Top 100 USWNT Goalkeeper Pool

In conjunction with the USMNT depth chart, the we’re now expanding the USWNT Goalkeeper Pool posts to include 100 American goalkeepers! Each goalkeeper is slotted by a number of factors: historical individual results, current individual level of play, and projected on-field performance. The top 100 attempts to remove exterior noise and team statistics to isolate the goalkeeper’s true ability. The blocks of twenty names feature a brief paragraph on players to watch, giving a small bio about certain goalkeepers and what to look out for in the coming months.

To see how the top 100 rankings have evolved since March 2015, click here.

1. Jane Campbell, 30 - Houston Dash
2. Angelina Anderson, 24 - Angel City FC
3. Mandy McGlynn, 26 - Utah Royals
4. Aubrey Kingsbury, 33 - Washington Spirit
5. Bella Bixby, 29 - Portland Thorns FC
6. Alyssa Naeher, 37 - Chicago Stars
7. Casey Murphy, 29 - North Carolina Courage
8. Phallon Tullis-Joyce, 28 - Manchester United (England.1)
9. Jordan Silkowitz, 25 - Bay FC
10. Katie Lund, 28 - Racing Louisville

11. Erin Seppi, 27 - Valadares Gaia (Portugal.1)
12. Hillary Beall, 26 - San Diego Wave
13. Claudia Dickey, 25 - Seattle Reign
14. Adrianna Franch, 34 - Birmingham City (England.2)
15. Cassie Miller, 30 - Seattle Reign
16. Samantha Murphy, 28 - Carolina Ascent (USA.1U)
17. Laurel Ivory, 25 - Kansas City Current
18. Shelby Hogan, 27 - Gotham FC
19. Jalen Tompkins, 28 - Brondby (Denmark.1)
20. Jordyn Bloomer, 27 - Racing Louisville

Ones to watch: The race to replace Naeher is still on. Unfortunately, the USWNT has done a fantastic job of avoiding prepping for this moment for about ten years. Campbell, McGlynn, and Tullis-Joyce were recently called into the national team but none of them have locked down the position in a convincing fashion, speaking partly to the depth at the position. Bixby and Kinsbury, two of the more decorated veterans on the list, could theoretically work their way in but eyes are turning to Anderson and Silkowitz after the stellar start to 2025. The question for the number one going forward is centered around whoever can balance a consistent level of play, doesn’t default to sitting on their line, and won’t resort to booting the ball downfield on every touch. As of right now, Emma Hayes is still on the search.

21. Bridgette Skiba, 25 - Lexington SC (USA.1U)
22. Kelsey Daugherty, 28 - Celtic (Scotland.1)
23. Shae Yanez, 28 - Crystal Palace (England.2)
24. Abby Smith, 31 - Houston Dash
25. Emily Dolan, 30 - Damaiense (Portugal.1)
26. Mackenzie Wood, 24 - Chicago Stars
27. Jessica Berlin, 26 - Thor/KA (Iceland.1)
28. Katelin Talbert, 26 - Tottenahm (England.1)
29. Ashley Orkus, 26 - Tampa Bay Sun FC (USA.1U)
30. Hensley Hancuff, 24 - North Carolina Courage

31. Olivia Sekany, 26 - Racing Louisville #
32. Kaylie Collins, 27 - Washington Spirit
33. Monica Wilhelm, 25 - Eskilstuna United (Sweden.2)
34. Kaylan Marckese, 27 - Tampa Bay Sun FC (USA.1U)
35. Katherine Asman, 25 - Orlando Pride
36. Makenna Gottschalk, 26 - Fort Lauderdale FC (USA.1U)
37. Melissa Lowder, 28 - Bay FC
38. Heather Hinz, 23 - Houston Dash
39. Aubrei Corder, 27 - Bodø / Glimt (Norway.2)
40. McKinley Crone, 26 - Orlando Pride

# - on loan with Brisbane Roar

Ones to watch: As we enter the back half of the decade, we’re finally seeing a steady stream of American goalkeepers carving out a career overseas and not just returning after one or two seasons. Tullis-Joyce and Tompkins lead the list but Daughtery, Dolan, and others are following suit. The challenge these goalkeepers face is limited investment, largely leaving their development to their own hands. Although these goalkeepers don’t mind playing the underdog role, it’s quite common to see goalkeepers plateau in the development, especially in their tactical understanding of the game. Whether through limited minutes or a lack of a full-time goalkeeper coach, it’s difficult for goalkeepers to continue to understand the nuances of in-game moments. Hopefully, American sides, like Racing Louisville, will continue to lean into loan options while also valuing American goalkeepers who developed outside the US.

