Players that Impressed: Jefferson Cup 2026 Boys Showcase Weekend

The 2026 Jefferson Cup Boys Showcase was held March 27-29 in Richmond, VA featuring 480 of the best teams in the country. (RECAP)

The event, hosted by Richmond United, annually hosts hundreds of college coaches from all levels of the game. The Jefferson Cup has been one of the nation’s top-ranked youth soccer tournaments for over four decades. (COLLEGE COACHES)

Below are some of the top players from the Jefferson Cup Boys Showcase, sorted by graduation year. You can also nominate a player who stood out during the event through the following link.

2029

Joseph Dorsey | Midfielder
Charlotte SA ECNL 2010 (NC)

Applied consistent pressure to the Potomac backline throughout their match on Saturday and came close to giving his team the advantage on at least three strong goal-scoring opportunities. Dorsey has a real nose for goal and positions his body perfectly to make the quick turn and strike at goal. Working alongside midfielder Ryan Harris (2029) and Frank Flores (2029, who scored their second goal) Charlotte have a nice attacking corps to build around for years to come.

2028

Ethan Clarke | Forward / Midfielder
Baltimore Celtic 2010 ECNL (MD)

Smashed home Celtic’s lone goal to earn a 1-1 draw with Fairfax Union ECNL 10 Boys on Friday, finishing off a short free kick by Evan Reyes (2028). In the attacking third, Clarke has excellent instincts and uses his strength and speed to give himself ample space. Playing primarily as a wingback Clarke always seems to know when to move up into the attack and when to stay back and assist in the defense.

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Addison Ling | Midfielder
Charlotte SA ECNL 2010 (NC)

Alternating between the center-back and defensive midfield positions, Ling was highly effective at ensuring maintained their defensive structure. In one-on-one situations with attackers, he gives his opponents little room to work with and can make the precise clears necessary to avoid dangerous situations. When CSA is in a jam, Ling is there to make the plays that his team needs to earn a result.

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Anthony Lisi | Defender
SDA 2010 MLS NEXT AD (NY)

Slotting in at the left-back position, Lisi was instrumental in pushing the Syracuse counter-attack on Sunday against Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 2010 ECRL group. His strong defensive work and consistent ball control helped open up play quickly for SDA resulting in a 3-0 victory and a goal for his efforts.

2027

Ryan Curcio | Midfielder / Forward
SUSA FC ECNL 2009 (NY)

Alongside Tony Garcia (more on him in a minute) Curcio led the attacking charge for SUSA on Sunday scoring a goal and adding an assist to earn their third consecutive victory in the U17 Championship Division. On the field Curcio is highly focused, always making small adjustments to give his team whatever advantage they can take.

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Tony Garcia | Midfielder / Forward
SUSA FC ECNL 2009 (NY)

Curcio’s strike partner up top for SUSA, Garcia added a goal and an assist himself in the victory over the Boston Bolts. In one touch passing situations, Garcia excels making the quick, quiet runs off of the ball that lead to maximum gains for his team. He can also pick out his teammates with pacey passes that lead to goal-scoring opportunities.

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Jaxson Weber | Forward
SUSA FC ECNL 2009 (NY)

Provided consistent pressure through the outside all weekend for SUSA, using his speed and silky smooth dribbling skills to to give defenses fits. He also possesses a a thunderous left foot and can place crosses into the box with relative ease. Defensively, he can also stem counter-attacks with a quick stop and a simple misdirection.

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Kai Heson | Midfielder
Boston Bolts 2009 MLS NEXT AD (MA)

Sparked the second half resurgence for Boston against SUSA, using his strong technical skills to open up play and create goal-scoring opportunities. Working alongside Nolan Golding (2027) and Owen Spinney (2028) Heson found space throughout the pitch to exploit. He also showed off his shooting range, burying a long-distance strike to put Boston within one. Although they came up just short, Heson’s drive and persistence throughout the entire match kept Boston in the game until the final seconds.

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Christopher Washington | Midfielder
VDA 2009 ECNL (VA)

Maintained VDA’s shape throughout the midfield in the second half against FC Pride, using his quick footwork and acute understanding of where his teammates were on the field to seal the 2-1 victory. As a co-captain, Washington proved that he can deliver under pressure constantly communicating with his teammates on tactical adjustments that needed to be made in order to counter their opponents advances.

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William Noon | Goalkeeper
Potomac Soccer ECNL 2010 (MD)

Faced significant pressure from Charlotte SA in the first half during Sunday’s match but rose to the occasion making seven saves to keep the match close. Noon has excellent instincts between the posts and can time his dives perfectly to make the difficult stops. He also possesses a cracking right foot and will take on attackers in one-on-one situations. Although the result didn’t go their way, Potomac has a strong goalkeeping corps that will undoubtedly help them in ECNL North Atlantic Conference play.

2026

Elias Booth | Forward
AC Connecticut 2007/2008 ECNL (CT)

Knocked home a brace in the second half against Benfica U18 Boys on Sunday to give AC their first victory in the U19 Championship Division. Booth has a clever first touch which he uses to immediately drive at defenses. He also understands when to hit shots with pace and when to focus on location, which gives defenders headaches because it makes him difficult to break down. His work on the outside helped open up the middle for fellow striker Brady Fitzgerald to knock home AC’s final goal.