2017 NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings

Cover photo belongs to Shane Lardinois

As the women's collegiate season comes to an end, a number of seniors are looking to keep their careers going. Last year we saw three goalkeepers selected in the NWSL draft and with Casey Murphy's announcement that she won't be returning for her senior year, it'll be a crowded field fighting for a spot in the NWSL. Murphy joins EJ Proctor, Lauren Clem, Emily Boyd, Courtney Brosnan, and Bella Geist as likely goalkeepers to hear their names called come draft day. The 2018 NWSL College Draft is on January 18th and features 40 picks between ten teams.

Seniors

1. EJ Proctor (Duke) - 21
2. Lauren Clem (Northwestern) - 21
3. Emily Boyd (California) - 21
4. Kaelyn Johns (Dayton) - 20
5. Katie Hatziyianis (Binghamton) - 21
6. Courtney Brosnan (Syracuse) - 22
7. Cassie Miller (Florida State) - 22
8. Caitlyn Clem (Wisconsin) - 23
9. Catalina Perez (Colombia, Mississippi State) - 23
10. Kat Elliott (South Florida) - 21

Bill says: While Proctor doesn't possess the ideal size for a goalkeeper, it hasn't held her back yet as she's led Duke on deep tournament runs for the last three years. Clem and Boyd are more of the typical American goalkeepers with a little more height and strength to their game. World Cup veteran Catalina Perez transferred to Mississippi State for her last year of eligibility, conceding only 19 goals in 18 games and earning 1st Team All-SEC. Johns (highlights vs. Davidson) and Hatziyianis (vs. Siena) are likely floating under the radar but have shown the decision making and agility to be able to cover the goal. Also keep an eye out for Oregon State goalkeeper Bella Geist who has spent time with the U23s earlier this year.

Juniors

1. Lainey Burdett (Arizona) - 20
2. Ella Dederick (Washington State) - 21
3. Casey Murphy (Rutgers) - 21 **
4. Shae Yanez (Tennessee) - 20
5. Marnie Merritt (Mississippi) - 21
6. Rose Chandler (Penn State) - 21
7. Sydney Wootten (NC State) - 20
8. Alison Jahansouz (Stanford) - 21
9. Erin Scott (Campbell) - 20
10. Melissa Lowder (Santa Clara) - 20

Bill says: Easily the biggest news from the class is Casey Murphy's decision to leave college early. The 1st Team All-American goalkeeper and USYNT product has shown some positive and negative moments in her career but if she can iron out her footwork she'll find success at the next level. Dederick is probably the most aggressive goalkeeper in all of college soccer but she makes it work for herself. In contrast, Burdett and Merritt are two goalkeepers that opt to keep their feet under them to make the save. Chandler and Jahansouz met in the quarterfinals this year in a lopsided affair. If Chandler tweaks her approach to her angle play this off-season, expect a much different outcome if the two teams meet again next year.

Sophomores

1. Rylee Foster (Canada, West Virginia) - 19
2. Mandy McGlynn (Virginia Tech) - 19
3. Jalen Tompkins (Colorado) - 20
4. Evangeline Soucie (Kentucky) - 19
5. Jaelyn Cunningham (Illinois) - 19
6. Katie Lund (TCU) - 21
7. Mikayla Krzeczowski (South Carolina) - 19
8. Haley Smith (Canada, Illinois State) - 19
9. Teagan Micah (Australia, UCLA) - 20
T-10. Lauren Rood (Stanford) - 20
T-10. Sam Miller (Lehigh) - 19

Bill says: Foster rebounded from a rough outing in last year's U20 World Cup to earn 2nd Team All-Big 12, right behind TCU's Katie Lund. Lund and McGlynn will have spent time with the U23 and U20 teams by the end of the year, respectively. Krzeczowski led South Carolina to a NCAA Semifinal appearance and while Micah found herself in the Championship match, the Australian international probably wishes she could have the first goal back. Rood split time with Jahansouz this year but both goalkeepers return to Stanford for the 2018 season so it'll be interesting to see if they continue to split time. Miller already has 36 starts to her name, allowing only 23 goals over the two years.

