The Top 50 USWNT-Eligible Goalkeepers

In conjunction with the USMNT depth chart, the top 50 is back with this summer’s best goalkeepers. Each goalkeeper is slotted by a number of factors: historical individual results, current individual level of play, and projected on-field performance. The top 50 attempts to remove exterior noise and team statistics to isolate the goalkeeper’s true ability. Each block of ten names features a player to watch, giving a small bio about the goalkeeper and what to look out for in the coming months.

To see how the top 100 rankings have evolved since March 2015, click here.

1. Bella Bixby, 27 - Portland Thorns FC
2. Aubrey Kingsbury, 31 - Washington Spirit
3. Alyssa Naeher, 35 - Chicago Red Stars
4. Phallon Tullis-Joyce, 26 - OL Reign
5. Jane Campbell, 28 - Houston Dash
6. Casey Murphy, 27 - North Carolina Courage
7. Katelyn Rowland, 29 - North Carolina Courage
8. Michelle Betos, 35 - Gotham FC
9. Emily Boyd, 26 - Chicago Red Stars
10. Katie Lund, 26 - Racing Louisville

One to Watch: Naeher’s replacement. As the 2023 World Cup looms, the chance of someone not named Alyssa Naeher starting for the US seems close to zero. The USWNT is slow to change (see the still relevant article on USWNT goalkeeping eras). However, following the World Cup/Olympics run, the US will most certainly look to fill Naeher’s placement immediately. For some reference, Canada’s Kailen Sheridan waited patiently until Stephanie Labbe retired and is now not only their starting goalkeeper but arguably the best in the world. The US has favored Casey Murphy, which puts her as the frontrunner to take Naeher’s place, but Bixby and Kingsbury have waited too long to not go down without a fight.

11. Cassie Miller, 28 - Kansas City Current
12. Lainey Burdett, 26 - Vittsjö (Sweden.1)
13. Adrianna Franch, 32 - Kansas City Current
14. Mandy Haught, 24 - Gotham FC
15. Jalen Tompkins, 26 - Valerenga (Norway.1)
16. Emily Dolan, 28 - Espanyol (Spain.2)
17. Carly Nelson, 25 - Orlando Pride
18. Samantha Murphy, 26 - Piteå (Sweden.1)
19. Katelin Talbert, 24 - Benfica (Portugal.1)
20. Shelby Hogan, 24 - Portland Thorns FC

One to Watch: Jalen Tompkins. The high flyer made a good name for herself in Norway with four trophies to her name. Now sitting convincingly in first place, as well as with Champions League matches coming up this summer, Tompkins will look to bolster her reputation even further. Although Valerenga was respectably rated as the 20th best team in Europe at the end of last year, it wouldn’t be hard to see Tompkins move to a top team in Europe. Although still over a year off, Tompkins could also venture a return to the States with the start of the USL’s Super League kicking off in August 2024.

21. Abby Smith, 29 - Gotham FC
22. Lindsey Harris, 29 - Free Agent
23. Ella Dederick, 26 - Houston Dash
24. Shae Yanez, 26 - San Diego Wave
25. Hillary Beall, 24 - Racing Louisville
26. Bridgette Skiba, 23 - Køge (Denmark.1)
27. Kaylan Marckese, 25 - Arsenal (England.1)
28. Brittany Isenhour, 25 - Angel City FC
29. Jordyn Bloomer, 25 - Racing Louisville
30. Kelsey Daugherty, 26 - Avaldsnes (Norway.1)

One to Watch: Lindsey Harris. For anyone that caught more than five minutes of TST’s highly publicized 7v7 tournament, they likely saw highlights of Harris repelling shot after shot. The quick reactions and “bet on yourself” ethos was the perfect setup to highlight her strengths at the tournament, despite instilling some chaos at times. Currently out of contract, Harris would be an ideal candidate for the USL Super League but she needs to keep traction until then. She’s spent time in Norway and Iceland before signing with the Houston Dash so don’t be surprised if she returns to Europe.

