2020 NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Winter Break)

The fall season concludes this November but a number of question marks still loom as we head into the spring season. As to how the NWSL draft and final months of the college season will unfold, it’s anyone’s guess. As of now, the top goalkeepers are listed below, as rated by Everybody Soccer, but it should be noted that about half the goalkeepers haven’t played a competitive collegiate game in over a year.

Seniors

1. Emily Alvarado (TCU, Mexico)
2. Hillary Beall (Michigan)
3. Emma Roccaforte (McNeese State)
4. Sydney Schneider (UNC Wilmington, Jamaica)
5. Shelby Hogan (Providence)
6. Laurel Ivory (Virginia)
7. Claire Howard (Montana)
8. Madison Less (Cincinnati)
9. Kaylie Collins (USC)
10. Jessica Berlin (NC State)

One to watch: Emily Alvarado. The TCU senior goalkeeper led the Horned Frogs to the school’s first-ever Big 12 title this fall. Alvarado plays with a lot of strength in her game and can cover the goalmouth with ease. She’s also rounded out some of the finer points of her game quite nicely, as demonstrated by her conceding just three goals in nine games.

This past February, Alvarado squared off against the USWNT in the 2020 Olympic Qualifying and although Mexico fell short in a 4-0 loss in the semifinal, Mexico might be a headache for the US going forward. So far, the US-Mexico rivalry has been about as lopsided as it can get - with Mexico’s 2010 lone win in 39 matches upending the USWNT in 2010 World Cup qualifying - but the El Paso-born goalkeeper may just be a thorn in the side for the USWNT for years to come.

Juniors

1. Hensley Hancuff (Clemson)
2. Bridgette Skiba (Oregon State)
3. Claudia Dickey (North Carolina)
4. Meagan McClelland (Rutgers)
5. Mattison Interian (Notre Dame)
6. Mackenzie Wood (Northwestern)
7. Lauren Brzykcy (UCLA)
8. Brooke Bollinger (Florida State)
9. Olivia Sekany (Washington)
10. Sydney Smith (Boise State)

One to watch: Olivia Sekany. As a redshirt freshman, Sekany was a part of Cal’s platooned goalkeeper position in 2018. With a 5-12-2 record, it’s needless to say it was a rough season for Cal, with Sekany scrapping out a concerning .578 save percentage. Cal fans would witness a massive turnaround in 2019 as the team went 13-5-3 with heralded freshman goalkeeper Angelina Anderson in net, although Sekany finished with only 45 minutes on the year. Although the numbers didn’t support Sekany, it was clear the USYNT alum got behind the eight ball at the start of her college career and didn’t get a chance to display her best work. Sekany has since transferred to the University of Washington for a fresh restart, where she’ll face off against Cal in Pac-12 conference play. The former Cal goalkeeper is lacking momentum but a second lease on the position may make her a notable senior this time next year.

Sophomores

1. Ruthie Jones (Duke)
2. Angelina Anderson (California)
3. Anna Leat (Georgetown, New Zealand)
4. Katie Meyer (Stanford)
5. Heather Hinz (South Carolina)
6. Kayza Massey (West Virginia, Canada)
7. Marz Josephson (North Carolina)
8. Lindsey Romig (Tennessee)
9. AJ Crooks (Alabama)
10. Jenny Wahlen (Portland, Sweden)

One to watch: Ruthie Jones. Jones plays like she’s eyeing a spot on the US Women’s National Team. She has strong hands, can cover the height and the width of the goal, and possess a methodical set position with fluid positioning to match. Her composure in goal is one of the best in all of college soccer and she seems to thrive on competition, rising to the challenge more often than not. She still has work to do when it comes to figuring out what best works for her on breakaways and when the play breaks down in the box, but she’s on a strong track where fans will be shorted if they don’t see a goalkeeper with her ability eventually end up in the NWSL.

