Players to Watch: Jefferson Cup 2026 Girls Showcase Weekend

This dominant midfielder and co-captain of the Bethesda SC 2011 ECNL team leads with confidence, creativity and composure. As one of the team’s top playmakers, Iva Mei excels at finding pockets of space, driving offensive transitions and delivering penetrating passes that break through defenses. Her versatility allows her to play an important role in every part of the field contributing to both offensive and defensive transition as Bethesda competes against the best in the Jeff Cup U15 Showcase Championship Division.

One of the top playmakers for the Arlington Soccer 2011 ECNL attack, Nouri excels as both a striker and as a winger, demonstrating excellent chemistry with her teammates when assisting goals or when scoring herself. She has a lethal first step and first touch, creating separation with ease in 1v1 situations, and bringing a lot of creativity to an Arlington team which has dominated the ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference in recent years.

Sheen is a key member of an extremely tough Arlington Soccer 2011 back line, which has stifled opponents all season long in ECNL Girls competition. She has helped lead the team to multiple ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference titles, playing both center and outside back. The team will be competing in the U15 Showcase Championship Division at the Jeff Cup.

This talented forward / midfielder for Bethesda SC 2011 ECNL brings impressive playmaking skills to the attacking unit of one of the ECNL North Atlantic Conference’s strongest overall teams. Talbott is a Class of 2029 prospect who also stars for The Holton-Arms School, and will be a name to know as Bethesda aims for a strong performance in the Jeff Cup’s top U15 bracket.

Plerhoples was one of the biggest standouts in her age group at the 2025 Jefferson Cup, where she shined even against some talented competition with 5 goals over 3 games. Representing VDA 2011 ECNL, she’s a dynamic striker, attacking midfielder and winger. She’s coming off a huge performance at the Loudoun Soccer College Showcase, where she racked up 6 goals in just 2 games.

The backstop for an elite level NC Courage Academy 2011 ECNL defense, Pearson and her teammates on the back line have been outstanding as a group all season long. The Courage have conceded only 6 total goals over 9 games in ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference action this season. They’ve recorded 6 consecutive clean sheets in league play overall.

Ettinger is a dynamic and versatile player capable of impacting the game from multiple positions, including center defensive midfield, wing, and forward. She was named an ECNL New England All-Conference player and has been invited to both a U.S. Talent ID Center and Gotham FC Talent ID events.

Siena has consistently stood out at major showcases, earning recognition as a top performer thanks to her ability to win possession, transition play quickly, and influence the game on both sides of the ball. Additionally, she scores goals but is always working back to defend. She is coming off an outstanding freshman high school season, helping lead her team to its first-ever State Championship.

Marisol Sady-Dubon (#16) is a high-intensity wingback for Fairfax VA Union ECNL and a current member of the Guatemala U17 Women’s National Team. During the 2026 CONCACAF Qualifiers, she started all four matches (420+ minutes), contributing to three clean sheets and providing a vital assist while clocking an elite top speed of 30.3 km/h. A tireless 1v1 defender with a 10.8km match engine, she is a key tactical anchor for Union’s defensive unit heading into the Jefferson Cup.

This high-impact Class of 2028 forward for Bethesda SC 2010 ECNL has been one of the team’s most productive players over the years, leading the team in goals and helping them win the ECNL North Atlantic Conference Cup, while making multiple postseason appearances, including a previous run all the way to the ECNL Finals. Weiner is an explosive attacking player who also shines defensively, often creating quick turnovers and scoring chances with her high-press.

ECNL All-American and U.S. Youth National Team roster pool midfielder Lilah Helwig will lead FC DELCO ECNL 2009 into battle at the Jefferson Cup, where they’ll face off against both of the 2025 Girls Academy National Finalists (National Champion Syracuse DA and Runner-Up Michigan Jaguars), as well as World Class FC ECNL. Helwig is one of the country’s premier prospects from the Class of 2028, and will have another chance to show her skills on the national stage in the Jeff Cup’s top bracket.

Conboy returns to the Jefferson Cup in the U16 Championship Division after a standout performance in 2025 at the U15 level. Representing FC DELCO 2010, Conboy did not concede a single goal during her time in net at the 2025 Jeff Cup, as FC DELCO rolled to a perfect 3-0-0 record.

