NCAA Preseason Goalkeeper Rankings - Men's 2018

Bill Reno August 13, 2018

cover photo from University of Delaware

Seniors

1. Todd Morton (Delaware) - 22
2. Bobby Edwards (Mount St. Mary's) - 23
3. Rashid Nuhu (Fordham, Ghana) - 22
4. Nick Gardner (Denver) - 23
5. Briley Guarneri (Colorado Mesa, D-II) - 21
6. Jimmy Hague (Michigan State) - 23
7. Elliott Rubio (Utah Valley) - 22
8. Dakota Havlick (Santa Clara) - 21
9. Ben Willis (Gonzaga) - 22
10. Dylan Castanheira (Columbia) - 23

Bill says: There are a couple of PDL hotspots for goalkeeping where if a college goalkeeper spent the summer there, it's a good chance we'll see them again down the line. Morton (Ocean City Nor'easters), Nuhu (New York Red Bulls U23s), and Hague (Michigan Bucks) all trained with clubs who have a history of producing not only strong collegiate goalkeepers, but also professional ones as well. Elliott Rubio and Dakota Havlick are coming off junior years where they split time in goal and are looking to establish themselves as full-time starters for their final year. Ben Willis could be eyeing a homegrown contract from the Seattle Sounders by next spring, as the Gonzaga goalkeeper trained with the Sounders' PDL side, as well as graduating out of their academy system years ago.

Juniors

1. Dayne St. Clair (Maryland, Canada) - 21
2. Parker Siegfried (Ohio State) - 21
3. Jimmy Slayton (Hartford) - 20
4. Drake Callender (California) - 20
5. Andreu Cases Mundet (Wake Forest, Spain) - 21
6. Andrew Verdi (Michigan) - 20
7. Carlos Caro (Howard) - 20
8. Aron Runarsson (Vermont, Iceland) - 23
9. Charlie Furrer (Stanford) - 21
10. Marcel DaSilva (Virginia) - 21

Bill says: St. Clair (New York Red Bulls U23s) leads the pack for the juniors and is rated as one of the best prospects in college soccer by many scouts. National champions Stanford University are looking to replace Nico Corti and FC Dallas product Charlie Furrer is vying for the spot. Mundt, Verdi, and DaSilva (the last one transferring to UVA from Tulsa) will also have stiff competition from underclassmen and will have to prove themselves once again that they're worthy of being the number one. Howard's Carlos Caro has a live-or-die approach to goalkeeping that can either produce some wonderful contributions to the game or a largely forgettable moment from the 5'11" goalkeeper.

Sophomores

1. Will Pulisic (Duke) - 20
2. Chase Vosvick (Loyola Maryland) - 20
3. Alec Smir (North Carolina) - 19
4. Drew Romig (North Carolina) - 20
5. Ben Hale (Furman) - 20
6. Andrew Pannenberg (Wake Forest) - 19
7. Noah Lawrence (Cincinnati) - 19
8. Trey Muse (Indiana) - 19
9. Noah Heim (SIUE) - 20
10. Enrique Facusse (Kentucky, Honduras) - 19

Bill says: When the 2021 MLS SuperDraft rolls around, there's a good chance we'll see a repeat of the 2018 draft where goalkeepers were flying off the board. There are another ten or more sophomore goalkeepers that have MLS potential so it'll be interesting to see who breaks out this fall and who will struggle to usurp an upperclassman. UNC has a tight situation on their hands with talented USYNT products, Alec Smir and Drew Romig. They could theoretically split 45's but most likely UNC is going to have one of the best backup goalkeepers in all of NCAA this year. Lawrence brings an immense amount of athleticism to Cincinnati's backline but will need to focus on limiting mistakes and rebounds as he attempts to lock down the starting role for the Bearcats.