Freshmen

1. Maria Echezarreta (NC State, Spain)
2. Leah Freeman (Oregon)
3. Alia Skinner (Virginia Tech)
4. Ryan Campbell (Stanford)
5. Cristina Roque (Florida State, Puerto Rico)
6. Stephanie Sparkowski (Michigan)
7. Rachael Black (Colorado)
8 Wiebke Willebrandt (Boston College, Germany)
9. Emma Wakeman (Charlotte)
10. Macy Enneking (Iowa)

One to watch: Cristina Roque. Roque’s play is reminiscent of Lindsey Harris (UNC, Houston Dash) and Steve Clark (Portland Thorns). Opting to use her speed to keep the ball out of the net, Roque has a certain amount of “scramblingness” to her style as a goalkeeper. Perhaps a little undersized at 5’7”, she has a surprising amount of spring to her step that helps her cover the crossbar with ease. While Roque looks strong in a number of situations, crosses into the box seem to be her Achilles' heel. If the Puerto Rican goalkeeper can find a little more consistency and round out her game, she may be able to top her 2020 All-ACC Second Team accolade in her sophomore season.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2019: Preseason and Final
2018: Preseason and Final
2017: Preseason and Final
2016: Preseason and Final
2015: Preseason and Final

How Marcus Hahnemann Made a Small Club Dare to Dream

cover photo from Reading FC

Across the Atlantic, soccer is more of a religion than a sport. With four main divisions in English league soccer, and hundreds of minor teams below them aiming to climb the ladder, it is always a special moment when a team reaches the Premier League for the very first time. Back in 2006, it was the turn of Berkshire club Reading to experience that unique feeling of magic, and another vindication of America’s ability to produce top-class goalkeepers. Marcus Hahnemann was the man between the sticks, enjoying a raft of shutouts in a vintage 2005/06 season as Reading were promoted to the Premier League as champions, with a then-record 106 points.

Marcus Hahnemann played for Reading 276 times from 2002 to 2009 and earned 9 caps with the US National Team during his career. (Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Hahnemann and Reading: The Unlikeliest Match

Ask any soccer fan to describe a second-tier goalkeeper in England and their description would be that of a thirty-something ex-Premier League player, grizzled, sturdy, and possibly a fan of soft rock. Hahnemann broke that stereotype with gusto. More of a UFC fighter – with his iconic goatee, bald head, and love of heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch – he gave Reading a hitherto-unseen degree of ‘cool’ in a brave new millennium.

In truth, Hahnemann’s promotion with Reading was not his first, as he had been a backup keeper for Fulham in their own promotion season of 2000/01. Edwin van der Sar was then signed to safeguard Fulham’s top-flight calling, and it worked, leaving Hahnemann seeking a new club. Fulham had risen from the depths of Division Three (now ‘EFL League Two’) – only the fourth-highest league in England – inside just five years. Alan Pardew had similarly lofty ambitions for Reading, though they had been in Division Two (now ‘EFL League One’) for four years all the way up until the end of 2001/02. But once Reading reached the top division, they held their own in a league containing giants such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, all of whom will command consistently short odds in the latest moneyline and outright betting markets for UK soccer.

2002/03 – A Near-Miss Breakthrough

Back in 1998, Reading had moved to a new stadium, with the resources from John Madejski (hence the ‘Madejski Stadium’) enabling the club to rebuild after years of struggle. Where once there was a noxious landfill, now stood a towering stadium that was light years ahead of old ground Elm Park, and in need of Premier League action.

That demand was very nearly fulfilled in Hahnemann’s very first season at Reading, but they fell well short of second place (and automatic promotion to the Premier League), putting some of Hahnemann’s most precious moments with the club on ice. Much of this is down to a dreadful start, which saw Reading lose three of their opening four games, with Phil Whitehead conceding two or more goals in every defeat. Also alarming was the fact that the first two conceded goals of each loss saw the first and second goals against Reading separated by no more than seven minutes.

Pardew wasted no time in putting Hahnemann in goal, and it worked wonders. Reading immediately scored three shutouts, taking two wins and a tie. September brought a couple of bumps in the road, but the defence improved rapidly. After a 1-0 defeat at Preston on October 26, 2002, Hahnemann kept seven clean sheets, sending Reading soaring up the table.

2003- 2005 – Reading Rollercoaster Begins

Reading’s form through the 2002/03 season remained assured for the remainder of the campaign, yielding fourth place, and home advantage in the second leg of a two-legged promotion playoff. However, a double of defeats to Wolves in the promotion playoff semi-finals destroyed their hopes of a second successive promotion. The following two seasons saw finishes of ninth and seventh, narrowly missing promotional playoffs, and proved to be a double-dip of sophomore slumps after Hahnemann’s strong maiden season.

Although results had improved under Steve Coppell, who had been appointed in October 2003, Reading was still without a reliable strike partner for Dave Kitson. Opposing teams would play further forward, doing so with less fear, and making Hahnemann’s job ever more difficult. That all changed when Coppell used his connections to Ireland, signing attacking duo Kevin Doyle and Shane Long from Cork City, to give Reading some considerable pace and composure up front.

