NCAA Preseason Goalkeeper Rankings - Men's 2022

Author’s note: Derrek Chan was originally listed as the sixth-ranked senior but Chan signed with New York Red Bulls’ second team earlier in the year, forgoing another year in college. Matt Frank has since then been added to the list as a replacement goalkeeper.

Seniors

1. Jassem Koleilat (New Hampshire, Canada)
2. Oliver Semmle (Marshall, Germany)
3. Dominic Peters (San Diego)
4. Kris Shakes (Penn State)
5. Michael Collodi (Columbia)
6. Ethan Koehler (Georgetown)
7. Ryan Troutman (Louisville)
8. Matt Zambetti (UMass)
9. Holden Trent (High Point)
10. Matt Frank (Stanford)

One to watch: The top American goalkeeper. It’s rare to enter a season without a consensus on the top American goalkeeper. Kris Shakes finished his junior year with an unrepeatable 8-2 loss to Hofstra in the national tournament while others (Peters, Troutman, Zambetti) have looked to the transfer portal after not having a stronger commitment from their previous school. In the past, MLS teams have been reluctant to pick up foreign goalkeepers but this year may prove to be an exception with Semmle returning for one more year and Koleilat making a name for himself with a top 25 program.

Juniors

1. Edu Rodriguez (Campbell, Spain)
2. Jacob Castro (San Diego State)
3. Sam Fowler (Washington)
4. Holden Brown (Virginia)
5. JT Harms (Indiana)
6. Bryan Dowd (Notre Dame)
7. James Lowell (Maryland)
8. Kashope Oladapo (St. Mary's)
9. Alex Flowers (Western Illinois)
10. Josue Hangi (Georgia State)

One to watch: JT Harms. The Hoosiers are looking to replace MLS drafted-goalkeeper Roman Celentano with one of Duke’s promising goalkeepers. Harms got stuck behind senior goalkeeper Eliot Hamill last fall, only seeing 180 minutes over the 20 matches the Blue Devils played. It’s a rare transfer amongst two top programs but Harms isn’t heading to Bloomington simply to compete. The Columbus Crew prospect is aiming to lock down the number one spot for the next two years, as well revitalize his aspiring pro career. Although undersized, Harms is looking to prove the doubters wrong with his mobility and quickness in goal and lead the Hoosiers back to another national championship match.

Sophomores

1. Nathanael Sallah (Omaha, Germany)
2. Ben Martino (Virginia Tech)
3. Luca Ulrich (Georgetown)
4. Blake Franzen (Liberty, South Africa)
5. Eoin Gawronski (Temple)
6. Alex Lopez (Tulsa, Spain)
7. Trace Alphin (Wake Forest)
8. Hayden Evans (Michigan)
9. Aurie Briscoe (Rutgers, Puerto Rico)
10. Alex Bobocea (Loyola Maryland)

One to watch: Luca Ulrich. With five goalkeepers on the roster, Ulrich will certainly have to battle for playing time in the nation’s capital. Georgetown isn’t against splitting minutes (see: 2019 national champions) but Ulrich will have to usurp senior goalkeeper Ethan Koehler enough to gain footing on the field. Ulrich has trained with professional clubs in both the US (Loudon United) and Germany (1.FC Koln, Union Berlin) but only saw 90 minutes this last season. If Ulrich can make his way onto the pitch with the Hoyas this fall, look for him to be a circled name on MLS teams’ clipboards moving forward.

Freshmen

1. Seth Wilson (Akron)
2. Cabral Carter (Pittsburgh)
3. Rowan Schnebly (Stanford)
4. KyMani Dade (Loyola Marymount)
5. Cole Kulhanek (Grand Canyon)
6. Patrick Schott (Belmont, Germany)
7. Sebastian Cutler (Charlotte)
8. Jay Hibbert (Connecticut)
9. Mitchell Budler (Akron)
10. Gavin Roberts (St. Louis)

One to watch: Seth Wilson. It’s been a long road to Akron for the north Texas native. Wilson quietly spent time in Portugal before returning to the states earlier this year. The former USYNT goalkeeper trained with Dallas this spring and summer and is now looking to get Akron back to their first double-digit win season since 2018. Wilson is joined by three other freshmen goalkeepers at Akron, including Philadelphia Union product Mitchell Budler. As to how the Zips will balance their core is hard to say but from resumes alone, it seems like it’s Wilson’s job to lose at this point.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2021: 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
2014: Final

Three Goalkeepers With a Penchant For Scoring Goals

The primary job of any goalkeeper is to keep the ball out of the back of their net. They are the last line of defense in any team, and any lapse of concentration or mistake often results in the opposition scoring. Goalkeepers are also the first form of attack, distributing the ball and starting counter-attacks. However, some of them take the attacking one step further – some may say too far – and become out-and-out goalscorers.