Freshmen

1. Laurel Ivory (Virginia) - 18
2. Hillary Beall (Michigan) - 18
3. Brooke Heinsohn (Duke) - 19
4. Kaylie Collins (USC) - 19
5. Lysianne Proulx (Canada, Syracuse) - 18
6. Sydney Schneider (Jamaica, UNC Wilmington) - 18
7. Olivia Sekany (California) - 18
8. Lauren Brzykcy (UCLA) - 18
9. Ashley Orkus (Tennessee) - 18
10. McKinley Crone (Oklahoma) - 18

Bill says: We still have a number of goalkeepers who have yet to prove themselves but Sekany, Brzykcy, and Orkus all have USYNT experience and will look for an opportunity to show their quality over the next year. Laurel Ivory, who turned 18 in August, had a wonderful season with UVA and was rewarded with a call-up with the U20s. Proulx has started with Canada's U20s and U17s while Schneider has already played against the USYNT, starting for Jamaica's during the 2016 U17 World Cup qualifying matches and could likely see them again in the 2018 U20 qualifying.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2015: Preseason and Final
2016: Preseason and Final
2017: Preseason

NCAA Preseason Goalkeeper Rankings - Women's 2017

photo belongs to Shane Lardinois

Following up the men's rankings from yesterday, we survey the top ten goalkeepers in the women's game. Last year we saw all three of Everybody Soccer's top rated goalkeepers get selected in the 2016 NWSL Draft so don't be surprised if you hear these names again in a few months. Scroll to the bottom to check out previous years' lists.

Seniors

1. EJ Proctor (Duke) - 21
2. Lauren Clem (Northwestern) - 21
3. Caitlyn Clem (Wisconsin) - 22
4. Emily Boyd (California) - 21
5. Katie Hatziyianis (Binghamton) - 20
6. Catalina Perez (Colombia, Mississippi State) - 22
7. Cassie Miller (Florida State) - 22
8. Nevena Stojakovic (Serbia, Florida International) - 22
9. Jordan Sallee (UNLV) - 21
10. Kat Elliott (South Florida) - 21

Bill says: EJ Proctor returns as our number one and while she may not possess the size scouts are looking for, she was the most completely goalkeeper in 2016 and there's no reason to expect anything has changed. Lauren Clem will struggle to top last year's accomplishments, being named first team All-American. Caitlyn Clem returns from a successful summer, earning the UWS Defender of the Year Award with Detroit Sun FC. Catalina Perez (2015 World Cup) and Nevena Stojakovic (Serbia U19s) add international prestige but don't expect them to be in the NWSL next year as international spots are few and far between.

Juniors

1. Alexis Smith (UC Davis) - 21
2. Lainey Burdett (Arizona) - 20
3. Ella Dederick (Washington State) - 21
4. Alison Jahansouz (Stanford) - 21
5. Rose Chandler (Penn State) - 20
6. Caroline Brockmeier (LSU) - 21
7. Casey Murphy (Rutgers) - 21
8. Sarah Le Beau (Auburn) - 21
9. July Mathias (Utah) - 21
10. Samantha Leshnak (North Carolina) - 20

Bill says: It's a polarizing batch of juniors this year. Most noted is Casey Murphy, who had her fair share of ups and downs in the 2016 U20 World Cup. Alison Jahansouz looks to take over for graduated Jane Campbell but will need to keep her aggressive play in control. USYNT alumni Rose Chandler and Samantha Leshnak are looking for breakout years as both are finally set to takeover the reigns, but combine for only five games in NCAA play. Smith, Burdett, and Dederick have shown the most consistency but if the rest of the list find a good run of form, there will be plenty of juniors fighting for the number one spot.

