NCAA Men's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2023)

Bill Reno November 30, 2023

Seniors

1. Kris Shakes (Penn State)
2. Ryan Schewe (Georgetown)
3. Lute Lillo Portero (Omaha, Spain)
4. Josue Hangi (Georgia State)
5. Bryan Dowd (Notre Dame)
6. Wessel Sprangers (Gonzaga, Netherlands)
7. Holden Brown (Virginia)
8. James Lowell (Maryland)
9. Clayton Knibbs (Connecticut)
10. John Harms (Indiana)

11. Sam Fowler (Washington)
12. Carter Abbott (Fordham)
13. Lorenzo Gordon (American)
14. Finn Jurak (Oakland, Australia)
15. Matt Zambetti (UMass)
16. Justin Siegel (Cal Poly)
17. Eoin Gawronski (Long Island)
18. Spencer Catalano (Canisius)
19. Harry Townsend (Missouri State, England)
20. Edmond Kaiser (Stony Brook, Germany)

One to Watch: Josue Hangi. Hangi started his collegiate career at Akron before transferring to Georgia State, where it took until his senior season to finally be named the number one. The Atlanta United product plays like a goalkeeper who has sat for three years: intense but raw at times. His handling isn’t the best and 1v1 approaches are more hopeful than methodical. However, Hangi plays with a level of intensity that embodies the “bet on yourself” and “play like there’s no tomorrow” mantras, which produces saves you simply don’t expect collegiate goalkeepers to pull off. Although the work needed to polish Hangi’s rough edges may scare off some professional sides, the clear upside will likely grab significant attention from sides that want a collegiate goalkeeper who can still develop, not just plateau at the next stage.

Juniors

1. Edu Rodriguez (Rhode Island, Spain)
2. Nathanael Sallah (Omaha, Germany)
3. Will Watson (Princeton)
4. Trace Alphin (Wake Forest)
5. Khamari Hadaway (Princeton)
6. Marc Kouadio (East Tennessee State, Canada)
7. Nate Crockford (Wisconsin)
8. Blake Franzen (Liberty, South Africa)
9. Griffin Huff (Lafayette)
10. Grant Calvert (Belmont)

One to Watch: Will Watson / Khamari Hadaway. What a fun goalkeeping duo. Watson certainly carries the edge in prestige, hailing from FC Dallas’ academy. However, Hadaway - a three-time high school All-American, to be fair - earned the bulk of the starts this year. Watson and Hadaway mirror the common two-goalkeepers-struggling-for-time trope: one is more crafted and consistent (Watson) while the other has the ability to make a legit game-saving moment but is less predictable in performance (Hadaway). There’s likely not a great scenario to leave both goalkeepers happy heading into 2024, as both have shown the ability to play at the level. With Princeton notching their first losing season since 2013 this past fall, neither goalkeeper really has standing to hold down the number one spot but as to how this plays out is anyone’s guess.

Sophomores

1. Jay Hibbert (Connecticut)
2. Logan Erb (San Diego State)
3. Andrew Cordes (North Carolina)
4. Casper Mols (Kentucky, Denmark)
5. Rowan Schnebly (Stanford)
6. Nic Lemen (Northern Kentucky)
7. Alec McLachlan (St. John's, England)
8. Gavin Roberts (Lindenwood)
9. Cabral Carter (Pittsburgh)
10. Jonathan Kliewer (Missouri State)

One to Watch: Logan Erb. Erb had some big shoes to fill after replacing MLS-drafted Jacob Castro and the Dynamo alum did not disappoint. The true sophomore feels akin to a snowball atop a hill: aiming for bigger things but the ultimate ceiling is tough to pin down. Erb is clearly eyeing a professional career but he’ll want to take heed to Castro’s over-reliance on improving a tense moment in the box, which has made the transition to the pro game all the more difficult. At times, Erb looks a little carefree with his movement and footwork, possibly leaning towards the same road Castro ventured down. To pull advice from another sport, Pete Rose told baseball hitters to never change their swing when reaching the pros and the same wisdom can be given to Erb: rely on what’s worked and maintain your blueprint.