Freshmen

1. Justin Garces (UCLA) - 18
2. Cameron Douglas (UCLA) - 19
3. Quantrell Jones (UMBC) - 18
4. Matt Frank (Stanford) - 18
5. George Marks (Clemson) - 18
6. Kyle Orciuch (Stanford) - 18
7. Alexander Budnik (Dartmouth) - 18
8. Giannis Nikopolidis (Georgetown, Greek) - 17
9. Johan Penaranda (Pittsburgh) - 18
10. Nick Malvezzi (Boston University) - 18

Bill says: While UCLA is typically known for their goalkeeping, it admittedly is odd seeing the top two goalkeepers in UCLA's stable. One has to think it's likely they both don't end their time at UCLA, as either could start for a majority of programs in the country. Jones (DC United), Frank (New York Red Bulls), Orciuch (Chicago), and Penaranda (New York City) all bring in Development Academy experience but may not see the field until 2019 or 2020. Nikopolidis is the lone international goalkeeper in the freshmen's list but the Greek goalkeeper could end up starting for one of the top programs in the country before he even turns 18. Overall it's an incredibly strong class that isn't limited to just ten goalkeepers and could rival the sophomores for producing professional talent.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings
2014: Final
2015: Preseason and Final
2016 Preseason and Final
2017 Preseason and Final

NCAA Preseason Goalkeeper Rankings - Women's 2018

Bill Reno August 6, 2018

cover photo belongs to WSU Student Sports Photos

Seniors

1. Ella Dederick (Washington State) - 22
2. Lainey Burdett (Arizona) - 21
3. Kaelyn Johns (Dayton) - 21
4. Shae Yanez (Tennessee) -21
5. Marnie Merritt (Mississippi) - 22
6. Arielle Schechtman (Georgetown) - 22
7. Alison Jahansouz (Stanford) - 22
8. Sydney Wootten (NC State) - 21
9. Alex Steigerwald (Murray State) - 21
10. Nonie Frishette (Wake Forest) - 21

Bill says: The biggest news from the senior class is the absence of Penn State's would-be starting goalkeeper Rose Chandler. Chandler's absence is rumored to be due to her pursuit of medical school, leaving an already thin graduating class even barer. Nevertheless, Dederick and Burdett are frontrunners for All-American honors, displaying the confidence and power to potentially make the jump to the professional game. Yanez, Merritt, and Wootten don't necessarily possess the ideal height for a professional goalkeeper but if they - or any senior - can consistently show scouts their ability to cover the goalmouth, they could very easily see themselves on some draft boards come January.

Juniors

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

Bill says: Yet another group with a notable omission. Kentucky's Evangeline Soucie has recently moved on as the goalkeeper coach for the program after a strong sophomore season, where she ended fourth in the class. McGlynn (USA) and MacIver (England) will join their respective schools later than their peers, as both as participating in the U20 World Cup. And similar to last year, Rood will compete for the starting spot with Jahansouz while Katie Lund ended her sophomore year on a strong note, earning a U23 invite with the national team.

Sophomores

1. Laurel Ivory (Virginia) - 19
2. Hillary Beall (Michigan) - 19
3. Brooke Heinsohn (Duke) - 20
4. Lysianne Proulx (Syracuse, Canada) - 19
5. Kaylie Collins (USC) - 20
6. Emily Alvarado (TCU, Mexico) - 20
7. Sydney Schneider (UNC Wilmington, Jamaica) - 19
8. Madison Less (Cincinnati) - 20
9. McKinley Crone (Oklahoma) - 19
10. Hannah Sargent (Western Michigan) - 19

Bill says: Emily Alvarado is set to return to TCU after her U20 World Cup run, where she led her country to a 3-2 win over Brazil in their opening match. It's hard to see how TCU will handle both her and Lund vying for minutes but I'm sure their goalkeeper coach is well equipped to handle the star-studded roster. Beall was set to join her U20 teammates in France before a leg injury forced her removal from the World Cup squad, with no timeline given for a return. Heinsohn and Proulx combined for only a handful of games but are finally looking to take the starting spot with full force. Less and Sargent are hoping to build off their work earlier this summer, appearing for the Cleveland Ambassadors and Columbus Eagles, respectively.