Sophomores

1. Mandy McGlynn (Virginia Tech) - 18
2. Jalen Tompkins (Colorado) - 20
3. Mikayla Krzeczowski (South Carolina) - 19
4. Evangeline Soucie (Kentucky) - 18
5. Brittany Wilson (Denver) - 19
6. Rylee Foster (Canada, West Virginia) - 19
7. Teagan Micah (Australia, UCLA) - 19
8. Haley Smith (Illinois State) - 19
9. Chloé N'gazi (France, UCF) - 21
10. Maggie Smither (South Dakota State) - 20

Bill says: The ACC is no jog in the park but Mandy McGlynn carried her own as a 17 year old freshman last year, starting in 16 games for Virginia Tech. Jalen Tompkins had no issue making 2016's save of the year but, similar to the juniors, will be needing more consistency in net to avoid a sophomore slump. SEC Goalkeeper of the Year Mikayla Krzeczowski will have competition with Kentucky's Evangeline Soucie, with both goalkeepers showing the ability to play well on bigger stages. Rylee Foster had a disappointing U20 World Cup run, conceding eight goals in two games with Canada, but she has the pieces to become a dynamic goalkeeper for the Mountaineers. Maggie Smither looks to follow up her incredibly .911 save percentage from 2016.

Freshmen

1. Brooke Heinsohn (Duke) - 19
2. Kaylie Collins (USC) - 19
3. Hillary Beall (Michigan) - 18
4. Emily Alvarado (Mexico, TCU) - 19
5. Zoe Clevely (Pepperdine) - 18
6. Olivia Sekany (California) - 18
7. Ashley Orkus (Tennessee) - 18
8. Lauren Brzykcy (UCLA) - 18
9. Laurel Ivory (Virginia) - 18
10. Lysianne Proulx (Canada, Syracuse) - 18

Bill says: Nearly every goalkeeper on the list has trained at their respective youth national team level but it's tough to say what type of college player they'll turn into. 6'1" Blue Devil Brooke Heinsohn and 2016 Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Year Kaylie Collins top the list while Mexican YNT goalkeeper Emily Alvarado enters the year as a redshirt freshman. U20 World Cup veteran Lysianne Proulx lands right under Laurel Ivory, who is talented enough to start for #19 ranked Virginia in her very first year.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2015: Preseason and Final
2016: Preseason and Final

NCAA Preseason Goalkeeper Rankings - Men's 2017

Cover photo belongs to Kris Wright

It's that wonderful time of year again where we all get to speculate on the potential for every school and their respective players alike. While the seniors are only five months away from draft day, the underclassmen are still fighting to prove they're the number one goalkeeper. It's an incredibly short season jam packed with games so don't expect these lists to stay the exact same come December. Here are the top ten goalkeepers in men's college soccer, sorted by class. Be sure to scroll to the bottom to look back at past rankings.

Seniors

1. Jeff Caldwell (Virginia) - 21
2. Ben Lundgaard (Virginia Tech) - 21
3. Paul Christensen (Portland) - 21
4. Andrew Shepherd (Western Michigan) - 22
5. Michael Nelson (SMU) - 22
6. Kyle Dal Santo (SIUE) - 22
7. Eric Dick (Butler) - 22
8. Sascha Otte (Germany, Saint Louis) - 22
9. Collin Partee (Loyola Marymount) - 22
10. Nils Leifhelm (Germany, Rhode Island) - 23

Bill says: The seniors heading into the 2018 MLS SuperDraft are a strong core. U20 USYNT goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell leads the pack but 2017 PDL goalkeeper of the year, Ben Lundgaard, is one to keep an eye on as well. (Make sure to circle September 15th on the calendar when Virginia and Virginia Tech square off.) Paul Christensen has homegrown ties to the Sounders while SIUE penalty hero Kyle Dal Santo looks to build off of last year’s cinderella run. Foreigners face an added hurdle when trying to make the jump to MLS due to roster restrictions, but there's plenty of room for Sascha Otte and Nils Leifhelm in the USL and NASL.