41. Marisa Jordan, 24 - North Carolina Courage
42. Lindsey Harris, 31 - Al-Qadisiah (Saudi Arabia.1)
43. Sarah Cox, 31 - Lexington SC (USA.1U)
44. Hannah Seabert, 30 - Sporting CP (Portugal.1)
45. Macy Enneking, 24 - Seattle Reign
46. Cosette Morche, 27 - Fort Lauderdale FC (USA.1U)
47. Lauren Kozal, 24 - Grasshopper (Switzerland.1)
48. Noa Schumacher, 25 - Hibernian (Scotland.1)
49. Meagan McClelland, 24 - Carolina Ascent (USA.1U)
50. Kenna Caldwell, 24 - Molde FK (Norway.2)

51. Madison White, 23 - Racing Louisville #
52. Cat Sheppard, 24 - Sporting CP (Portugal.1)
53. Izzy Nino, 25 - Spokane Zephyr (USA.1U)
54. Marz Josephson, 24 - Free Agent
55. Taiana Tolleson, 27 - Lexington SC (USA.1U)
56. Claire Henninger, 24 - Torreense (Portugal.1)
57. Adelaide Gay, 35 - DC Power FC (USA.1U)
58. Morgan Messner, 25 - Portland Thorns FC
59. Megan Plaschko, 23 - Athlone Town AFC (Ireland.1)
60. Hope Hisey, 23 - Zephyr FC (USA.1U)

# - on loan with Dallas Trinity

Ones to watch: While we continue to wait for promising goalkeepers like Marisa Jordan, Macey Enneking, or Marz Josephson to get a fair shake, their peers are vying to make a name for themselves elsewhere. Madison White has done well with Dallas Trinity while fellow Big 12-alum Megan Plaschko sits atop the Irish Premier Division with Athlone Town (as of early May). Both goalkeepers have shown big moments but still need to find the right balance of power and mobility, which can typically found in nuanced footwork. If they can keep detailing their approach to the game in a way that best suits them and not shoehorn someone else’s style, then they may have a chance at making it in the best league in the world.

61. Liz Harrington, 26 - Hibernians (Malta.1)
62. Emmie Allen, 22 - Bay FC
63. Halle Mackiewicz, 23 - Chicago Stars
64. Caroline DeLisle, 25 - Norrkoping (Sweden.1)
65. Erin McKinney, 25 - Fort Lauderdale FC (USA.1U)
66. Elaina LaMacchia, 25 - Fram Reykjavik (Iceland.1)
67. Cayla White, 24 - Odense BK (Denmark.1)
68. Maddy Anderson, 23 - Racing Louisville
69. Mollee Swift, 24 - Throttur (Iceland.1)
70. Olivia Pratapas, 23 - NC State

71. Lyza Jessee, 23 - Washington Spirit
72. Christina Holguin, 28 - Juarez (Mexico.1)
73. Ryan Campbell, 23 - Gotham FC
74. Maddie Smith, 24 - Free Agent
75. Kate Devine, 23 - Breiðablik (Iceland.1)
76. CJ Graham, 23 - Free Agent
77. Leah Freeman, 23 - Free Agent
78. Kayla Thompson, 26 - Toluca (Mexico.1)
79. Hailey Coll, 23 - Zephyr FC (USA.1U)
80. Mikki Easter, 24 - FCPS (Austria.2)

Ones to watch: After a combined 600 minutes between Kate Devine and Mikki Easter last fall, neither goalkeeper is letting the sluggish season be the final chapter in their playing career. Both goalkeepers are on the opposite end of the spectrum as the aforementioned White and Plaschko (above) as Devine and Easter rely more on their feet to solve attacks, whether in shot-stopping or shot-prevention. Iceland’s first division and, certainly, Austria’s second division can get scrappy at times but as long as the goalkeepers can focus on minimizing the chaos and not feeding into it, look for them to spring board to higher levels of play next season.