 It is naturally uncommon for a goalkeeper to score a goal. When goalkeepers venture into their opponent’s penalty area, it tends to be in the dying moments of a fixture, and they are mostly there to make a nuisance of themselves and be an extra body in the box. Alisson Becker is a prime example. 

During the 2020-21 English Premier League season, Liverpool was tied with West Bromwich Albion in a game they needed to win to stay in contention for a place in next season’s Champions League. The game was five minutes into added time when Liverpool got a corner. Alisson took a space in the West Brom box and moments later rose like a salmon to head home Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner kick, winning the game for Liverpool. Liverpool ultimately qualified for the Champions League, much to the dismay of the best Las Vegas sportsbooks who were set to make a small fortune on the Merseyside club missing out.

While finding a goalkeeper’s name on the scoresheet does not happen frequently, that was not the case if you attended a game where Rogerio Ceni, Jose Luis Chilavert, or Jorge Campos played. Between them, these eccentric goalkeepers an incredible 244 goals during their careers, with one of them scoring a hat trick!

Rogerio Ceni

 Rogerio Ceni is a legendary figure in Brazilian soccer, particularly with Sao Paulo, who the 49-year-old now manages. Ceni made his debut in goal for Sao Paulo as a 20-year-old in 1993 and was the team’s number one through to 2015. He made an incredible 1,237 first-team appearances, which is a fantastic achievement in its own right, but what makes Cena extra special is that he scored 131 goals for Sao Paulo!

 Cena scored his first goals in 1997 and ended the season with three to his name. A set-piece specialist, Cena took free kicks and penalties for Sao Paulo. He enjoyed a purple patch of scoring between 2005 and 2007 when he found the back of the net 47 times, including 21 goals during the 2005 season.

Jose Luis Chilavert

Jose Luis Chilavert is another South American who excelled at both ends of the field. His professional career spanned 22 years, during which time he made 729 appearances and was regarded as one of the world’s best goalkeepers in his prime.

Like Cena mentioned above, Chilavert was a dead ball specialist with wicked free-kick skills. Chilavert scored 67 goals during his long and illustrious career, including eight for the Paraguay national team, the most international goals scored by a goalkeeper. The Paraguyan is also the only goalkeeper to score a hat trick in 1999 for Velez Sarsfield; he finished that season with 12 goals.

Jorge Campos

Jorge Campos was an eccentric goalkeeper who loved to stand out from the crowd. The diminutive Mexican stood at only five feet six inches, which is very small for a goalie, and often war fluorescent kits that he designed himself.

What Campos lacked in size, he made up for in speed, athleticism, and bravery. Campos was comfortable with the ball at his feet and is regarded as one of the first so-called “sweeper keepers.”

During his early club career, Campos would often start in goal and finish the game playing as a striker. This versatility allowed him to score 34 career goals, all for UNAM in Mexico. Fans of the MLS may recall Campos played for both LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire, although he never found the back of the net for either franchise.

Top 50 Goalkeepers for the USWNT

cover photo from OL Reign

The top 50 returns from last September to survey the top 50 goalkeepers in the USWNT pool. The goalkeepers have been split into groups of ten with a paragraph on a highlighted goalkeeper who is at a pivotal time in their career. Although Alyssa Naeher has the starting spot with the national team nailed down at the moment, the post-2023 World Cup era should have more open competition for the number one role. Several goalkeepers have shown significant strides from last year and it undoubtedly will be a hotly contested spot with the roster.

