End of Year NCAA Goalkeeper Rankings - Men's 2016

photo from Doug Hood

The women's rankings dropped last week and now we're on to the men's. This is third year we've had college rankings and you can look back on past rankings to see what goalkeepers have come through the college ranks.

2014 Rankings
2015 Rankings
2016 Preseason Rankings

The MLS Combine will be held on January 7th-12th with the SuperDraft on the following Friday the 13th. Combines and drafts haven't quite shown a proven track record of picking the right goalkeepers so don't be surprised if undrafted seniors show back up elsewhere.

Seniors

1. Eric Klenofsky (Monmouth) - 22
2. Alec Ferrell (Wake Forest) - 22
3. Bill Heavner (UMBC) - 23
4. David Greczek (Rutgers) - 22
5. Logan Ketterer (Bradley) - 23
6. Matt Gilbert (Boston U) - 22
7. Alex McCauley (NC State) - 22
8. Alex Kapp (Creighton) - 22
9. Kyle Morton (James Madison) - 22
10. Mike Kirk (La Salle) - 22

Bill says: It seems on the men's side the top goalkeepers are routinely at smaller schools. Klenofsky, Greczek, and Ketterer fit the modern mold as mobile, slim goalkeepers while Ferrell, Heavner, and Gilbert are more of the common stronger frame. One isn't necessarily better than another, but European goalkeepers typically fit the former build while Americans like the latter. Tulsa's Jake McGuire has received some press as well and could likely receive a combine invite.

Juniors

1. Jeff Caldwell (Virginia) - 20
2. Ben Lundgaard (Virginia Tech) - 21
3. Paul Christensen (Portland) - 20
4. Andrew Shepherd (Western Michigan) - 22
5. Bobby Edwards (Saint Joseph's) - 21
6. Michael Nelson (SMU) - 21
7. Kyle Dal Santo (SIUE) - 21
8. Eric Dick (Butler) - 21
9. Nolan Wirth (Oregon State, Canadian) - 21
10. Collin Partee (Loyola Marymount) - 21

Bill says: USYNT goalkeepers Caldwell and Christensen have long been a part of the best of the class while Lundgaard and Shepherd have done well to work themselves into the conversation. Edwards sat this year with a foot injury and will still have two years to play. Kyle Dal Santo made some noise this postseason, pushing SIUE past both Michigan State and Butler in penalty kicks, before falling to Alec Ferrell and Wake Forest. Other goalkeepers in the mix include Michigan's Evan Louro (graduating early) and recent National Champion Andrew Epstein at Stanford.

Sophomores

1. JT Marcinkowski (Georgetown) - 19
2. Todd Morton (Delaware) - 20
3. Jonathan Klinsmann (California) - 19
4. Luis Barraza (Marquette) - 20
5. Jonny Sutherland (East Tennessee State, English) - 22
6. Elliott Rubio (Utah Valley) - 20
7. Sawyer Jackman (Florida Gulf Coast) - 20
8. Jimmy Hague (Michigan State) - 21
9. Ryan Cretens (UNC Wilmington) - 20
10. Colin Hanley (Xavier) - 20

Bill says: All aboard the Marcinkowski hype train. At this rate, don't be surprised if he leaves college a year early. Morton earned first team all-CAA while Klinsmann and Barraza will try to build off the ups and resolve the downs from this year. Rubio, Jackman, and Hanley all split time and need to solidify the starting spot for their junior year. While a little older than his classmates, Sutherland brings English YNT experience to the states and was rewarded with first team selection in the Southern Conference.