A 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on the first weekend of 2007/08 is one of Marcus Hahnemann’s greatest games. To this day, he is still the last Premier League goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet on the opening weekend against reigning titleholders.

2005/06 – Irish Power Makes the Difference

In the end, Kitson and Doyle bagged 18 league goals apiece, contributing to Reading’s eventual tally of 99. Hahnemann was at his absolute peak as well, with only Preston conceding fewer goals across the 46-game season. Hahnemann kept a shutout rate of nearly 50%, memorably conceding just once across seven league games in the winter of 2005.

Reading enjoyed a solid run to 8th place in the following league campaign. Although they could not stay in the topflight long-term, being relegated in their second season, there can be no doubt that Hahnemann deserves his place in Premier League lore alongside other great American goalkeepers such as Brad Friedel, Tim Howard and Kasey Keller.

1 April 2006: Reading thrash Derby 5-0 to seal the Championship title with four weeks to spare.

Three USL Goalkeepers Ready for MLS

With so many backup goalkeepers making their mark in MLS this season, it’s no secret that there’s a plethora of talent across the country ready to take on a little more responsibility. USL expansion has created more chances for goalkeepers to prove their merit, as proven by the fact that all three of the listed goalkeepers are with teams that were founded in the last five years. As we head into 2021, don’t be surprised if you see one of these goalkeepers with a new team and playing in the US’s top league.

Sean Lewis (Tulsa FC, 28)

MLS equivalent: Sean Johnson
Highlights

Lewis’ rise to prominence has almost a fairytale story. After finishing his time in the collegiate ranks (starting at Western Michigan before transferring to Oakland for his senior year) he bounced around with some PDL, NPSL, and NASL teams for years before finally landing in the USL. Lewis was on track to become a lifelong backup before capturing the starting spot with Penn FC, where he springboarded to Tulsa FC.

Tulsa had relied heavily on Lewis to qualify for the 2020 playoffs as he’s only conceded an astonishing 16 goals in 15 games. Lewis’ game is similar to New York City FC’s Sean Johnson, who plays deep on his line but has the quickness and bravery to shut down dangerous situations in the box. It’s been a long road to this point but if there’s one word to describe Lewis’ trajectory to 2020, it’s determination.

Logan Ketterer (El Paso Locomotive, 26)

MLS equivalent: Tyler Miller
Highlights

Despite remaining almost exclusively on the bench for his two years with the Columbus Crew, Ketterer rebounded well by signing with the newly minted El Paso Locomotive in hopes of showing what the Crew missed out on. There’s something to be said about a player who’s willing to bet on themselves and Ketterer has done just that. After a stellar collegiate career at Bradley University, Ketterer took the first-year club to the 2019 USL semifinal before a goal in extra time ended their run.

Now after back-to-back trips to the playoffs in both 2019 and 2020, Ketterer is due an upgrade in responsibility. Ketterer and Tyler Miller have some parallels, with both utilizing their mobility and lanky frame to cover a surprising amount of the goalmouth. Ketterer has been counted out by MLS thus far but another positive post-season run could put him back on MLS teams’ radars.

Kyle Morton (St. Louis FC, 26)

MLS equivalent: Will Hesmer
Highlights

For the old-timers out there, Morton’s play is reminiscent of Will Hesmer. It’s a combination of patience and strength to see tough situations all the way through, not conceding weak goals down the middle. Although Morton’s play isn’t flashy, he’s a difficult goalkeeper for strikers to figure out. Fundamentals and not overplaying his hand are pillars to Morton’s game, showing why turn of the century American goalkeepers were successful without having lightning-fast reflexes.

At 26, Morton has his best years ahead of him. Although St. Louis will join MLS in 2023, don’t be surprised if Morton leaves the USL a little early to show off just how high his ceiling actually is.

Why Kepa Arrizabalaga Struggled in the EPL

cover photo from eldesmarque.com

It’s no secret that Kepa Arrizabalaga’s move from Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea has been met with an underwhelming response. Although many were critical of Kepa’s first year in the Premier League, there was some leniency given due to David de Gea’s turnaround at Manchester United in his first years in the league, originally struggling to deal with the English style of football but eventually finding his rhythm. However, Kepa is already rumored to be potentially facing an exit due to a lack of improvement in his second year with Chelsea. While this year’s crop of the highest-rated and best transfers for the Premier League await their fate, hopefully Premier League rookie goalkeepers can learn a lesson from Kepa’s time in England.