Freshmen

1. Julian Eyestone (Duke)
2. Wyatt Nelson (UCLA)
3. Justin Stewart (High Point)
4. Aidan Crawford (Loyola-Chicago)
5. Bennet Glinder (Siena, Germany)
6. Jonathan Munteanu (UAB)
7. Patrick Schott (Belmont, Germany)
8. Seth Wilson (Akron)
9. Jakub Grzesiak (Oral Roberts, Poland)
10. Aaron Salinas (Furman)

One to Watch: Julian Eyestone. Wow, what a class. Every American goalkeeper here has the talent to get to the professional level with the internationals only bolstering the talent level even higher. Eyestone is one of the more obvious “fits the part” college products. The 6’6” FC Dallas prospect will almost certainly not stay at Duke for four years (but if Mark Dodd could do it, perhaps Eyestone can too). And with the rumors of the MLS draft starting to open up to underclassmen, keep an eye out for how few of these goalkeepers end up staying all four years, as the 2026 end-of-season rankings could have an entirely different set of names.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2023: Preseason
2022: Preseason and Final
2021: Preseason and 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: Preseason and Final

NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Fall 2023)

Bill Reno November 28, 2023

Cover photo from the University of Iowa.

Seniors

1. Macy Enneking (Iowa)
2. Cristina Roque (Florida State, Puerto Rico)
3. Katherine Asman (Penn State)
4. Halle Mackiewicz (Clemson)
5. Heather Hinz (South Carolina)
6. Stephanie Sparkowski (Michigan)
7. Taylor Burgess (Massachusetts-Lowell)
8. Ryan Campbell (Stanford)
9. Leah Freeman (Duke)
10. Marzia Josephson (Kentucky)

11. Madison White (Texas Tech)
12. Jocelyn Tanner (South Dakota State)
13. Kenna Caldwell (Texas A&M)
14. Kayza Massey (West Virginia, Canada)
15. Anna Karpenko (Harvard, Canada)
16. Megan Plaschko (Minnesota)
17. Glo Hinojosa (UC Irvine)
18. Keara Fitzgerald (San Diego)
19. Allie Augur (Georgetown)
20. Alia Skinner (Virginia Tech)

One to Watch: Taylor Burgess. After an injury sidelined her going into the Fall 2021 season, Burgess is finally back to form. Burgess’ biggest obstacle is clearly her lack of height, which she does well to supplement her game with quick footwork and explosive dives. NWSL teams are reluctant to bring in shorter goalkeepers but if Burgess can follow Lindsay Harris’ footsteps and carve out a respectable run in Europe, she might be able to give herself a chance to return stateside down the line. (Honorable mention to NC State’s Maria Echezarreta who notched four matches before a late tackle ended her season.)

Juniors

1. Mia Justus (Texas)
2. Elizabeth Beardsley (Maryland)
3. Wiebke Willebrandt (Boston College, Germany)
4. Nadia Cooper (Washington State)
5. Tyler McCamey (Princeton)
6. CJ Graham (Utah Valley)
7. Savanna Mason (BYU)
8. Ashley Naylor (Notre Dame)
9. Olivia Pratapas (NC State)
10. Shu Ohba (Mississippi, Japan)

One to Watch: Mia Justus. Justus is reminiscent of a blend between Laurel Ivory and Zack Steffen. She’s quick, can cover the goal well when she sorts out her feet, and doesn’t get nervous when the opposition finds themselves knocking on the goal. She clearly thrives for the big stage moments but the 5-0 drubbing by Florida State shed some light on her reluctance to utilize various tools in keeping the ball out of the net. A perennial line sitter, Justus doesn’t take forward space often and can get tunnel vision on plays, not seeing the back post danger. There’s a reason Justus started her career at Florida State but she’ll need more than quick reactions to make the jump to the next level.

Sophomores

1. Emmie Allen (North Carolina)
2. Neeku Purcell (UCLA)
3. Alli Davis (New Mexico)
4. Ally Zazzara (Tennessee)
5. Bella Hollenbach (Missouri)
6. Kendall Edwards (Milwaukee)
7. Shealyn Vanderbosch (Syracuse)
8. Pauline Nelles (Arizona State, Germany)
9. Ashton Blair (East Tennessee State)
10. Sally Rainey (New Hampshire)

One to Watch: Alli Davis. The 5-6-6 record (with only one win in the last seven matches) largely held Davis away from any postseason awards, despite Davis keeping the Lobos in nearly every match, often losing by one goal or finishing in a tie. Davis possesses strong “I’ll show you” energy by mimicking late 20th-century goalkeeping; she’s more than happy to insert herself into a fray and has the hops to cover the bar when she gets her footwork right. Consistency has been a bit of an issue for Davis, as tactically it feels like it’s a different approach on every play. Outside looking in, Davis looks like the type of goalkeeper who finds herself at a “boom or bust” pivot. If she can find a blueprint for herself that she can rely on to handle tactically complex situations better, watch out. But if she continues to rely on brashness alone, the Lobos goalkeeper may not be able to follow up her 2022 All-Freshman Team performance.