Freshmen

1. Kevin Silva (UCLA) - 18
2. Parker Siegfried (Ohio State) - 19
3. Arie Ammann (Penn State) - 20
4. Elliot Panicco (Charlotte) - 19
5. Marc Olsen (Central Arkansas, German) - 19
6. Remi Prieur (St. Mary's) - 19
7. Andrew Romig (North Carolina) - 18
8. Titouan Le Roux (UC Santa Barbara, French) - 19
9. Jimmy Slayton (Hartford) - 18
10. Drake Callender (California) - 19

Bill says: It seems like a lifetime ago that Kevin Silva was starting in the Nike Friendlies and now he finished the season as UCLA's starter. The freshmen group are distinguished in a number of ways. Panicco earned top goalkeeper in the Conference USA, Romig trained with the USL's Richmond Kickers last year, and Siegfried (Columbus), Prieur, and Callender (both San Jose) have homegrown possibilities down the line.

End of Year NCAA Goalkeeper Rankings - Women's 2016

cover photo belongs to Katlyn Alapati/The Stanford Daily

Welcome back to Everybody Soccer's second annual NCAA Goalkeeper Rankings. We saw a number of the 2015 seniors do well in their first professional season - including the number three ranked senior earning Goalkeeper of the Year in Norway - and there aren't any lower expectations for this year's class. You can compare the lists to the 2016 preseason rankings if you're interested in seeing who has jumped up the rankings.

Seniors

1. Jane Campbell (Stanford) - 21
2. Sammy Jo Prudhomme (USC) - 22
3. Kailen Sheridan (Clemson, Canadian) - 21
4. Lindsey Harris (North Carolina) - 23
5. Emily Armstrong (Connecticut) - 21
6. Ashton McKeown (Long Beach State) - 22
7. Hope Sabadash (Southeastern Louisiana, Canadian) - 21
8. Hannah Seabert (Pepperdine) - 21
9. Sydney Drinkwater (Florida Atlantic) - 22
10. Lillie Ehlert (Stephen F. Austin) - 21

Bill says: The most known goalkeepers in this class are Campbell, Sheridan, and Sabadash, all of which were listed on the preseason Hermann trophy watch list. Even though they didn't make the final shortlist, don't be surprised to hear their names called at the NWSL draft in January. Prudhomme (National Champion) and Harris (semifinalist with UNC) saw their stock jump this postseason with some fairly clutch performances. McKeown (SoCal FC) and Drinkwater (Florida Krush) spent time in the WPSL this summer and will look to make the jump to the professional game in 2017.

Juniors

1. EJ Proctor (Duke) - 20
2. Emily Boyd (California) - 20
3. Lauren Clem (Northwestern) - 20
4. Katie Hatziyianis (Binghamton) - 20
5. Kat Elliott (South Florida) - 21
6. Caitlyn Clem (Wisconsin) - 22
7. Casey Murphy (Rutgers) - 20
8. Taylor Sebolao (Towson) - 21
9. Cassie Miller (Florida State) - 21
10. Miranda Horn (George Washington) - 20

Bill says: Proctor sets the standard for the group. Despite the lack height, she's rounded out the rest of her game to the point where she was a big reason why Duke returned Elite Eight for their second straight year. Clem was named first team all-conference in the always competitive Big Ten. Cassidy Murphy is probably the most notable name on the list after spending this fall with the U20 team at the World Cup but her performances can be streaky at times.

Sophomores

1. Jalen Tompkins (Colorado) - 19
2. Alexis Smith (UC Davis) - 20
3. Lainey Burdett (Arizona) - 20
4. Ella Dederick (Washington State) - 20
5. Charlee Pruitt (Loyola Marymount) - 20
6. Rose Chandler (Penn State) - 20
7. Olivia Swenson (North Dakota) - 19
8. Sarah Le Beau (Auburn) - 20
9. Samantha Leshnak (North Carolina) - 19
10. Amanda Poertner (Idaho) - 20

Bill says:  Tompkins had quite possibly the save of the season to secure a win against Washington. Le Beau and Swenson rightfully earned second team all-conference in their respective conferences. While a few goalkeepers missed the season this year, they shouldn't be overlooked moving forward. Portner was named the Big Sky's Goalkeeper of the Year as a freshman in 2015 but was sidelined this fall with an injury. Leshnak (behind senior Lindsey Harris) and Chandler (who was with the U20s) sat as well but both should be an active piece to their teams for 2017.