1. Bella Bixby, 26 - Portland Thorns FC
2. Aubrey Kingsbury, 30 - Washington Spirit
3. Alyssa Naeher, 34 - Chicago Red Stars
4. Jane Campbell, 27 - Houston Dash
5. Michelle Betos, 34 - Gotham FC
6. Phallon Tullis-Joyce, 25 - OL Reign
7. Katelyn Rowland, 28 - North Carolina Courage
8. Adrianna Franch, 31 - Kansas City Current
9. Ashlyn Harris, 36 - Gotham FC
10. Mandy McGlynn, 23 - Piteå IF (Sweden.1)

One to Watch: Phallon Tullis-Joyce. It’s no small feat jumping from a relatively unknown backup goalkeeper (who came in at 25th in last year’s rankings) to a top starter in the NWSL but there’s no denying Tullis-Joyce’s weekly highlight-reel saves. The combination of the athletic spring and lanky frame shrinks the goal for any striker entering the attacking third. The added fearlessness and “play like it’s your last game” vibes make the Miami alum’s ceiling hard to gauge. From an efficiency standout, Tullis-Joyce would do well to clean up her footwork, as she can rely a little too heavily on her extension saves. Although her athleticism is rare, there are plenty of times a goalkeeper must solve situations without a full stretch to the upper 90. However, the rocket ship attached to her back coupled with the starting minutes with the Reign could propel her to the national team after the World Cup.

11. Emily Boyd, 25 - Chicago Red Stars
12. Katie Fraine, 34 - Eskilstuna United (Sweden.1)
13. Casey Murphy, 26 - North Carolina Courage
14. Cassie Miller, 27 - Kansas City Current
15. Emily Dolan, 27 - Sporting de Huelva (Spain.1)
16. Adelaide Gay, 32 - Fortuna Hjørring (Denmark.1)
17. Abby Smith, 28 - Portland Thorns FC
18. Lindsey Harris, 28 - Houston Dash
19. Carly Nelson, 24 - Kansas City Current #
20. Ella Dederick, 25 - Houston Dash

#- currently on loan with FC Nordsjælland (Denmark.1)

One to Watch: Carly Nelson. Although most American fans would struggle to be convinced that Denmark’s premier league, the Elitedivisionen, is relevant for American goalkeepers, it’s been home to a number of prospects over the years, including the Kansas City Current’s young prospect, Carly Nelson. Nelson quickly earned the starting spot for Europe’s 128th best club (according to the January rankings) and although FC Nordsjælland will finish in the bottom half of the table, the minutes have given Nelson plenty of traction, who wasn’t even featured in last year’s top 50. If the former Utah Ute can keep the momentum going, she could very well find herself at a Champions League club or back in the US.

21. Cosette Morche, 24 - Issy (France.1)
22. Abbie Faingold, 25 - Marseille (France.2)
23. Katelin Talbert, 23 - Benfica (Portugal.1)
24. Shae Yanez, 25 - London City Lionesses (England.2)
25. Shelby Hogan, 23 - Portland Thorns FC
26. Hillary Beall, 23 - Racing Louisville
27. Jalen Tompkins, 25 - Valerenga (Norway.1)
28. Brittany Isenhour, 24 - Angel City FC
29. Samantha Murphy, 25 - Keflavík FC (Iceland.1)
30. Katie Lund, 25 - Racing Louisville

One to Watch: The Whole Lot. Who can’t we talk about here? Morche, Faingold, and Talbert all have seemingly injected nitrous oxide into their careers, considering where they were 6-12 months ago. Yanez, Murphy, and Lund have done well with the starting positions they’ve earned but what the next step looks like is up for debate. Tompkins (shoulder injury), Isenhour, Beall, and Hogan all have hurdles to clear when it comes to gaining minutes, despite the obvious talent they all possess. These ten goalkeepers’ next years will be crucial in determining their ability to reach their potential, or if they’ll get stuck with the dreaded “more of a 2 than 1” label. Each goalkeeper is at a crucial moment in their development and they can gain steam to become an established starter just as easily as they can fade towards retirement.