Juniors

1. JT Marcinkowski (Georgetown) - 20
2. Bobby Edwards (Monmouth) - 22
3. Todd Morton (Delaware) - 21
4. Jimmy Hague (Michigan State) - 22
5. Ximo Miralles (Spain, Clemson) - 21
6. Ryan Cretens (UNC Wilmington) - 21
7. Austin Aviza (Connecticut) - 20
8. Sawyer Jackman (UIC) - 20
9. Luis Barraza (Marquette) - 20
10. Nick Gardner (Denver) - 22

Bill says: If there’s one goalkeeper that everyone is expecting big things from, it’s Georgetown’s JT Marcinkowski, who is generally viewed as the most complete goalkeeper in the college game. Bobby Edwards (6'6") and Todd Morton (6'4") possess the large frame modern teams are looking for and should make the transition to the professional game with relative ease when the time comes. Austin Aviza looks for a new beginning - and more playing time - after leaving Syracuse for Connecticut this offseason. UNC Wilmington’s Ryan Cretens’ playing style is akin to Nick Rimando’s, standing only 5’11” but covering the goal better than most collegiate goalkeepers in the college game.

Sophomores

1. Kevin Silva (UCLA) - 19
2. Parker Siegfried (Ohio State) - 20
3. Elliot Panicco (Charlotte) - 20
4. Arie Ammann (Penn State) - 20
5. Aron Runarsson (Iceland, Vermont) - 21
6. Jimmy Slayton (Hartford) - 19
7. Andrew Verdi (Michigan) - 19
8. Remi Prieur (St. Mary's) - 20
9. Andreu Cases Mundet (Spain, Wake Forest) - 20
10. Jared Brown (Canada, Florida Gulf Coast) - 19

Bill says: Kevin Silva keeps him number one spot from last season, but not without pressure from his peers. Columbus Crew product, Parker Siegfried, anchored the helm at Ohio State without much of a hiccup and Charlotte’s Elliot Panicco had a wonderful season, after being named to the Conference USA’s All-Freshmen Team as well as earning the John McCarthy look-a-like award. Philadelphia Union academy player Andrew Verdi adds more USYNT flare to the list and while Remi Prieur only has eight games to his college career so far, the San Jose product shouldn't have a tough time taking over the number one role for St. Mary's

Freshmen

1. Will Pulisic (Duke) - 19
2. Andrew Romig (North Carolina) - 19
3. Ben Hale (Furman) - 19
4. Joe Wheelwright (Utah Valley) - 21
5. Andrew Pannenberg / Dominic Peters (Wake Forest) - 18 / 17
6. Matt Freese (Harvard) - 18
7. Jake Gelnovatch (Louisville) - 20
8. Noah Lawrence (Cincinnati) - 18
9. David Abonce / Xavier Kennedy (Ohio State) - 18
10. Jack Butterfield (Appalachian State) - 18

Bill says: Predicting success of freshmen goalkeepers before they’ve even played a minute is always tricky (aka impossible). Will Pulisic returns from his time with Dortmund, after a previously successful run with the US’s U20s. While Andrew Romig and Ben Hale might not see playing time this fall, keep an eye on them in 2018 to transition into the starting position. Both Wake Forest and Ohio State have talented freshmen goalkeepers on their rosters, although both schools are starting sophomores in goal so we may not hear of these freshmen for some time.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings
2014 (final)
2015 (preseason and final)
2016 (preseason and final)

How Important Is the MLS Superdraft for Goalkeepers?

cover photo by Andy Mead

The 2017 MLS Draft wrapped up last week and teams are racing to fill out their varsity roster, as well as sorting out who will spend the year with their USL affiliate. Depending on how much they want to stock up, each team is needing anywhere from three to six goalkeepers. The past month has seen scouting reports, projections, and several write-ups for recent senior graduates and possible roster signees, but for all the fanfare surrounding the rookies, it's no secret it wears off quickly.

Already we've seen two goalkeepers from the 2016 class - Ryan Herman and Chris Froschauer - be dropped by the team that drafted them without much of a word about it. I suppose "sophomore season" narratives aren't as engaging to readers but perhaps there are better options for MLS teams finding a goalkeeper.

MLS's Search for Starting Goalkeepers

Over the last twenty years multiple teams have brought in an older goalkeeper from Europe or South America. Goalkeepers are known for their longevity so signing a goalkeeper late into his career can still give the team four to five years to work with. There's no denying how excited fans get when they hear marquee names attached to the league, like the ongoing rumor of Iker Casillas coming over.