Freshmen

1. Amanda McGlynn (Virginia Tech) - 18
2. Brooke Heinsohn (Duke) - 18
3. Rylee Foster (West Virginia, Canadian) - 18
4. Mikayla Krzeczowski (South Carolina) - 18
5. Brittany Wilson (Denver) - 19
6. Teagan Micah (UCLA, Australian) - 19
7. Evangeline Soucie (Kentucky) - 18
8. Carly Nelson (Utah) - 18
9. Amanda Knaub (Monmouth) - 18
10. Haley Smith (Illinois State) - 18

Bill says: The freshmen group boasts some international flare with Foster (Canada) and Micah (Australia) making their names known early into their collegiate careers. Wilson and Krzeczowski share USYNT ties but McGlynn's performance this year for the Hokies was really outstanding. McGlynn, who graduated high school a year early, started 16 games in the ACC with .753 save percentage.

Player Journal: Erin Scott, Sophomore at Creighton

Erin Scott joins us for our third collegiate goalkeeper contributing a player journal for their season. Scott enters her sophomore year after Creighton went 10-10 last year, which she started every game as a freshman. After a successful season with FC Dallas' WPSL team, Scott revisits her summer and discusses Creighton's upcoming season. Click here to read the other goalkeepers' player journals as they all start their season.

Not too long ago you finished your summer season with FC Dallas' WPSL team, where y'all won the Southwest conference and allowed less than a goal a game. Most college players don't play in the summer so what made you decide to play with FC Dallas? What did you gain from playing for FC Dallas?

Playing in the WPSL with FC Dallas over the summer was easily one of the best things I have done to prepare for an upcoming D1 college season. This year was FC Dallas’ first year competing in the WPSL and Ben Waldrum put together a very strong roster in a fairly short amount of time. I have been involved in the ECNL program at FC Dallas throughout high school so this was a great opportunity for me. Playing this past summer not only helped keep my touch on the ball sharp but also helped me stay mentally engaged in games all summer as well. Playing in games and keeping that mental sharpness that a game demands at a high level is such an important factor that generally goes missing for some in the summer. Yes, keeper training and training with a team is great but nothing can truly replace the experience you get from playing in a game.

The group of girls that played with FC Dallas this summer were truly world class. Adapting to a new team and adjusting to a different style of play than I am used to allowed me to not only develop as a player but become more well rounded. I noticed that I was holding myself accountable more often because there was a very high standard in training sessions and games. FC Dallas’ women’s side is going in a positive direction and talks of a NWSL team is a strong possibility for the future which is very exciting. There was so much talent on our team this summer and going undefeated was an exhilarating feeling. We finished our season 15-1, suffering our one and only loss to the Chicago Red Star’s Reserves in the Regional Championship game. 
 

The WPSL is a massive league with over 100 teams. Some of the teams are tied to professional teams and others fold after just being around a year. Describe your experience with the league. What's something outsiders don't realize or understand about the league?

I think the WPSL is a great league that will continue to move in the right direction. Although certain teams may have more talent than others, I feel there is a high level of competition throughout. I feel that many don’t realize how high the level of competition truly is. We had a very talented roster which included players like Monica Alvarado who is on Mexico’s national team and has played in a world cup. We also had many Houston Dash reserves playing with us throughout the season, many of which were called up to play on the full team in games for the Dash. Between the international talent and the professional talent, the quality of play was phenomenal. Kelsey Devonshire, who has also played professional soccer, was the other goalkeeper on our roster and being able to work with her this summer was extremely beneficial for me. Playing alongside a professional forced me to push myself to a higher standard that was expected. Overall I think the WPSL presents a great opportunity for anyone looking to continue to play over the summer.
 

