2025s on the rise after the playoffs
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The national league playoffs for ECNL and Girls Academy wrapped up earlier this month. While the 2024 class was in the majority of the spotlight for scouts during the postseason events considering the start of the recruitment period, there were…
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Continue ReadingThe national league playoffs for ECNL and Girls Academy wrapped up earlier this month. While the 2024 class was in the majority of the spotlight for scouts during the postseason events considering the start of the recruitment period, there were some players from the class of 2025 that made a big splash too and a worthy case to be considered among the top prospects from that class.
Lilli Lubic Lilli Lubic null | M Independence | 2025 State VA , TSJ FC Virginia 07 – Lubic’s teammates stole the headlines in the Girls Academy awards, but the midfielder was a key piece of the equation throughout the run to the National Championship for TSJ FC Virginia. She had the assist on the game-winner in the championship and scored the game-winner in the semifinal round. Lubic is a smart player. She operates as a center midfielder for her club side. She has excellent vision and does well in picking out open teammates in the run of play. She is very active off the ball in moving to areas to support her teammates or be in a position to win the bal back. She is great in the transition-element of the game and reponds quickly to any loss of possession. Lubic was a standout for the TSJ FC Virginia side, and should be one to watch from the 2025 class.
Olivia Belcher Olivia Belcher null | M Colleyville Heritage | 2025 State #68 Nation TX , DKSC 07 – Belcher is an all-everything type of center midfielder. She has so many tools in her kit. She has good tactical awareness and knows where to be in support of her teammates when the opposition has possession of the ball. She does not shy away from a tackle and has excellent technique and body control to put in a challenge. She likes to play quickly in possession and does well with her speed of thought to get the ball out of her feet and onto the next teammate before the pressure arrives. Her first touch is very good, which sets her up for success in the other parts of her game. She looks to be one of the top midfielders from Texas in the class of 2025. She helped her DKSC advance to the Round of 16 at the ECNL Playoffs.
Nicole Kim Nicole Kim M State #71 Nation CA , MVLA 07 – Kim is one of the top attacking midfielders from Northern California. She is a unique prospect in the sense she is technically very skilled in working out of tight spaces. She does well under pressure and looks to have a high ceiling because she can use that gift of evading pressure even as players get bigger, faster, and stronger. She has excellent vision and provided key passes for her side during the ECNL playoffs run. She also strikes the ball extremely well from dead ball situations.
Caroline Birkel Caroline Birkel null | GK State #15 Nation MO , SLSG Navy 06 – The goalkeeper for SLSG Navy earned a spot on the PrepSoccer top Goalkeepers from the ECNL playoffs list. She earned a spot on this list for her play during Finals Week. Birkel was a standout in goal for SLSG Navy. She was brave off her line and confident in her decisions. She finished the playoffs with a shutout in goal in the championship game against Colorado Rapids. She is one of the top goalkeepers in the country in the class of 2025. Grace Restovich is another top talent from the class of 2025 on the SLSG squad. She scored a spectacular goal in the game against Slammers Koge. She lofted a shot over the keeper and into the far corner of the net from a seemingly impossible angle. Restovich is a talented player who is great on the ball and loves to attack space. She is another top recruit from the 2025 class.
Ashlyn Puerta Ashlyn Puerta M State #14 Nation CA , Albion SC San Diego 06 – Puerta was a standout for her side throughout the Girls Academy playoffs. She is one of the most technically gifted midfielders in the country. She has a way of controlling the ball that is well beyond her years. When she is on the ball, she is fully capable of making the lethal pass to destroy the defense. She moves around the field with an ease and seems to always play the game at her pace. Puerta continues to deliver in the big moments and delivered some hardware for her club team during this summer playoff season as the Girls Academy National Champions.
Isabel Weiner Isabel Weiner M State FL , PDA 07 – Weiner impressed for PDA for her play in the midfield especially against the talented Legends group. She did well connecting passes between the lines for her side. Weiner was solid defensively as well as she put in some tackles and made some interceptions. Sydney Krempasky was another standout from the PDA midfield. Carlie Wysocki, a 2026 prospect, was outstanding at outside back.
Alexis Coughlin Alexis Coughlin null | D State #38 Nation CA , Legends FC 07 – Coughlin is already a Youth National Team player, but she delivered at a very high level during the ECNL playoffs. She is a center back who plays on the right side for her club team. She is intelligent in her positioning and timing of challenges. She does well as an on-ball defender and as a support defender. She also takes many of the free kicks for her side as she can deliver a precise pass over distance. She is a top recruit from the class of 2025, and one of the reasons why many college coaches were lined up on the sidelines for the U15 semifinal game.