The disappointing reality is that MLS teams simply can't (or shouldn't) chase elite goalkeepers at this time. If salary cap or designated player rules get tweaked in the future, MLS teams might be able to spend more freely on the last line of defense. Until then, it doesn't make sense for MLS to spend millions on a position that could conceivably make zero meaningful contributions in a game. There's a reason why there has only ever been one designated player that was a goalkeeper, and it just happens to be the most iconic American goalkeeper of all-time.

Alternatively, every team would love to sign a homegrown goalkeeper and develop him to the point where he eventually takes over as their starter. There are several incentives for signing a young prospect. Fans are always buzzing over an academy player joining the first team, there is no salary cap hit if a player is under a homegrown contract, and signing a player that young gives the team more control over the player's development. Or so we would think. The truth is homegrown goalkeepers have been scarce since their beginnings, with the league only signing 11 since 2008.

As of right now, there are no signs that teams will start signing more goalkeepers as HGPs. Currently they're more than content to let them develop in the college game. Some MLS teams will even push for young players to sign with their USL affiliate, in order to not have to pay more with an MLS contract, even if it doesn't count against the salary cap.

Some teams have looked abroad to sign a young goalkeeper, also at a low price. New York City signed Norwegian YNT goalkeeper Eirik Johansen back in 2015 as a 22 year old and LA Galaxy also signed Clément Diop, a 23 year old French goalkeeper last year. However these are less seen than homegrowns, due to the numerous difficulties in bringing in a foreigner at such a young age.

While some are quick to dismiss the college draft, at the end of the day it's the best cost-effective route for getting goalkeepers into the league. Foreigners (that are worth bringing in) are going to cost more than an American goalkeeper. Vancouver's Danish goalkeeper David Ousted makes $360,000 while Tim Melia is only at $150,000, yet no one would say Ousted is twice the goalkeeper as Melia. Even if your starter is not going to be an American, you will need to save money on the backup, which likely will be a domestic goalkeeper from the college game. 

It should be noted that there are some examples of college grads making it into MLS that aren't American - most notably Andre Blake (UConn, Jamaica) and Bouna Coundoul (Albany, Senegal) - but most will be domestic players. In fact if a college grad isn't American, it's all the more unlikely for a team to use an international slot on a player that's not going to see the field for some time. 

Getting the Most Out of the College Game

For the rest of the article, this document is referenced. I listed every SuperDraft pick, combine invite (dating back to 2003), Generation Adidas signing, and homegrown goalkeeper. Some fun stats are scattered throughout the doc. 

Figure 1 - Includes drafted, homegrowns, and Generation Adidas goalkeepers. Essentially all goalkeepers that would be considered a prospect.

Figure 2 - The "1995 draft" is the inaugural draft, which was a little under half of college graduates but accurately occurred prior to the 1996 season The "1996 draft" is the college draft, also before the 1996 season.

The first question we need to answer is about the draft's relevancy. Is the draft merely there to fill out the roster or can it produce starters in the league as well?

Splitting the league's all-time goalkeeper pool into two camps, we start to see how important American development has been for MLS goalkeepers. Only 14% of all MLS starts have been from a goalkeeper who wasn't draft-eligible. These are mostly foreigners who played in another country, although there are some Americans skipped the draft to go pro (Friedel and Keller, for example). The other 86% of starts have been from draft-eligible prospects (college grads, Generation Adidas, and homegrown players). Again, the cost-effectiveness of the college game has played a large part in the league's goalkeeper history. Interestingly enough, 25% of starts have come from undrafted - but could have been drafted - goalkeepers, meaning that undrafted goalkeepers have almost been twice as involved in the league as imported talent.

Knowing there is talent in every draft class, now we are left wondering just how productive the draft is for teams. It's always tricky to predict who will or won't be a potential starter but clearly some teams have done better than others. For example, New England being unable to convert nine prospects into anything worthwhile isn't good. Sporting Kansas City and Colorado have also struggled to find a good fit as well. (See figure 1)

One starting point is comparing MLS starts of young prospects versus undrafted goalkeepers. For this exercise, goalkeepers like Jorge Campos or Brad Friedel will not be included because they weren't draft eligible. (See figure 2)

Looking at the first few years, MLS was getting it right for the most part. The inaugural draft missed some notable keepers with Scott Garlick (237 appearances), Pat Onstad (223), Mike Ammann (125), and Marcus Hahnemann (70) but after that, only Joe Cannon (342) and Preston Burpo (57) made waves in the league.