31. Kelly Rowswell, 25 - Valur (Iceland.1)
32. Devon Kerr, 26 - Houston Dash
32. Adelaide Gay, 33 - Fortuna Hjørring (Denmark.1)
33. Laurel Ivory, 23 - OL Reign
34. Aubrei Corder, 25 - Kalmar (Sweden.1)
35. Sophie Whitehouse, 26 - Lewes (England.2)
36. Kaylie Collins, 25 - Orlando Pride
37. Claudia Dickey, 23 - OL Reign
38. Alex Godinez, 29 - Monterrey (Mexico.1)
39. Macy Enneking, 22 - Iowa
40. Hannah Seabert, 28 - Sporting CP (Portugal.1)

One to Watch: OL Reign backups. With Tullis-Joyce holding onto the starting spot, sparse minutes for Dickey and Ivory won’t be enough to satisfy either competitor. Racing Louisville has done well to find matches for their backups with loans to Australia and the Nordic countries have historically been positive locations for many American goalkeepers, so there are opportunities out there. Hopefully, the Reign can help create avenues for their young prospects to continue their development, although having two same-aged goalkeepers is something that’s likely coming to an end, sooner or later.

41. Ruthie Jones, 22 - Duke
42. McKinley Crone, 24 - Orlando Pride Trailist
43. Jennifer Wandt, 24 - Trelleborgs FF (Sweden.2)
44. Jordan Silkowitz, 23 - Kansas City Current
45. Marisa Bova, 22 - North Carolina Courage
46. Angelina Anderson, 22 - Angel City FC
47. Kayla Thompson, 24 - Toluca (Mexico.1)
48. Savanna Mason, 24 - BYU
49. Cosette Morche, 26 - Valencia (Spain.1)
50. Monica Wilhelm, 23 - UMF Tindasoll (Iceland.1)

One to Watch: Monica Wilhelm. Although six goalkeepers heard their name called in the NWSL draft, Wilhelm took her talents to Iceland with newly promoted UMF Tindasoll. Tindasoll are currently sitting sixth out of ten clubs but can’t afford to drop even one spot if they wish to play in the championship round (Iceland’s form of playoffs). Wilhelm’s steady play has earned her a start every match, leading her team to a 2-2-2 record thus far. The Iowa grad will need to stay atop her game until Tindasoll’s offense starts clicking more consistently (only 5 goals in 6 matches) if they want to dream of a shot at the UCL.

World Goalkeeping Report Card

cover photo from fcbarcelonanoticias.com

In an attempt to survey the world standard for goalkeeping, Everybody Soccer enters 2023 with a deep dive on the top 50 nations when it comes to the goalkeeping department. Each country is graded on three categories:

1. National Team production

2. Domestic League level of play

3. Youth National Team development

For the top fifty countries, the most common grade given out was a C to maintain a decent but not impossible standard to reach.

For the most part, the top 25 countries have excelled in two if not all three categories. Although there are some exceptions, a good goalkeeping nation will not only have a clear pathway for young goalkeepers to reach their ceiling, but also have the depth that the next 25 nations do not possess.

Nations ranked 26-50 each have one strong aspect to their goalkeeping production. Whether it is a strong national team starter, a handful of talented internationals in their domestic league, or a promising, young core, as in Ireland’s case, these countries are close to reaching another level but haven’t quite reached it.

NCAA Men's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2022)

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. Ryan Troutman (Louisville)
7. Jonathan Burke (Drake)
8. Holden Trent (High Point)
9. Matt Frank (Stanford)
10. Marco Saborio Perez (North Carolina, Costa Rica)

One to Watch: Marco Saborio Perez. Saborio Perez leaves UNC with only five appearances to his name in the four years at Chapel Hill. However, the former Costa Rican YNT and New England Revs academy product came in with a lot of buzz and is clearly still trying to carve a route forward for himself. Saborio Perez needs minutes ASAP to keep his momentum going in the right way, which raises questions about his options going forward. He reportedly holds a Swiss passport that could get him to Europe but could also return to the college game with two years of eligibility remaining on the table. Keep an eye out to see how this once highly touted goalkeeper keeps his career alive.