31. Kelly Rowswell, 24 - Issy (France.1)
32. Hannah Seabert, 27 - Sporting CP (Portugal.1)
33. Jordyn Bloomer, 24 - Racing Louisville
34. Audrey Baldwin, 30 - HK Fótbolti (Iceland.2)
35. Emily Armstrong, 28 - Haukar (Iceland.2)
36. Alex Godinez, 28 - Monterrey (Mexico.1)
37. Maggie Smither, 25 - Brommapojkarna (Sweden.1)
38. Bridgette Skiba, 22 - Chicago Red Stars Trialist
39. Lainey Burdett, 25 - Åland United (Finland.1)
40. Kaylan Marckese, 24 - Køge (Denmark.1)

One to Watch: Kaylan Marckese. It’s been a quick three and a half years since Marckese was drafted by Sky Blue FC in the 2019 NWSL Draft and most have likely forgotten about the former Gator goalkeeper since. However, Marckese has made good use of her time, gaining over 50 starts in the past three years in both Denmark’s and Iceland’s premier leagues. Most recently, Marckese and Køge won the Kvindeliga with relative ease, cementing their place as a top 40 club in Europe. Marckese plays a high line, reminiscent of late 20th-century goalkeeping, which can be difficult with offenses becoming more and more complex. If she can figure out the finer points of her aggressive positioning, she should be able to make a run at a starting position within a higher league.

41. Kelsey Dossey, 25 - Chicago Red Stars Trialist
42. Kelsey Daugherty, 25 - Djurgården (Sweden.1)
43. Aubrei Corder, 24 - Kalmar (Sweden.1)
44. Laurel Ivory, 22 - OL Reign
45. Devon Kerr, 25 - Washington Spirit
46. Kaylie Collins, 24 - Orlando Pride
47. Macy Enneking, 21 - University of Iowa
48. Claudia Dickey, 22 - OL Reign
49. Angelina Anderson, 21 - UC Berkley
50. Brooke Nielsen, 24 - Völsungur (Iceland.3)

One to Watch: Angelina Anderson. Anderson’s freshman year went about as good as anyone could have hoped. Anderson won second-team All-American as the Golden Bears went 13-5-3 in 2019, losing in overtime of their first-round match in the national tournament. However, the following two years kept Anderson off the radar as Cal struggled to put a consistently competitive lineup on the field, going 13-14-4 over the two seasons. Anderson plays with a similar style to Italy’s approach to goalkeeping: patience in waiting to pounce. It’s a passive style that can quickly backfire if the footwork isn’t sorted out but yield huge dividends if executed correctly. Now in her senior year, Anderson looks to remind everyone that freshman year wasn’t a fluke and why the starter for the US’s U17 World Cup team deserves to be back in the national team conversation.

The 24 Best U24 American Goalkeepers

cover photo from Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images

If you were to ask either the USWNT or USMNT fanbase about who the starting goalkeeper should be for the upcoming World Cup, brace yourself for the variety of answers you’ll receive. Gone are the days when Hope Solo and Tim Howard were unanimous picks, half because of the plethora of encouraging prospects and half because of underwhelming performances from the top. And while it may take longer to integrate new faces into a national team camp - Aubrey Kingsbury didn’t receive her first cap until 30, despite winning two Goalkeeper of the Year awards from the best league in the world - eventually our national teams will look to supplant the current starter with a younger goalkeeper.

Diving into the top U24 goalkeepers gives us an idea of what the rising talent pool looks like, as well as surveys where American goalkeepers are being developed. The following rankings are centered on a combination of current form and projected ability to succeed at the next level.

There are a few notable omissions, such as Real Salt Lake’s Gavin Beavers and Barcelona’s Spanish-American goalkeeper Diego Kochen. I have gone back and forth on this over the years but, as of right now, these lists only include goalkeepers who are at least 18 (as of May 2022) and have not turned 24 yet. Although starting for a professional side at such a young age is unquestionably an impressive accomplishment, ultimately I’ve never felt comfortable grouping 17-year-old goalkeepers with 23-year-olds. There is too much development left ahead of them at 17 years old and rarely does hype at 17 translate into elite success down the line. Not to mention, a 17-year-old’s pathway to starting for the senior national team is close to a decade away.

