Scout’s View: Class of 2028 Standouts from the 2026 Jefferson Cup Girls Showcase

The 2026 Jefferson Cup Girls Showcase was held March 20-22 in Richmond, VA featuring around 500 of the best teams in the country. (RECAP)

Longtime scout Jerry Penkala, owner and operator of JTF Academy, was on hand for the tournament, and compiled a list of some of the top players that he watched from the Class of 2028. These prospects are just a couple months away from entering their active recruiting period, and they turned in some really strong performances with hundreds of college coaches on hand in Richmond. (COLLEGE COACHES)

See below for Penkala’s top performers.

Graduation: 2028

Zara Burke

Forward Defender

FC DELCO

ECNL Girls

Versatile enough to play both center back and forward, Zara stood out at forward in the game I watched. Strong, athletic, fast, and vertical, she constantly troubled defenders with her relentless movement, speed and off ball runs. When she possessed, she had the confidence to drive at defenders, and the field vision to dish off to her wingers if that was the best option. She was also disruptive on her own with her high-pressing leading to turnovers and making life difficult for the opposing back line.

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Parker Walton – Goalkeeper
North Carolina FC Youth 2009 ECNL (NC)

While I have seen Parker play in the past, she might have been one of the biggest surprises of the entire showcase. She always had the size, athleticism, and high soccer IQ to compete at the Power 4 D1 level, but she showed major development across multiple areas. Her tracking and positioning on corners and services into the box, shot-blocking, and coverage from every angle were all outstanding. She also displayed improved foot distribution, directional goal kicks, and consistent punts over 60 yards. In short, she was the best goalkeeper I saw all weekend and has clearly established herself as one of the best keepers in the 2028 ECNL class.

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Olivia Jones – Defender
Syracuse DA 2009 Girls Academy (NY)

A starter on last year’s National Champion 2009 Girls Academy team, Olivia was the most dominant defender I watched all weekend. Strong, intimidating, fast, and technically sound, she repeatedly shut down the opposition’s best attacking player with clean, physical defending. She has all the tools to make an immediate impact as a college defender when she arrives on campus in 2028 clearly one of the best Girls Academy ’28 defenders.

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Cassie Greiner – Midfielder
New England Surf 2009 (MA)

Tall, fast, extremely technical, and clever on the ball, Cassie was the clear focal point of nearly every offensive threat for her Surf team. Even as the opposing team (NCFC) increasingly doubled her in midfield and on transitions, her composure and confidence on the ball allowed her to maintain possession, beat markers, and continue creating dangerous offensive attacks, especially when she consistently completed high-percentage passes and switched the field quickly and accurately.

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Mikaela Bull – Midfielder
Coppermine SC 2009 Girls Academy (MD)

Another impressive 2028 playing up on the 09s, Mikaela was the glue that connected defense to attack for a talented and well-coached Coppermine team. With great size, speed, and toughness in 1v1 defensive situations, she was composed on the ball whether recovering after a tackle or progressing forward. Her vision, wall passes, and accurate longer-range passes stood out, as did her quiet confidence and competitive edge.

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Kendall Homs – Defender
Albion Hurricanes FC 2010 ECNL RL (TX)

Kendall ended up one of my favorite players to watch based on her feisty and highly physical play. She completely owned her side of the field when playing left back, and did a great job in support when sliding into the center. Using her size and athleticism to intimidate opponents, she combined relentless work rate with a competitive nature that made her extremely effective. She’s the type of defender college coaches love having on their team — and hate facing.

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Macie Boyd – Midfielder
PA Classics Girls Academy (PA)

Macie’s prolific speed and pace was a constant problem for opponents — both her quick footwork in tight spaces and her explosiveness in open space. She was also one of those feisty, ‘clean mean’ players that took every single minute on the field personally, whether it was defensive on 1v1s, or offensively when driving at players and creating space. She also had some of the most consistent, impactful off ball runs which caused havoc anywhere from 35-40 yards and in from goal and made her a constant focus for her opponents all weekend.

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Adrianna Rizzotto – Defender
LVU Rush 2009 Girls Academy (PA)

Adrianna displayed the complete skill set college coaches look for in an outside back: the ability to lock down her flank and prevent end-line crosses, combined with the timing and desire to get forward and contribute offensively from distance. Her high-energy, work rate, and smart decision-making ensured she never left her back line exposed during transitions. Tough, fearless and had the rare skill set to be impactful defensively as well as offensively.

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Kelsee Axford – Winger / Forward
North Carolina FC Youth 2009 ECNL (NC)

Tall, extremely athletic, and blessed with long-striding speed that opponents struggled to match, Kelsee was dangerous on either flank. She delivered pinpoint crosses better than any other player I saw at the showcase and proved to be a consistent threat whether playing right or left wing.

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Aubrey Stamets – Defender
LVU Rush 2010 Girls Academy (PA)

Aubrey has that rare “looks the part” quality. Extremely athletic and tough, she possesses sneaky speed with a sudden burst that catches attackers off guard. Her defensive technique is outstanding in both 1v1 situations and when providing support. She was one of the top defenders I saw across the entire weekend.

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Hannah Dimperio – Winger / Forward
RNY FC 2010 Girls Academy (NY)

Hannah was an offensive terror every moment she stepped on the field this weekend. Her gritty mindset coupled with her shorter stature and smooth lightening pace on the wing took a lot of defenders by surprise. She has a ‘born scorer’ skill set of finishing everything she put on frame as well as always having the knack of being in the perfect position around the 18 with smart off ball runs. She came in off the bench in the game I saw and was immediately not only the best offensive player in that game, but one of the best offensive players at the showcase.

OTHER PLAYERS OF NOTE- (HONORABLE MENTION)