Freshmen

1. Claudia Dickey (North Carolina) - 18
2. Brooke Bollinger (Florida State) - 18
3. Meagan McClelland (Rutgers) - 18
4. Zoe Clevely (Pepperdine) - 19
5. Olivia Sekany (California) - 19
6. Hensley Hancuff (Villanova) - 18
7. Katherine Asman (Penn State) - 18
8. Katie Meyer (Stanford) - 18
9. Mackenzie Wood (Northwestern) - 18
10. Holly Stam (Duke) - 18

Bill says: It's hard to have an appropriate ceiling for freshmen goalkeepers when they have respected upperclassmen to supplant first. While Bollinger's and Sekany's chances at starting seem to be theirs to lose for the time being, Clevely and Meyer may have to wait a year or two before they break through the crowded depth chart. Just about every goalkeeper on the list has USYNT experience under their belt from over the past few years although Dickey's two-sport aspirations (suiting up for both UNC soccer and basketball) are a rare sight for modern D1 programs.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

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

2018 MLS Mock Draft - Goalkeeper Edition

Bill Reno January 2, 2018

The 2018 MLS SuperDraft is less than three weeks away and this year's senior class has a number of goalkeepers who look more than ready for the next level. It's the strongest goalkeeping class since 2007, which featured Luis Robles, Tally Hall, Chris Seitz, Chris Konopka, and Kyle Reynish.

Dating back to the 2013 SuperDraft, 28 goalkeepers have been selected over a combined 330 picks. (Not counting Evan Louro's homegrown signing with the Red Bulls.) Although there are exceptions, teams typically don't draft goalkeepers until the top field players have been selected. Four goalkeepers over the past four years went in the first round, while the other 24 went in the second, third, or fourth round. However the late start on goalkeepers makes them a higher commodity in later rounds, where it's not rare to see a wave of goalkeeper picks once one is selected.

Knowing that anything can happen on draft day, there are some safer bets than others. Chicago, FC Dallas, Montreal, NYC and Sporting Kansas City are all filled at the goalkeeping position while Houston, Orlando, and Seattle are all in the greatest need. No collegiate goalkeeper will be vying for starting minutes right away. Instead MLS teams will be looking more long term, filling their USL rosters or a number three slot. There are 92 picks this year, which puts MLS teams on "pace" to select 7.8 goalkeepers over the four rounds. Let's find eight goalkeepers homes in MLS.

1. Jeff Caldwell - Houston Dynamo, 1st Round

There's a decent chance Caldwell falls to the Dynamo late in the first round. MLS teams are historically skittish in selecting a goalkeeper early into the draft unless they're confident in handing out a guaranteed MLS contract, which Caldwell will most definitely want. There are other teams in need of goalkeepers ahead of Houston but the field player-heavy draft could see those teams waiting until the second round to pickup a goalkeeper. Houston only have one goalkeeper signed between their MLS and USL squads and Caldwell is someone who could be playing in MLS in 2-3 years. There's a big enough need that the Dynamo could theoretically end up with two goalkeepers this draft but at the very least Houston should snag one of the top goalkeepers.

2. Eric Dick - Seattle Sounders, 1st Round

There's always the chance Seattle signs Paul Christensen as a homegrown option but something tells me if it hasn't happened by now, it's not going to happen. Seattle is known for having a good core of goalkeepers with their USL side and Eric Dick will certainly bolster the currently empty roster. At the end of the first round, the Sounders will have to wonder if there are really that many better options elsewhere and what goalkeepers will be left by the end of the second round.

3. Ben Lundgaard - Colorado Rapids, 2nd Round

Colorado are currently sitting on five draft picks so it's likely they'll use one on a goalkeeper at some point. Lundgaard won ACC Goalkeeper of the Year over Caldwell and has the type of save in his repertoire to keep his team in games they probably shouldn't be in. The only problem is that the Rapids' haven't had much success in drafting goalkeepers in the past, mostly due to their own fault. The last goalkeeper they drafted, Ohio State alum Chris Froschauer, they prompted dropped the following summer after they brought Tim Howard in. The Rapids should leave the draft with a promising prospect but after six failed attempts at drafting an eventual starting goalkeeper, Rapids fans may not want to be holding their breath on this one.