USWNT Prospects

1. Mandy McGlynn, 23 - Piteå IF (Sweden.1)
2. Shelby Hogan, 23 - Portland Thorns FC
3. Angelina Anderson, 21 - California
4. Hillary Beall, 23 - Racing Louisville
5. Bridgette Skiba, 22 - Chicago Red Stars
6. Mia Justus, 19 - Florida State
7. Macy Enneking, 21 - Iowa
8. Ruthie Jones, 21 - Duke

9. Heather Hinz, 20 - South Carolina
10. Claudia Dickey, 22 - OL Reign
11. Laurel Ivory, 22 - OL Reign
12. Nadia Cooper, 19 - Washington State
13. Hensley Hancuff, 21 - Gotham FC
14. Jordan Silkowitz, 22 - Iowa State
15. Katherine Asman, 21 - Penn State
16. Cayla White, 21 - Virginia

17. Marisa Bova, 22 - North Carolina Courage
18. Mackenzie Wood, 22 - Notre Dame
19. Emily Puricelli, 20 - Saint Louis
20. Kaylie Collins, 23 - Orlando Pride
21. Leah Freeman, 20 - Oregon
22. Anna Smith, 22 - USC
23. Katelin Talbert, 23 - Benfica (Portugal.1)
24. Tatum Sutherland, 21 - SMU

Bill says: While the Power 5-to-NWSL is still the main pathway for young prospects, it’s encouraging to see more and more unconventional routes being included in goalkeeper development. The midwest is showing well, with Iowa (Enneking), Iowa State (Silkowitz), Purdue (Bova), and St. Louis (Puricelli) producing strong NWSL draft candidates. On the professional side, McGlynn and Talbert left for Europe at the start of the year, both looking for playing time at a decent level of play. Currently, we have strong play from older goalkeepers in Denmark, France, Iceland, and Norway, helping open more doors for future goalkeepers down the line. Additionally, the start of the USL Super League in 2023 could provide another pathway to the NWSL, if things go according to plan.

Despite the positive movements, there’s still not much consensus on the top prospects for the USWNT, nor what college has earned the title of “Goalkeeper U”. Although changes could happen in the future, the continued crowdsourcing of goalkeeper development has been adequate in producing talent for the senior team thus far, even if the workload is only loosely coordinated from a higher structure.

USMNT Prospects

1. Ethan Wady, 20 - Chelsea U23s
2. Gabriel Slonina, 18 - Chicago Fire
3. Chris Brady, 18 - Chicago Fire
4. Carlos dos Santos, 21 - Inter Miami
5. Brooks Thompson, 20 - Philadelphia Union II
6. Jeff Dewsnup, 18 - Real Salt Lake
7. Antonio Carrera, 18 - FC Dallas
8. John Pulskamp, 21 - Sporting Kansas City

9. Hector Holguin, 21 - Santos Laguna (Mexico.1)
10. Rocco Rios Novo, 19 - Club Atlético Lanús II (Argentina.1) @
11. Zion Suzuki, 19 - Urawa Red Diamon (Japan.1)
12. Alex Borto, 18 - Fulham
13. Matt Freese, 23 - Philadelphia Union
14. Benny Diaz, 23 - Club Tijuana #
15. Abraham Rodriguez, 19 - Colorado Rapids
16. Taishi Nozawa, 19 - FC Tokyo (Japan.1) %

17. Chituru Odunze, 19 - Leicester City U23s
18. Tomas Romero, 21 - Los Angeles FC
19. Brian Schwake, 20 - Livingston FC (Scotland.1) &
20. Fred Emmings, 18 - Minnesota United
21. Daniel Peluffo-Wiese, 19 - Unterhaching (Germany.3)
22. Nicolas Hansen, 20 - Swansea City U23s
23. Vicente Reyes, 18 - Atlanta United 2
24. Xavier Valdez, 18 - Houston Dynamo

@ - on loan with Atlanta United
# - on loan with the Oakland Roots
% - on loan with Iwate Grulla Morioka (Japan.2)
& - on loan with Edinburgh City (Scotland.4)

Bill says: There is plenty of room for excitement with certain names on this list but the lack of talent between the ages of 21-24 is still concerning. The US has had too many goalkeepers lose traction at that age over the past two decades, despite many having momentum from successful U17 or U20 World Cup runs. Naturally, all eyes are on Slonina with his strong start with the Fire, but if it doesn’t continue in five years, then it won’t amount for much.

When considering the level of play for the American leagues, one cannot deny how much it’s improved since 1996, not to mention the continued expansion process to give more opportunities for goalkeepers. However, Horvath and Steffen are strong reminders that the pressure to perform in Europe doesn’t parallel America's. For young goalkeepers, minutes with professional outlets are great, but if it doesn’t translate to being able to perform in the top leagues, then we’re still not on track with matching the international level for goalkeeper development.