Juniors

1. Jacob Castro (San Diego State)
2. Edu Rodriguez (Campbell, Spain)
3. James Lowell (Maryland)
4. Lute Lillo Portero (Omaha, Spain)
5. Ryan Schewe (Georgetown)
6. John Harms (Indiana)
7. Sam Fowler (Washington)
8. Holden Brown (Virginia)
9. Brendan Graves (Bowling Green)
10. Kash Oladapo (St. Mary's)

One to Watch: Edu Rodriguez. Rodriguez is one of the more complete goalkeepers in the college game. Unfortunately for foreign goalkeepers in the NCAA, their chances of signing with an MLS team are drastically lowered due to roster restrictions. And despite a global dominance in goalkeeping standards, Spanish goalkeeping isn’t rated among most American coaches. Add in the additional hurdle that Campbell isn’t typically known as a goalkeeper powerhouse, Rodriguez has his work cut out for him to catch on in the US after his time in college winds down.

Sophomores

1. Ben Martino (Virginia Tech)
2. Eoin Gawronski (Temple)
3. Trace Alphin (Wake Forest)
4. Luca Hatsios (NC State)
5. Alex Lopez (Tulsa, Spain)
6. Nathanael Sallah (Omaha, Germany)
7. Alex Bobocea (Loyola MD)
8. Colin Welsh (Memphis)
9. Nate Crockford (UCLA)
10. Brennan Klein (Boston College)

One to Watch: A lead goalkeeper. Typically classes have a goalkeeper or two that break away from the bunch but so far none have impressed to that level. For each goalkeeper listed, we’ve seen positives and negatives in their game thus far. The sophomore year for any goalkeeper is a tough transition as they’re finally starting to find their rhythm, yet they simultaneously need to start becoming a leader on the team. Be prepared to see massive changes in these names going forward as we’re due for a star goalkeeper in the sophomore class.

Freshmen

1. Jay Hibbert (Connecticut)
2. Paul Walters (Northwestern)
3. Andrew Cordes (North Carolina)
4. Mitchell Budler (Akron)
5. Alex Aitken (Houston Baptist, England)
6. Ryan Friedberg (Cornell)
7. Landon Carter (Utah Valley)
8. Seth Wilson (Akron)
9. Matt Tibbetts (American)
10. Michael Sly (Oakland)

One to Watch: Andrew Cordes. UNC hasn’t had a goalkeeper who started all four years since Michael Ueltschey graduated in 2001 and Cordes is on track to become the next one. Cordes received the bulk of the minutes this season (splitting with Saborio Perez) and seems prime to have a clear runway for the next three years. Cordes has a nice control on his movement in the box, keeping it light without distracting himself with busy footwork to find the “perfect” positioning. There’s a simplicity to his game that has worked very well for him. If there’s one name MLS scouts are starting to circle from this class, it’s likely Cordes.

NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2022)

cover photo belongs to Duke Athletics

Seniors

1. Ruthie Jones (Duke)
2. Angelina Anderson (California)
3. Megan Plaschko (Minnesota)
4. Marz Josephson (North Carolina)
5. Kayza Massey (West Virginia, Canada)
6. Madeline Smith (Maryland)
7. Lauren Brzykcy (UCLA)
8. Meagan McClelland (Rutgers)
9. Lyza Bosselmann (Gonzaga)
10. McKinley Crone (Alabama)

11. Jordan Silkowitz (Iowa State)
12. Mackenzie Wood (Notre Dame)
13. Lauren Kozal (Michigan State)
14. Katherine Asman (Penn State)
15. Monica Wilhelm (Iowa)
16. Heather Hinz (South Carolina)
17. Olivia Sekany (Washington)
18. Charlotte Cyr (Dartmouth)
19. Lindsey Romig (Tennessee)
20. Ashley Orkus (Mississippi)