Power vs. Patience

To first understand the change in Kepa’s performance, we must first know the differences in the two leagues. Most notably for English Premier League strikers, they attack fast and they attack with power. Jamie Vardy is perhaps one of the more “English” attackers, using his quickness to not only create space on or off the ball, but his release and power behind a shot consistently befuddles goalkeepers. When Vardy gets the ball, it’s not often that he’s not looking to offload to a teammate. He’s extremely efficient with his touches and, despite being shorter than most defenders, uses his strength and speed to create the exact amount of space to turn an ambitious effort into a dangerous strike on goal. When Vardy has a chance on goal, he doesn’t hesitate and attacks ruthlessly, as many other English clubs.

Attacks in La Liga are of a different breed. There’s more passing inside the box. Strikers will look less to bully a defender off the ball and instead create space by clever feints or touches to beat the defender, if not rounding the goalkeeper himself. A La Liga striker is more likely to look at what space is given and attack it, whereas an EPL striker is more likely to use power and speed to best a defense. Whether it’s Messi, Luis Suarez, or Karim Benzema, it’s common to see finesse beat a goalkeeper instead of pure power. Although La Liga strikers are quick and can strike a ball with pace, they’re more likely to survey the scene before they make the decision to place a shot on goal. While their English counterparts will try to rip the defense apart with brute force, La Liga strikers will look to see if the goalkeeper is leaning, if the defense has given too much space somewhere, and where their teammates are before placing a shot on goal.

Strength vs. Speed

It’s clear that expectations for goalkeepers in Spain and England’s top leagues are different. La Liga goalkeepers are noted for their distribution skills first and foremost but their mobility is just as highly regarded. Because of the type of attacks Kepa saw with Athletic Bilbao, speed and agility were core tenets to Kepa’s shot-stopping approach. Notice Kepa’s footwork and how light he is in two outstanding saves against Real Betis, in May of 2018.

(saves are at 0:40 and 0:53)

Kepa displays thoughtful movement and footwork in the build-up as well as a fluid, agile rhythm in the reaction to the shot. Looking at Kepa’s run of form from 2016-2018, it’s easy to see why he was so highly sought after before joining Chelsea. His quickness and speed helped him cover the entire goal with stunning smoothness. Now compare this approach to his most recent game with Chelsea, a 5-3 loss to Liverpool.

While it’s unfair to put blame on Kepa for some of those goals, his immobility is hard to overlook. During his time with Athletic, he would occasionally adopt a wide stance on incoming shots (typically on breakaways or close-range situations) but it wasn’t as prevalent as it has been with Chelsea. For most of the shots, Kepa is struggling to move his feet before the ball passes him. With Athletic, he looked light as a feather but with Chelsea, his feet look like they’re stuck in mud. It’s not hard to find a compilation video berating Kepa for mistakes these days but notice how many of them come from his lack of mobility. When a goalkeeper’s feet can’t move, it affects the rest of the body: their reactions are slower, they cover less of the goal, and their hands become weaker. Even decision making for a goalkeeper becomes complicated and limited when they aren’t able to move their feet efficiently.

When Kepa arrived at Chelsea, he quickly adopted a more rooted and heavier stance, as displayed by his wide footing in the third goal against Liverpool (see above). Whether Kepa’s change in style was coached to him, intentionally designed on his own part, or subliminally picked up from the EPL’s increase in pace, it’s impossible to say outside looking in. Whatever the case may be, one minute Kepa was compiling an impressive highlight reel with immaculate saves and then the next he was falling short on saves a goalkeeper of his caliber should be doing better with.

For Kepa to stay in the EPL and find success, he needs to adopt a style that best fits the demands of the English game. When considering English goalkeepers who have found success in the league, they aren’t typically known as the quickest or fastest goalkeeper in the world. English goalkeepers are physically strong and can cover the middle “bubble” of the goal with unflinching balance and hand strength. The efficiency in their weight placement and movement, although perhaps a little slower than their peers, is so well ingrained that a top corner save is still possible for them, although it may look a little different than a Spanish goalkeeper’s approach. English goalkeepers are well-oiled machines, making the most of a fraction of a second to efficiently handle the power behind a shot.

Between Athletic and Chelsea, Kepa looked like a completely different goalkeeper. Because of the change in style, it seems to stand that Kepa attempted to combat the EPL’s speed and power one way or another, although unsuccessfully. As the Premier League kicks back up, look for Kepa to regain his footing to cover the middle “bubble” of the goal with more confidence and find a good middle ground between strong and light footing, otherwise he may be returning to La Liga sooner than later.