81. Ashley Naylor, 23 - FCPS (Austria.2)
82. Samantha Estrada, 24 - Dallas Trinity (USA.1U)
83. Stephanie Sparkowski, 23 - Free Agent
84. Kaitlyn Parks, 23 - Free Agent
85. Lauren Kellett, 23 - Tampa Bay Sun FC (USA.1U)
86. Elizabeth Beardsley, 22 - Houston Dash
87. Nadia Cooper, 22 - Free Agent
88. Mia Justus, 22 - Utah Royals
89. Alexa Goldberg, 24 - Brooklyn FC (USA.1U)
90. Maddie Prohaska, 22 - Seattle Reign

91. Genevieve Crenshaw, 22 - Tindastóll (Iceland.1)
92. Ally Zazzara, 22 - University of Tennessee
93. Tyler McCamey, 22 - Gotham FC
94. Cora Brendle, 23 - Free Agent
95. Amber Lockwood, 23 - Clube de Albergaria (Portugal.1)
96. Neeku Purcell, 21 - Brooklyn FC (USA.1U)
97. Ally Lynch, 22 - Purdue University
98. Sally Rainey, 22 - University of Indiana
99. Dmitri Fong, 27 - Vllaznia (Albania.1)
100. Teagan Wy, 21 - University of California

Ones to watch: Last but not least, this group of mostly young goalkeepers - some with college eligibility left and some without - will all have the tough task of continuing their development while not losing momentum. Although goalkeepers can certainly play into their late 30s, it’s hard to develop much once you’ve hit your mid-20s. Tactical decision-making, space optimization, and maximizing efficient response times pose significant challenges for college goalkeepers eyeing the pro scene. Ideally, a goalkeeper should look noticeably sharper from even 21 to 24 but it’s not uncommon to see a goalkeeper plateau in their development at those ages. Sparkowski, Beardsley, and Cooper are good examples of goalkeepers who are still developing - as displayed with several highs and lows this past fall - and need an arena to keep that momentum going.

NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2023)

Cover photo from the University of Iowa.

Seniors

1. Macy Enneking (Iowa)
2. Cristina Roque (Florida State, Puerto Rico)
3. Katherine Asman (Penn State)
4. Halle Mackiewicz (Clemson)
5. Heather Hinz (South Carolina)
6. Stephanie Sparkowski (Michigan)
7. Taylor Burgess (Massachusetts-Lowell)
8. Ryan Campbell (Stanford)
9. Leah Freeman (Duke)
10. Marzia Josephson (Kentucky)

11. Madison White (Texas Tech)
12. Jocelyn Tanner (South Dakota State)
13. Kenna Caldwell (Texas A&M)
14. Kayza Massey (West Virginia, Canada)
15. Anna Karpenko (Harvard, Canada)
16. Megan Plaschko (Minnesota)
17. Glo Hinojosa (UC Irvine)
18. Keara Fitzgerald (San Diego)
19. Allie Augur (Georgetown)
20. Alia Skinner (Virginia Tech)

One to Watch: Taylor Burgess. After an injury sidelined her going into the Fall 2021 season, Burgess is finally back to form. Burgess’ biggest obstacle is clearly her lack of height, which she does well to supplement her game with quick footwork and explosive dives. NWSL teams are reluctant to bring in shorter goalkeepers but if Burgess can follow Lindsay Harris’ footsteps and carve out a respectable run in Europe, she might be able to give herself a chance to return stateside down the line. (Honorable mention to NC State’s Maria Echezarreta who notched four matches before a late tackle ended her season.)