4. Michael Nelson - DC United, 2nd Round

There's going to be a point in the draft when goalkeepers are flying off the board and teams are going to look at Nelson as a safe pick, as they should. He has the frame and composure to succeed at the next level, as shown with a successful tournament run with SMU. DC have had as many as four goalkeepers on an MLS contract in the past and if they truly are considering a USL side for 2019, Nelson is a good place to start.

5. Paul Christensen - Atlanta United, 2nd Round

If Atlanta are still aiming for starting a USL affiliate in 2018, they'll need at least two more goalkeepers. We haven't heard any more news about the expansion since November, so I wouldn't be completely surprised if the plan was put on pause for another year but pessimism aside, Christensen would be a fine fit in Atlanta. He's a tad undersized for a traditional MLS goalkeeper but he makes up for it in quickness and reactions. The USYNT product has the option of signing with Seattle as a homegrown but with so much time passing, it's likely that Seattle hasn't offered it or Christensen wants to try his luck elsewhere. I would expect Christensen to want an MLS contract, similar to Jack McGuire last year, and Atlanta seems like the type of team that would be willing to oblige.

6. Drew Shepherd - Philadelphia Union, 3rd Round

MLS drafts have been kind to goalkeepers from small schools and Shepherd was a part of possibly the most successful class in Western Michigan University's history. Philadelphia already have a young goalkeeping core with three goalkeepers under 28 but none rostered with Bethlehem Steel. The Union have three draft picks in the last two rounds and goalkeepers are traditionally safer picks than field players. Shepherd doesn't have a ton of press going into the draft so to see him go undrafted wouldn't be a shock, although he's shown the ability and determination to get to the next level one way or another.

7. Scott Levene - New York Red Bulls, 4th Round

Similar to Philadelphia, the Red Bulls need USL goalkeepers. However the Red Bulls are in an interesting position with no third round selections and with Robles on the backend of his career, they could afford to be a little more aggressive with their second round pick. Levene has 70 collegiate games to his name - much more compared to his peers - from the same university that produced Andre Blake. So for whichever team Levene ends up at, they'll be receiving a much-tested goalkeeper.

8. Nico Corti - Los Angeles FC, 4th Round

In contrast to Levene, Corti doesn't have a ton of game experience under his belt, less than 2200 minutes played in his collegiate career. Fortunately for Corti, he earned a national championship for his résumé and never looked uncomfortable when in goal. While I'm aware Orlando doesn't have a 4th round pick, it's not that tricky to obtain a late round draft pick. OCSC need another three goalkeepers to fill out their MLS/USL rosters and starting in the draft is as good of time as any. It's a low-risk/high-reward situation for OCSC to make a play for the senior Cardinal.

Update: Orlando City has quietly announced that their USL squad will not compete in 2018 so Corti slides to LAFC. Stanford is a cool five hours north of LA and you'd hope the new MLS team would be aware of a national champion in their backyard. LA still needs a starter but they also don't have a third string goalkeeper yet. Corti would be a fine addition for them.

2017 NCAA Men's Goalkeeper Rankings

Bill Reno December 7, 2017

Cover photo belongs to Kris Wright

We're less than a month away from MLS's next combine and the college draft looms soon after, which kicks off January 19th. JT Marcinkowski has already announced his decision to leave the college game early, signing a homegrown contract with San Jose. The main seniors to take note are Jeff Caldwell, Eric Dick, and Ben Lundgaard, all of which are receiving high praise from across the board. Fifteen goalkeepers were selected over the last two drafts so we can probably expect around seven or eight this year.

Seniors

1. Jeff Caldwell (Virginia) - 21
2. Eric Dick (Butler) - 23
3. Ben Lundgaard (Virginia Tech) - 22
4. Paul Christensen (Portland) - 21
5. Liam Priestley (England, Missouri State) - 22
6. Mike Novotny (Eastern Illinois) - 21
7. Andrew Shepherd (Western Michigan) - 23
8. Matt Mozynski (Campbell) - 22
9. Scott Levene (Connecticut) - 22
10. Michael Nelson (SMU) - 22

Bill says: At one point or another, I've rotated the top three goalkeepers as the number one. Lundgaard actually won Goalkeeper of the Year over Caldwell in the ACC and while Eric Dick has the frame and approach MLS coaches are looking for, Caldwell's quickness and ability to solve awkward situations puts him at number one for me. He's a little undersized for what coaches are looking for but his scrappiness has the potential to really push his career forward. Novotny (highlights) and Mozynski (highlights) don't hail from traditional powerhouses but MLS has been kind to goalkeepers from smaller schools so don't rule them out. Priestley and Shepherd have found success in their extracurriculars, playing with Tottenham's academy teams and making USOC appearances with the Michigan Bucks, respectively.