Last year Creighton finished 2-7 in the Big East. What needs to happen this year to make sure Creighton reaches the Big East conference tournament?

This year we received a large freshman class with very talented players who will be able to come in and make a difference in our season. The mentality of our team is great and the competitive environment makes training very enjoyable. Although we are only one week into preseason, I can tell we are headed in the right direction. Commitment, dedication, and accountability are going to be huge parts of this season. It is crucial that we all hold ourselves and our teammates accountable. This season we need to make sure that we clean up silly mistakes. We have been working on our defensive shape as well as being more aggressive all over the field. We conceded many goals off of preventable errors that we need to work hard to fix this season. We also need to make sure that we capitalize on our opportunities this year. I believe everyone is committed to our goal and we are all working extremely hard each day to get better. I truly believe that we are going to be a very dangerous competitor in the Big East this season. 

Player Journal: Bobby Edwards - August 2016

Bobby Edwards returns for his second installment of his player journal, walking us through a summer injury and his outlook on the fall. For a complete listing of player journals, click here.

You picked up an unfortunate injury this summer. What happened and how did that alter your summer?

Back in January, I was having some pain on and around the outside of my foot. I was told to keep an eye on it, but it didn't seem to be anything serious at the time, so I continued to play. But then one morning our team had a fitness workout on the turf. We were running sprints and on the fourth one I pushed off my left foot and just felt it crack, followed by probably some of the worst pain I've ever experienced. I knew immediately I just broke something, badly. 

It's funny in hindsight, but right after I had broken it I couldn't walk, so my 5'7" coach had to help carry all 6'6" of me off the field. Poor guy must have been in just as much pain as I was getting me to the training room. 

I made my way to the hospital to get X-rays and there it was: a straight crack across my 5th metatarsal, aka a "Jones fracture,” an injury common in bigger athletes. (Kevin Durant suffered the same thing). I saw three different orthopedists and their opinions were the all same: surgery would be the best choice in order for me to play soccer again.

So I underwent the surgery. (Attached you can see the X-rays post surgery.) Basically it involved drilling a screw down the center of the bone to reinforce it, and then wait for it to heal. The next three months were really tough. Surgery on anything below your waist limits you to almost no movement, so my daily workouts consisted of bench press, abs, and some more abs. It got pretty repetitive and awful after day three. But worst of all, it was having to sit on the sidelines watching my teammates play the sport I live for, and not being able to participate. Any athlete will tell you the worst part of the injury - regardless of the severity - is having to sit and watch from the sideline. 

Finally in May I was cleared to play, just in time to begin with the U-23 New York Red Bulls. It felt so great to be back - like I said in the last journal, I can't speak highly enough of the team at NYRB. From the players to the staff, it's all class. But one month into Red Bull and it happened again. A ball was slotted across the goal and I moved quickly laterally to my left. The ball is cleared, I stopped abruptly, and I heard a loud “CRACK.”

I can't really describe the frustration and anger I felt after having it happen a second time. It was brutal, so taxing mentally and I just had this sense of hopelessness. Took me about a week to finally come to terms with it and from there I moved on, best I could. 

Luckily for me, the screw held up - it was the bone that failed. I wouldn't need to get surgery again. I just needed to wait for it to heal. As I write this, I am two months into the healing process and a week from the start of Saint Joe’s training camp, and the healing is not yet complete. There are a lot of questions yet to be answered about what the plan will be for this year. What I do know is that regardless of what does happen, my goal doesn't change - I'll keep chasing my dream of professional soccer. 

How does your team stay in contact over the summer? Do most of the players go off and do their own thing or are y'all in constant contact?

We’re spread out so we pretty much do our own thing. One of the toughest things for a college soccer player during the summer is the choice that has to be made between soccer or a job. Playing PDL or another form of high level summer ball is pretty much a job in itself, and so working an internship on top of that is nearly impossible. It’s a tough choice to make.