The main reason is likely that MLS only had 10-12 teams for the first decade, so they only had to scout the best of the best. There wasn't a need to be thorough because there was only so much room for goalkeepers. The best goalkeepers stood out in college and that was all that mattered. Teams held only two goalkeepers (around 20-25 goalkeeping spots in the league), as opposed to now where teams will field two to three times as many, with USL affiliates bolstering the number. As MLS started to expand, more slots started to open up to the point where we now see ten goalkeepers being selected in the 2017 draft.

It's too early to say the fate of the last four classes, but we can start to see the how after 2003, overlooked goalkeepers started to trickle in. Perhaps the most bizarre year was 2008, when incoming players combined for zero appearances. Folklore legends Josh Lambo (U17, U20 starter), Dominic Cervi (USMNT call-up), and Brian Edwards (Wake Forest standout and NCAA Champion) were all outplayed for the likes of Tim Melia (Division II Lynn University, 56 appearances), Joe Nasco (Division III Birmingham-Southern, 4), and Lance Parker (Missouri State, 4).

Even through expansion and additional roster spot openings, the draft has showed that it can still produce the desired talent despite teams regularly missing it.

Click here for more stats on goalkeeper prospects.

Press Doesn't Equal Success

Every combine goalkeeper since 2003. Gm/yr was maxed out at 10 years, as seen with Perkins and Kennedy.

It's an odd to see goalkeepers that are good enough for MLS go untouched. Surely teams would notice if someone could cover the admittedly large gap from college to the professional game. What's even more odd is comparing how heralded goalkeepers don't fare that much better than the table scraps.

Counting the appearances between combine invites (and even throwing in homegrowns, GAs, and first round picks) versus every other goalkeeper that could be drafted (again, leaving out Campos, Friedel, and others), it's only 53-47% in favor of goalkeepers who are receiving media attention. There are actually more combine washouts (supposedly the cream of the crop) than goalkeepers who are overlooked yet make it into the league (43-33).

In the first decade, MLS could simply rely on word of mouth for the best goalkeepers coming out of the college game. Now that more teams are vying for the best goalkeepers - and more are getting selected in the draft - teams can't expect the press or the combine to do their research for them.

The touted goalkeepers don't end up fairing that much better than the rest of the bunch. Dating back to 2003, the current combine invite has a median career game appearances of zero. Still, some teams are confident in just accessing the four to six goalkeepers invited to the combine.

So How Important Is the College Draft?

Incredibly, but that doesn't mean the press surrounding the draft is equally valuable. The college game isn't at the point where teams can just throw a dart at a wall and find a starting goalkeeper. 76% of combine invites get drafted yet only 29% of combine invites end up being a success within the league. Even worse, only 18% of prospects end up being a success for a given team, meaning teams are moving on too quickly moving on from their draft picks. 

+/- =  tm.succ - (prospects - tm.succ) - (lg.succ - tm.succ) ... essentially counting all the times a team got it right, with a penalty for losing a good goalkeeper

MLS's goalkeeping future is hard to predict. For teams trying to get the most out of their money, the emphasis should be on the academy to develop their goalkeepers. However, the majority of teams aren't as patient and resort to battling the rest of the league to find a promising goalkeeper in the draft. Perhaps we will see teams be more creative in how they bring in goalkeepers but that will likely be dependent on rule changes. Until then, it seems like the landscape isn't going to change and neither is the pipeline for American goalkeepers.

If teams aren't willing to craft their own goalkeeper, they have to do something to give themselves an advantage over their competitors. We know there is talent in the college game, it's just a matter of finding it early and not years after they graduate. As we enter 2017, teams are starting to separate themselves as to those who are content with listening to the noise, and those who know that finding a young goalkeeper starts before January.