning for 2017. No word on Solo’s plans yet, although there are rumors of her going abroad. Adelaide Gay and Aubrey Bledsoe had some good highlights from 2016 and are looking to build off of them this year. Stout is still out for a few more weeks with an ankle injury.
21. Audrey Baldwin (FCF Juvisy / France.1) - 25
22. Didi Haracic (Washington Spirit / USA.1) - 25
23. Kelsey Wys (Washington Spirit / USA.1) - 26
24. Kelsey Quinn (Melbourne City / Australia.1) - 26
25. Nora Abolins (Östersund / Sweden.1) - 25
26. Britt Eckerstrom (Portland Thorns FC / USA.1) - 23
27. Caroline Stanley (Free Agent) - 24
28. Bryane Heaberlin (Turbine Potsdam / Germany.1) - 23
29. Megan Kufeld (Sundsvalls DFF / Sweden.2) - 24
30. Alyssa Giannetti (Arna-Bjørnar / Norway.1) – 22
Bill says: Giannetti returns to Arna-Bjørnar after being named Goalkeeper of the Year in her first year. Eckerstrom was traded to Portland and while she won't see a ton of playing time, she will be working with German legend Nadine Angerer in the meantime. Heaberlin spent preseason with the North Carolina Courage but should be returning to Germany for the spring. Stanley was competing for Sky Blue’s starting spot last year but hasn’t been connected with a team since.
31. Madalyn Schiffel (Seattle Reign / USA.1) - 22
32. Lindsey Harris (FH / Iceland.1) - 23
33. Abby Smith (Boston Breakers / USA.1) - 23
34. Brianna Smallidge (Seattle Reign Trialist) - 23
35. Sammy Jo Prudhomme (Boston Breakers / USA.1) - 23
36. Amanda Kopale (FC Kansas City Trialist) - 23
37. Kelsey Brouwer (Apollon Limassol / Cyprus.1) - 22
38. Kelsey Devonshire (FC Dallas / USA.2P) - 24
39. Katelyn Rowland (North Carolina FC / USA.1) – 23
40. Caroline Casey (Sky Blue FC / USA.1) - 22
Bill says: We're starting to see more trailists down this part of the list. Smallidge didn’t end up making the roster for Seattle but it sounds like there’s a good chance she’ll be training with the Reign, like she did with the Chicago Red Stars last year. After missing almost the entire 2016 season, Smith now has an opportunity to start with Stout missing the first month of the season. Madalyn Schiffel has most recently spent time with the U23s, although Harris and Rowland have USYNT experience too.
41. Jane Campbell (Houston Dash / USA.1) - 22
42. Lauren Watson (Keflavik FC / Iceland.3) - 23
43. Emily Dolan (Zaccaria / Italy.1) - 22
44. Ashton McKeown (Free Agent) - 22
45. Emily Armstrong (Portland Thorns Trialist) - 22
46. Holly Van Noord (Free Agent) - 22
47. Hannah Seabert (Orlando Pride Trialist) - 22
48. Kaela Little (FC Kansas City Trialist) – 22
49. Lillie Ehlert (Free Agent) - 22
50. Morgan Stearns (Sundsvalls DFF / Sweden.2) – 22
Bill says: Jane Campbell is easily the biggest name here. She recently earned her first cap for the national team, making her the only goalkeeper under 29 with a cap. Watson, Dolan, and Stearns are now all overseas and there's something to be said about graduating seniors not staying for their final spring semester. It may be a few years until we see them in the US again but they’ll come back with playing experience, an invaluable asset at the next level. Dolan has already started with Zaccaria and has so far helped her new club stay above relegation.
51. Sydney Lavan (Free Agent) - 22
52. Taylor Francis (Free Agent) - 22
53. Nicki Turley (Free Agent) - 22
54. Tarah Hobbs (Free Agent) - 21
55. Anna Buhigas (Chicago Red Stars Reserves / USA.2P) - 22
56. Kristyn Shea (Sky Blue FC Trialist) - 21
57. Kailey Norman (Free Agent) - 21
58. Danielle Rice (FC Kansas City Trialist) - 21
59. Caitlyn Clem (Wisconsin / USA.N) - 22
60. EJ Proctor (Duke / USA.N) – 21
Bill says: A number of senior graduates here. Shea and Rice have earned trials and while players like Buhigas have ties to reserve teams, there isn't a great turnover rate with WPSL goalkeepers making it as a professional. Even if a graduate does play in the summer league, it's still another eight or nine months until most leagues kick back up again in the spring. As for goalkeepers still in college, Clem and Proctor (highlights) and lead the pack for the fall.