The choice I’ve made is to pursue soccer as fully as possible to the very last chance I have. This means I chose to sacrifice opportunities to get ahead in the business world since my classmates are spending their summers building their resumes - I'm just kicking a soccer ball around. Some of my teammates have opted for high level soccer (PDL, NPSL, U-23s, etc). Others chose to take full time internships and play on the side when they can. Both work either way. Each player knows their personal responsibility to staying fit and coming into preseason ready to play. How they go about this is in their power. 

Once I got hurt I knew I had to do something else with my free time, otherwise my summer would consist of sitting at home playing FIFA all day. Therefore, I chose to move back to Philly and take a full time coaching job with a great company called U.K. Elite. It allowed me to still workout with my trainers at SJU while doing something I'm passionate about: coach soccer. In all honesty, coaching has done well at filling the void of not being able to play. I was able to take on two summer teams, a U-9 and U-10 team for FCUSA Philadelphia. Even got a few medals along the way this summer! I cannot speak highly enough of both U.K. Elite or FCUSA. The standard of their coaches, professionalism, personality - genuinely the best company I have been able to work for and so helpful to me in my coaching career. Coaching is difficult, I learned that first hand this summer. It's so easy to sit back and say what should be done but to actually have to be in charge is a completely different beast. 

Contact [with the St. Joseph's players] though doesn't stop. We have a group chat which is very active throughout the summer regardless of where everyone is. Players that are close to SJU can meet up and work out together or hit the field, and after I moved back down I was able to workout and see a bunch of guys close to campus. 

When do you report for preseason? What has to happen for you to make sure you hit the ground running into the fall?

We report for preseason on my 21st birthday, August 11th. What a way to be spending my 21st! 

But in all seriousness, I am really buzzing to be back with the team. We have a lot to prove after a poor year last year. Collectively, we all need to buy into the program. It's easy (and I am just as guilty as anyone) to remove yourself and try to do things differently than what is collectively asked from the coaching staff when things start going poorly. The "Disease of Me" as my high school coach used to call it. For us to be successful this season, we need to all be pulling in the same direction. This starts at the top with the upperclassmen and trickles down to the younger guys. We need to collectively choose an identity of the team we want to be. Are we going to be a team that locks it up defensively and outworks anyone we play? Are we going to be a team that attacks with pace and creates special things in the attacking third? A big issue I feel we struggled with last year is that we had no identity. No one really knew what kind of team we were. 

For me, I've got a ton of responsibilities this season. This is obviously very dependent on what path I take regarding my injury, but either way, it is important I fulfill them to the best of my abilities. If I can play, then it's obvious: lock it down in the net, take charge and begin to bring an experienced voice to the back. A big step in a college career comes sophomore to junior year, because it's the bridge between young and old. I've had two years in net. Now it is time I stop the learning process and begin the teaching process. Young guys need a helping hand, the same way the juniors/seniors helped me when I was a freshman. My challenge is to find out the best way I can be that helping hand.

If I am dealt the latter and am forced to redshirt, this isn't a year off for me. I still have a responsibility to push the guys around me to become better soccer players and build up team chemistry, just off the field. I'm lucky (though unlucky for him) to have a goalkeeper coach who has been able to mentor me through the ups and downs of my college career. Scott Krotee himself knows the pains of injury too well, in fact he is just coming back off knee surgery. He was forced to take a year off in his college days, and we've talked a lot about the different roles and responsibility you are tasked with when faced with an injury. This year, he will continue to help me grow and learn regardless of which path I take. 

Goalkeeper coach Scott Krotee and Bobby Edwards

Lastly, I would take a second to wish all my goalkeeper friends the best of luck in their seasons. Monmouth, Michigan, Rutgers, UCLA, Boston U, Columbia, Tufts, Williams and plenty more have goalkeepers from the best state in the country in their nets: New Jersey. Best of luck!