Batts, a versatile defender who plays both center back and outside back, earned selection to the USYS ODP National Select Team and will compete internationally at the IberCup in Portugal against top academy competition.

An athletic, composed defender with excellent recovery speed and game awareness, she consistently neutralizes attacking threats in transition. Last year, she earned ECNL Southeast All-Conference honors, was invited to USYNT and Orlando Pride Talent ID centers, and was named High School All-State she also helped lead her new high school program to the State Final Four in only its second year.

Her Orlando Pride Seminole 2010 ECNL squad will be competing in the U16 Elite Black Division at the Jeff Cup.

Coming off three impressive starts with the U.S. U-16 National Team in Turkiye, attacking midfielder Mia Sommers will be one of the top players to watch at the Jefferson Cup. Known for her vision, technical quality, and ability to dictate the tempo in the final third, Sommers enters the tournament in strong form. She earned First Team All-ECNL Southeast Conference honors last season as a top contributor for FC Prime 2010.

Ava Scaglione (Orlando Pride ECNL 2010) is a versatile winger and outside back, known for her speed, precision, and two-way impact. She maintains an impressive 70% average possession rate, consistently helping her team build out of the back while joining the attack with well-timed overlapping runs.

As a winger, she stretches defenses with her pace, delivers accurate crosses, and creates goal-scoring opportunities for teammates as an outside back, she reads the game intelligently, wins duels defensively, and transitions play quickly to maintain team shape and momentum.

Atkiss is a strong attacking player for McLean Youth Soccer’s 2010 Girls Academy side, bringing multiple years of USYS ODP experience at both the state and regional levels. She has also earned a selection for the GA Mid-Atlantic South Talent ID Event, recognizing her as one of the most promising players from the conference in her age group.

Serving as a starting defensive midfielder and wingback for NVA 2010 Girls Academy, Nelson is a key distributor with strong field vision and decision-making. She’s a versatile player who can open up the offense with strong passing while also bringing excellent defensive pressure in all game situations.

A longtime standout for SUSA FC 2009, Shaw has verbally committed to play for NCAA powerhouse Stanford University in 2027. She’s a dominating force on the attacking side for SUSA, with the ability to completely take over games as a goal scorer and as a passer. Shaw has a rare combination of size, strength, speed and technical precision which make her almost impossible for a single defender to try and slow down. She creates matchup problems all over the field, constantly drawing extra defenders to her area.

This future Michigan Wolverine has been one of the premier defensive players in the ECNL’s Mid-Atlantic Conference and the entire country for the last several seasons. Sharrer has helped Richmond United 2009 make multiple deep runs in the ECNL Playoffs, including a pair of appearances in the ECNL Finals. She’s also a member of the USYNT roster pool, and is coming off a call-up to the U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team.

Another Penn State commit from the Class of 2027 with U.S. Youth National Team experience, Fragnito helped lead Syracuse Development Academy 2009 to the Girls Academy National Championship last season. She was the star of the GA Finals, scoring both goals in the title match against Michigan Jaguars. Fragnito has been a member of the USYNT roster pool for multiple years, most recently appearing for the U.S. U-17 WNT.

This uncommitted Class of 2027 defender / midfielder helped Albertus Magnus High School capture the 2025 New York AA State Championship, making it back-to-back titles for the program. On the club side, Lombardo is a strong contributor for NJ Crush 2008/2007 in the ECNL Girls Regional League. Her NJ Crush squad will be playing the Jeff Cup’s U19 Titanium Orange Division.

Ricca is an uncommitted attacking player from the Class of 2027 for PDA North Legacy White ECNL 2009. She’s a polished striker who has been in impressive form this season, turning in strong performances at the ECNL Florida (2 goals, 1 assist) and ECNL Dallas National Events.

Uncommitted Class of 2027 defender Aubrey Malace is a standout center back known for her physical presence, composure, and ability to consistently shut down top attacking threats. The Girls Academy defender recently attended the Mid-Atlantic South Talent ID Camp and played up with Northern Virginia Alliance 07/08 at the GA Champions Cup in Bradenton, FL where she stood out against older competition.

Malace reads the game exceptionally well, wins key 1v1 battles, and distributes confidently out of the back while defending tight and goal-side to deny attackers the space to turn, progress, or create scoring chances. Her disciplined positioning, strong tackling, and ability to close down gaps quickly make her a commanding and highly impactful presence anchoring the back line.