Juniors

1. Mia Justus (Texas)
2. Elizabeth Beardsley (Maryland)
3. Wiebke Willebrandt (Boston College, Germany)
4. Nadia Cooper (Washington State)
5. Tyler McCamey (Princeton)
6. CJ Graham (Utah Valley)
7. Savanna Mason (BYU)
8. Ashley Naylor (Notre Dame)
9. Olivia Pratapas (NC State)
10. Shu Ohba (Mississippi, Japan)

One to Watch: Mia Justus. Justus is reminiscent of a blend between Laurel Ivory and Zack Steffen. She’s quick, can cover the goal well when she sorts out her feet, and doesn’t get nervous when the opposition finds themselves knocking on the goal. She clearly thrives for the big stage moments but the 5-0 drubbing by Florida State shed some light on her reluctance to utilize various tools in keeping the ball out of the net. A perennial line sitter, Justus doesn’t take forward space often and can get tunnel vision on plays, not seeing the back post danger. There’s a reason Justus started her career at Florida State but she’ll need more than quick reactions to make the jump to the next level.

Sophomores

1. Emmie Allen (North Carolina)
2. Neeku Purcell (UCLA)
3. Alli Davis (New Mexico)
4. Ally Zazzara (Tennessee)
5. Bella Hollenbach (Missouri)
6. Kendall Edwards (Milwaukee)
7. Shealyn Vanderbosch (Syracuse)
8. Pauline Nelles (Arizona State, Germany)
9. Ashton Blair (East Tennessee State)
10. Sally Rainey (New Hampshire)

One to Watch: Alli Davis. The 5-6-6 record (with only one win in the last seven matches) largely held Davis away from any postseason awards, despite Davis keeping the Lobos in nearly every match, often losing by one goal or finishing in a tie. Davis possesses strong “I’ll show you” energy by mimicking late 20th-century goalkeeping; she’s more than happy to insert herself into a fray and has the hops to cover the bar when she gets her footwork right. Consistency has been a bit of an issue for Davis, as tactically it feels like it’s a different approach on every play. Outside looking in, Davis looks like the type of goalkeeper who finds herself at a “boom or bust” pivot. If she can find a blueprint for herself that she can rely on to handle tactically complex situations better, watch out. But if she continues to rely on brashness alone, the Lobos goalkeeper may not be able to follow up her 2022 All-Freshman Team performance.

Freshmen

1. Hannah Poulter (USC, England)
2. Nona Reason (North Carolina)
3. Atlee Olofson (Notre Dame)
4. Valentina Amaral (Wake Forest)
5. Kyla Holmes (Yale)
6. Olivia Bodmer (Rutgers)
7. Lynette Hernaez (BYU)
8. Abby Reisz (Tennessee)
9. Addie Ford (Drake)
10. Ally Larkin (Nevada)

One to Watch: Hannah Poulter. It’s difficult for any goalkeeper to shine as a first year and even more so for a top program like USC. Poulter’s resume boasts English YNT experience (recently starting for England’s U19s in a 3-3 tie with Germany) but the mental stress collegiate soccer puts on a young goalkeeper is palpable. Poulter left the UNC game early in the first half (possibly due to issues with the heat) and never regained her starting spot after the 3-2 loss to Utah Valley, a game Poulter didn’t play poorly in but looked disjointed from her team. Poulter carries prestige but she’ll need to find chemistry and on-field success with her teammates if she wants to play a role for a team that is seriously knocking on the door for a national championship.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2023: Preseason
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

NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Preseason Fall 2023)

Seniors

1. Macy Enneking (Iowa)
2. Maria Echezarreta (NC State, Spain)
3. Cristina Roque (Florida State, Puerto Rico)
4. Heather Hinz (South Carolina)
5. Megan Plaschko (Minnesota)
6. Kayza Massey (West Virginia, Canada)
7. Ryan Campbell (Stanford)
8. Marzia Josephson (Kentucky)
9. Leah Freeman (Duke)
10. Lauren Kellett (TCU)

One to Watch: Following in the footsteps of former Gopher goalkeepers Cat Parkhill and Tarah Hobbs, Plaschko is looking to aid Minnesota’s first return to the NCAA tournament since 2018. Plaschko is your classic American goalkeeper: impeccable mechanics, unmatched power, and playing out a deep-lying position. (Think Alyssa Naeher.) It’s not the most modern style, however, Plaschko has quietly become one of the most effective goalkeepers in and out of the Big 10. If Plaschko can help the Gophers return to the NCAA tournament, look for her stock to bolster and give herself a decent shot at the 2024 NWSL draft.