61. Cassie Miller (Florida State / USA.N) - 22
62. Lauren Clem (Northwestern / USA.N) - 21
63. Taylor Sebolao (Towson / USA.N) - 21
64. Kat Elliott (South Florida / USA.N) - 21
65. Emily Boyd (California / USA.N) - 20
66. Jordan Sallee (UNLV / USA.N) - 21
67. Bella Geist (Oregon State / USA.N) - 21
68. Katie Hatziyianis (Binghamton / USA.N) - 20
69. Miranda Horn (George Washington / USA.N) - 21
70. Catherine Schmidt (IUPUI / USA.N) - 21
Bill says: A fair bit of USYNT prestige in this group. California's Emily Boyd spent time with the U20s last summer as they were gearing up for their World Cup. (Cal did a short feature on her in November.) Lauren Clem was named Third Team All-American last year. Lastly, Cassie Miller (three time Second Team All-ACC) returns for her final year at Florida State.
71. Alexis Smith (UC Davis / USA.N) – 21
72. Kelly O'Brien (Lafayette / USA.N) – 21
73. Sarah Le Beau (Auburn / USA.N) - 21
74. Erika Yohn (Purdue / USA.N) – 21
75. Maddie Ford (Loyola-Chicago / USA.N) – 21
76. Lexi Nicholas (Notre Dame / USA.N) - 21
77. Mikki Lewis (Troy University / USA.N) – 21
78. Juli Rossi (SIUE / USA.N) – 21
79. Casey Murphy (Rutgers / USA.N) – 21
80. Alyssa Heintschel (Ball State / USA.N) – 21
Bill says: Murphy missed Rutgers' last fall as she was busy playing for the US in the U20 World Cup. After sitting for most of last year, newly named senior captain Erika Yohn looks to rebound from last year’s 4-12-1 season. Similarly, Lexi Nicholas has more breathing room in net after stellar goalkeeper Kaela Little graduated last season. Le Beau and Heintschel look to build off of impressive runs in 2016, being named second and first team in their respective conferences.
81. Emily Harris (Villanova / USA.N) – 21
82. Ella Dederick (Washington State / USA.N) – 20
83. Charlee Pruitt (Loyola Marymount / USA.N) – 20
84. Rose Chandler (Penn State / USA.N) – 20
85. Lainey Burdett (Arizona / USA.N) - 20
86. Jalen Tompkins (Colorado / USA.N) – 20
87. Caroline Brockmeier (LSU / USA.N) – 20
88. Kelsey Dossey (Missouri / USA.N) – 20
89. Marnie Merritt (Mississippi / USA.N) – 20
90. Rachel Lusby (Portland / USA.N) – 20
Bill says: Dedrick (U19 camp), Pruitt (backup for 2016 U20 World Cup), and Brockmeier (U20 camp) are allearmarked with USYNT experience but it was Jalen Tompkins who had the save of the season last year. Brockmeier looks for a change of scenery, transferring out of Florida State and into LSU. Expect Lusby to take over the net this fall, after German goalkeeper Hanna de Haan graduated.
91. Brittney Rogers (UC Santa Barbara / USA.N) – 20
92. Cassidy Babin (Massachusetts / USA.N) - 20
93. Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Miami / USA.N) - 20
94. Samantha Leshnak (North Carolina / USA.N) - 20
95. Amanda Poertner (Idaho / USA.N) - 20
96. Katelyn Jensen (Maryland / USA.N) - 20
97. Kaelyn Johns (Dayton / USA.N) - 20
98. Morgan Beans (Virginia / USA.N) - 20
99. Olivia Swenson (North Dakota / USA.N) - 20
100. Parker Rytz (South Dakota / USA.N) – 20
Bill says: Poertner and Swenson return from season-ending injuries and can hopefully return to form quickly. And last but not least, US U20 alum Samantha Leshnak has been patiently waiting in the wing to start for the Tar Heels and 2017 will finally be her shot.