One to Watch: Marz Josephson. Josephson’s time at UNC was quite the tumultuous one. Earning only 1161 minutes (equivalent to 13 games) in four years, Josephson is currently sitting on two more years of eligibility due to the infamous “covid year” that every player, parent, and coach has heard about over and over. As for Josephson’s path forward, it can go in several directions. For a player whose collegiate career was so stop-and-go within a highly competitive environment and sought-after minutes, it’s quite common to see a player finish out their eligibility with stability and less stress by finding a university that will commit to giving her the bulk of the minutes. However, if Josephson is eyeing the pros, don’t be surprised to see her keep her foot on the gas and re-enter a highly competitive environment to best prepare her for the next level, whether at another university or with a professional side. Whichever path she chooses, it’s certain Jospheson has plenty of “gas left in the tank” to make some noise for next fall, if she chooses that route.

Juniors

1. Maria Echezarreta (NC State, Spain)
2. Macy Enneking (Iowa)
3. Cristina Roque (Florida State, Puerto Rico)
4. Lauren Traywick (Baylor)
5. Leah Freeman (Oregon)
6. Ryan Campbell (Stanford)
7. Hailey Coll (Oregon State)
8. Anna Karpenko (Harvard, Canada)
9. Halle Mackiewicz (Clemson)
10. Maddy Anderson (Mississippi State)

One to Watch: Maria Echezarreta. If there’s one takeaway from goalkeepers over the 2022 season, it’s that we need more variety in the NCAA. Echezarreta brings a breath of fresh air to the position by taking on a level of responsibility that we rarely see for division I programs. The Spanish YNT goalkeeper focuses on preventing the opposition’s ability to create goal chances through distribution and organization, whereas American goalkeepers are typically more focused on putting all their eggs in the shot-stopping basket. I don’t think many are doubting Echezarreta’s ability to play at the next level, although there is a gray question of “where?” Does an NWSL team get ready to pounce? Does one of the top Spanish clubs attempt to continue her development or will a midtable team put her in goal immediately? Or does a non-Spanish side with high aspirations in the Champions League look to make an attractive offer? There are several directions forward, one that hopefully leaves a pathway for more Spanish goalkeepers in the college ranks.

Sophomores

1. Mia Justus (Florida State)
2. Liz Beardsley (Georgia)
3. Wiebke Willebrandt (Boston College, Germany)
4. Tyler McCamey (Princeton)
5. Savanna Mason (BYU)
6. Maya Bellomo (Yale)
7. Trinity Corcoran (Northern Arizona)
8. Shu Ohba (East Tennessee State, Japan)
9. Haley Craig (Stanford)
10. Bella Grust (Colorado)

One to Watch: Liz Beardsley. Georgia recorded their first 13-win season since 2011 and not without the help of the Florida native in goal. Beardsley employs a level of chaoticness in goal by playing a deep line while simultaneously being more than eager to throw her body into the fray. The lanky-yet-mobile combo is an increasingly popular trend for a reason and the sophomore Bulldog has repeatedly shown why with her high flying saves. If Beardsley can continue to shore up her response in atypical situations where something has gone wrong in the box, look for her to become a frontrunner to join the NWSL in a few years.

Freshmen

1. Emmie Allen (North Carolina)
2. Neeku Purcell (UCLA)
3. Erynn Floyd (Louisville)
4. Teagan Wy (California)
5. Bella Schopp (Brown)
6. Pauline Nelles (Arizona State, Germany)
7. Cara Martin (Georgetown)
8. Olivia Ramey (Oklahoma)
9. Caroline Duffy (Duke)
10. Reiley Fitzpatrick (Northwestern)

One to Watch: Erynn Floyd. Don’t let Louisville’s 6-8-2 record fool you, a true freshman starting in goal for any ACC squad is a tall order. Floyd started 14 of the 16 matches and displayed a rarely-seen composure in net, moving in sync with the quick play and showing a decisive mindset without hesitation. Similar to Beardsley, Floyd looks most comfortable playing near the goal line but she has a “bet on yourself” energy that encourages her to explore all the corners of the 18. If she can continue to embrace more responsibility within the game, Floyd could be yet another non-USYNT goalkeeper that makes a strong run in the professional game.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2022: Preseason
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