Freshmen

1. Hannah Poulter (USC, England)
2. Nona Reason (North Carolina)
3. Atlee Olofson (Notre Dame)
4. Valentina Amaral (Wake Forest)
5. Kyla Holmes (Yale)
6. Olivia Bodmer (Rutgers)
7. Lynette Hernaez (BYU)
8. Abby Reisz (Tennessee)
9. Addie Ford (Drake)
10. Ally Larkin (Nevada)

One to Watch: Hannah Poulter. It’s difficult for any goalkeeper to shine as a first year and even more so for a top program like USC. Poulter’s resume boasts English YNT experience (recently starting for England’s U19s in a 3-3 tie with Germany) but the mental stress collegiate soccer puts on a young goalkeeper is palpable. Poulter left the UNC game early in the first half (possibly due to issues with the heat) and never regained her starting spot after the 3-2 loss to Utah Valley, a game Poulter didn’t play poorly in but looked disjointed from her team. Poulter carries prestige but she’ll need to find chemistry and on-field success with her teammates if she wants to play a role for a team that is seriously knocking on the door for a national championship.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

NCAA Women's Goalkeeper Rankings (Preseason Fall 2023)

Bill Reno August 9, 2023

Seniors

1. Macy Enneking (Iowa)
2. Maria Echezarreta (NC State, Spain)
3. Cristina Roque (Florida State, Puerto Rico)
4. Heather Hinz (South Carolina)
5. Megan Plaschko (Minnesota)
6. Kayza Massey (West Virginia, Canada)
7. Ryan Campbell (Stanford)
8. Marzia Josephson (Kentucky)
9. Leah Freeman (Duke)
10. Lauren Kellett (TCU)

One to Watch: Following in the footsteps of former Gopher goalkeepers Cat Parkhill and Tarah Hobbs, Plaschko is looking to aid Minnesota’s first return to the NCAA tournament since 2018. Plaschko is your classic American goalkeeper: impeccable mechanics, unmatched power, and playing out a deep-lying position. (Think Alyssa Naeher.) It’s not the most modern style, however, Plaschko has quietly become one of the most effective goalkeepers in and out of the Big 10. If Plaschko can help the Gophers return to the NCAA tournament, look for her stock to bolster and give herself a decent shot at the 2024 NWSL draft.

Juniors

1. Mia Justus (Texas)
2. Elizabeth Beardsley (Maryland)
3. Wiebke Willebrandt (Boston College, Germany)
4. Savanna Mason (BYU)
5. Tyler McCamey (Princeton)
6. Shu Ohba (Mississippi, Japan)
7. Maya Bellomo (Yale)
8. Chloe Olson (Marquette)
9. Ashley Naylor (Notre Dame)
10. CJ Graham (Utah Valley)

One to Watch: CJ Graham. Graham transferred out of Lipscomb and moved west for Utah Valley, which is a program that’s been completely reformed from ten years ago. Finishing 40th in the RPI last fall, UVU picks up one of the most athletic goalkeepers in college soccer, but one who still has some development to finalize before a potential jump to the pros. If the Wolverines can clean up their new goalkeeper’s handling and some tactical decision-making processes, look for Graham to be a top name for NWSL teams to draft.

Sophomores

1. Emmie Allen (North Carolina)
2. Neeku Purcell (UCLA)
3. Teagan Wy (California)
4. Pauline Nelles (Arizona State, Germany)
5. Bella Schopp (Brown)
6. Caroline Duffy (Duke)
7. Ashton Blair (East Tennessee State)
8. JLo Varada (Campbell, Puerto Rico)
9. Erynn Floyd (Louisville)
10. Ally Zazzara (Tennessee)

One to Watch: Emmie Allen. Allen ended her 2022 run off one of the more improbable no-calls in college soccer and, needless to say, has unfinished business for 2023. Allen’s combination of light feet and athleticism allows her to take a significant level of responsibility in the game, covering large portions of the goal and penalty box. After another stint with USL W’s NC Courage U23s in summer ball action, look for Allen to feel even more comfortable in donning the heralded Carolina blue, making her case for the best goalkeeper in college soccer.