Juniors

1. Mia Justus (Texas)
2. Elizabeth Beardsley (Maryland)
3. Wiebke Willebrandt (Boston College, Germany)
4. Savanna Mason (BYU)
5. Tyler McCamey (Princeton)
6. Shu Ohba (Mississippi, Japan)
7. Maya Bellomo (Yale)
8. Chloe Olson (Marquette)
9. Ashley Naylor (Notre Dame)
10. CJ Graham (Utah Valley)

One to Watch: CJ Graham. Graham transferred out of Lipscomb and moved west for Utah Valley, which is a program that’s been completely reformed from ten years ago. Finishing 40th in the RPI last fall, UVU picks up one of the most athletic goalkeepers in college soccer, but one who still has some development to finalize before a potential jump to the pros. If the Wolverines can clean up their new goalkeeper’s handling and some tactical decision-making processes, look for Graham to be a top name for NWSL teams to draft.

Sophomores

1. Emmie Allen (North Carolina)
2. Neeku Purcell (UCLA)
3. Teagan Wy (California)
4. Pauline Nelles (Arizona State, Germany)
5. Bella Schopp (Brown)
6. Caroline Duffy (Duke)
7. Ashton Blair (East Tennessee State)
8. JLo Varada (Campbell, Puerto Rico)
9. Erynn Floyd (Louisville)
10. Ally Zazzara (Tennessee)

One to Watch: Emmie Allen. Allen ended her 2022 run off one of the more improbable no-calls in college soccer and, needless to say, has unfinished business for 2023. Allen’s combination of light feet and athleticism allows her to take a significant level of responsibility in the game, covering large portions of the goal and penalty box. After another stint with USL W’s NC Courage U23s in summer ball action, look for Allen to feel even more comfortable in donning the heralded Carolina blue, making her case for the best goalkeeper in college soccer.

Freshmen

1. Mackenzie Gress (Penn State)
2. CJ Roy (Northwestern)
3. Nona Reason (North Carolina)
4. Abby Gundry (North Carolina)
5. Claire Heddings (Michigan)
6. Adelyn Todd (Florida State)
7. Jamie Campbell (Colorado)
8. Valentina Amaral (Wake Forest)
9. Emily Earles (NC State)
10. Liya Brooks (Washington State)

One to Watch: Mackenzie Gress. The former USYNT prospect hails from - what some would argue - is the hotbed of American goalkeeping: New Jersey. Regardless, Gress returns for her redshirt freshman year, changing her jersey number from 28 to 1 and possibly giving us a sign of things to come. Look for the Nittany Lions to find minutes for Gress when available, even with starting goalkeeper Kat Asman returning for her final year.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

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

World Goalkeeping Report Card

cover photo from fcbarcelonanoticias.com

In an attempt to survey the world standard for goalkeeping, Everybody Soccer enters 2023 with a deep dive on the top 50 nations when it comes to the goalkeeping department. Each country is graded on three categories:

1. National Team production

2. Domestic League level of play

3. Youth National Team development

For the top fifty countries, the most common grade given out was a C to maintain a decent but not impossible standard to reach.

For the most part, the top 25 countries have excelled in two if not all three categories. Although there are some exceptions, a good goalkeeping nation will not only have a clear pathway for young goalkeepers to reach their ceiling, but also have the depth that the next 25 nations do not possess.

Nations ranked 26-50 each have one strong aspect to their goalkeeping production. Whether it is a strong national team starter, a handful of talented internationals in their domestic league, or a promising, young core, as in Ireland’s case, these countries are close to reaching another level but haven’t quite reached it.