Juniors

1. JT Marcinkowski (Georgetown) - 20 **
2. Todd Morton (Delaware) - 22
3. Bobby Edwards (Monmouth) - 22
4. Nick Gardner (Denver) - 22
5. Rashid Nuhu (Ghana, Fordham) - 22
6. Briley Guarneri (Colorado Mesa) - 20
7. Dakota Havlick (Santa Clara) - 20
8. Jimmy Hague (Michigan State) - 22
9. Elliott Rubio (Utah Valley) - 21
10. Ximo Miralles (Spain, Clemson) - 21

Bill says: It's a shame Marcinkowski's collegiate career ended on an own goal in overtime but the newest San Jose Earthquake has his mind on bigger things now. Nuhu, who has some of the best distribution in college soccer, was a large part of Fordham's Cinderella run this year, even converting a penalty over Duke's Will Pulisic in the shootout. Guarneri is the first non-D1 goalkeeper to be included here but after a quick look at his ability to cover the goalmouth, it's easy to see there's a strong chance of a bright future ahead of him. Havlick and Rubio split time in goal with their schools and will look to nail down the starting spot for 2018, although both will have talented sophomores to outplay.

Sophomores

1. Dayne St. Clair (Canada, Maryland) - 20
2. Kevin Silva (UCLA) - 19
3. Parker Siegfried (Ohio State) - 20
4. Jimmy Slayton (Hartford) - 20
5. Andreu Cases Mundet (Spain, Wake Forest) - 20
6. Andrew Verdi (Michigan) - 19
7. Drake Callender (California) - 20
8. Aron Runarsson (Iceland, Vermont) - 22
9. Mertcan Akar (Germany, Old Dominion) - 21
10. Elliot Panicco (Charlotte) - 20

Bill says: If you look back at the preseason rankings, you won't see St. Clair's name but the Canadian burst onto the college scene this year, as displayed with his wonderful performance against Indiana. Silva drops to the number two slot after an up and down season with UCLA, which ended with one win and seventeen goals conceded in the last seven games of the season. The USYNT product certainly has the talent to go to the next level but needs to find the consistency to get there first. Siegfried (Columbus), Verdi (Philadelphia), and Callender (San Jose) all have homegrown possibilities, although Columbus' future has been up in the air to say the least.

Freshmen

1. Will Pulisic (Duke) - 19
2. Chase Vosvick (Loyola Maryland) - 19
3. Alec Smir (North Carolina) - 18
4. Drew Romig (North Carolina) - 19
5. Noah Heim (Marquette) - 20
6. Gage Rogers (Oregon State) - 18
7. Ben Hale (Furman) - 19
8. Joe Wheelwright (Utah Valley) - 21
9. Andrew Pannenberg (Wake Forest) - 19
10. Trey Muse (Indiana) - 18

Bill says: Perhaps the most stinging finish to a season was Pulisic's, who had a very strong freshman year until a trickling ball slipped through his hands with less than four minutes against Fordham, forcing overtime and then penalties. But there's a reason Pulisic was with the U20s and Dortmund's youth program so don't expect this to derail Pulisic's development. Vosick has been a real joy to watch in goal as the freshman goalkeeper has shown no signs of being overwhelmed by the competition. North Carolina currently has two top goalkeepers on their squad and will have a tough situation on their hands next fall, although Smir saw a bulk of the action this year. Heim, Rogers, Wheelwright, and Pannenberg each split time this year but have the ability to take over a starting role in their respective programs.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings
2014 (final)
2015 (preseason and final)
2016 (preseason and final)
2017 (preseason)