Freshmen

1. Mackenzie Gress (Penn State)
2. CJ Roy (Northwestern)
3. Nona Reason (North Carolina)
4. Abby Gundry (North Carolina)
5. Claire Heddings (Michigan)
6. Adelyn Todd (Florida State)
7. Jamie Campbell (Colorado)
8. Valentina Amaral (Wake Forest)
9. Emily Earles (NC State)
10. Liya Brooks (Washington State)

One to Watch: Mackenzie Gress. The former USYNT prospect hails from - what some would argue - is the hotbed of American goalkeeping: New Jersey. Regardless, Gress returns for her redshirt freshman year, changing her jersey number from 28 to 1 and possibly giving us a sign of things to come. Look for the Nittany Lions to find minutes for Gress when available, even with starting goalkeeper Kat Asman returning for her final year.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2022: Preseason and Final
2021: Preseason and 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

NCAA Men's Goalkeeper Rankings (Preseason Fall 2023)

Bill Reno August 6, 2023

Seniors

1. Kris Shakes (Penn State)
2. James Lowell (Maryland)
3. Ryan Troutman (Louisville)
4. Lute Lillo Portero (Omaha, Spain)
5. Bryan Dowd (Notre Dame)
6. Holden Brown (Virginia)
7. Ryan Schewe (Georgetown)
8. Sam Fowler (Washington)
9. Eoin Gawronski (Long Island)
10. Michael Collodi (Columbia)

One to Watch: Eoin Gawronski. A bumpy time at Temple, filled with injuries and splitting time, is hopefully in the past for Gawronski as the Philadelphia Union product looks to reset with a transfer to Long Island University. Although not normally known as a soccer powerhouse, LIU has done well for themselves in the past few years and are primed for a breakout year. Several MLS and USL goalkeepers have come from smaller schools, so don’t be surprised to see Gawronski use this opportunity to make a name for himself, assuming he can stay healthy and lean on the basics that made him originally successful at Temple.

Juniors

1. Edu Rodriguez (Rhode Island, Spain)
2. Nate Crockford (Wisconsin)
3. Nathanael Sallah (Omaha, Germany)
4. Alex Lopez (Tulsa, Spain)
5. Alex Bobocea (Loyola (MD))
6. Trace Alphin (Wake Forest)
7. Blake Franzen (Liberty, South Africa)
8. Aurie Briscoe (Rutgers, Puerto Rico)
9. Wyatt Kistner (Florida Gulf Coast)
10. Conrad Lee (Yale)

One to Watch: Nathanael Sallah. Sallah has innumerable tools at his disposal but consistency has eluded him still. Although Sallah has notched 19 appearances for Omaha, he’s yet to nail down the starting spot. Complicating the situation is returning senior goalkeeper Lute Lillo Portero, who offers Omaha a high level of security in goal through steady play. Sallah must once again navigate limited opportunities to prove himself as not only the best goalkeeper at the university but one whom professional sides will be comfortable bringing in.

Sophomores

1. Jay Hibbert (Connecticut)
2. Casper Mols (Kentucky, Denmark)
3. Andrew Cordes (North Carolina)
4. Ben Alexander (South Carolina, Canada)
5. Mitchell Budler (Akron)
6. Juanvi Munoz (UCF, Spain)
7. Jack Morris (Stanford)
8. Luis Castillo (Oregon State, Spain)
9. Logan Erb (San Diego State)
10. Cabral Carter (Pittsburgh)

One to Watch: Jay Hibbert. Hibbert possesses a Zack Steffen-like poise wrapped up in a David de Gea-esque frame, showcasing an interesting blend of athleticism with a front-footed mindset. Hibbert earned early minutes for UConn last season, but the Huskies eventually leaned on graduate student Michael Stone to lead them through conference play. If Hibbert can refine the finer details of his unique approach, look for Hibbert to nail down the starting role in 2023 and potentially insert himself into the U23 discussion for the US’s Olympic run.

Freshmen

1. Julian Eyestone (Duke)
2. Wyatt Nelson (UCLA)
3. Justin Stewart (High Point)
4. Dan Rose (Marshall, Ireland)
5. Jude Bosshardt (Northwestern)
6. Caleb Tunks (Virginia)
7. Patrick Schott (Belmont, Germany)
8. Cody Lindeman (San Diego)
9. Zack Andoh (California)
10. Gavin Roberts (Lindenwood)

One to Watch: Wyatt Nelson. Nelson enters UCLA as one of the Sounders’ best goalkeeping prospects in years, if not the best ever. Additionally, wearing the Bruins badge comes with a certain level of expectation as UCLA was once known as a powerhouse for developing goalkeepers. However, UCLA currently has just two former goalkeepers in the pro ranks (Earl Edwards ’14, Justin Garces, ’22) and the Sounders have yet to earn a high return off of homegrown goalkeepers in over ten years of running the academy. A lot of hopes ride on Nelson reversing the tide for both UCLA and the Sounders academy, but he’ll first have to earn significant minutes in the next few months. Look for former alum and current UCLA goalkeeping coach Juan Cervantes to teach the youngster how to swim in the deep end.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings