Earlier this week, the ECNL Girls announced their 2022-23 All-Conference Team selections and individual Players of the Year for the U15-U19 age groups.
Included amongst the award winners were 33 SoccerWire Featured Players. The list of Featured Players includes multiple members of the U.S. Youth National Team roster pool, 22 uncommitted players, and eight players that have committed to some of the top programs in the country, including North Carolina, Duke, Villanova, College of Charleston, Ole Miss, Pepperdine, TCU and South Florida.
One member of SoccerWire’s Featured Player program – Alex Pfeiffer – was named U17 Player of the Year in the Midwest Conference, as the USYNT roster pool member shined during SLSG Navy’s National Championship run.
Below is a deeper look at each of our Featured Players who earned All-Conference honors.
A multiple-time call-up to the U.S. Women’s Youth National Team, Gonzalez was recently at the U18 camp back in April. Alyssa has committed to playing college soccer this fall at USC.
Brown was a key attacking piece for a Tennessee SC team that made successive appearances in the ECNL National Playoffs in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. She will be joining Ole Miss in the fall, joining a Rebels group that went 9-7-4 and has won three SEC West titles.
Earned her second consecutive ECNL All-Conference honors after a standout season up top for Penn Fusion Soccer. Shumate has verbally committed to playing college in 2024 at Villanova University.
Scored two goals as a defender during the regular season, and anchored a defense that finished in the top three in their division. EMSC went to Nationals in San Diego and played in the North American Cup, finishing 2-1. In their first game against Davis Legacy, she scored in the first round of penalties helping her side earn the victory.
As the number eight for the Thorns last season, Cox was instrumental in creating clever attacking chances for her teammates to exploit. It paid off as Portland made their way to the ECNL Playoffs Round of 16.
Played up a year for Solar at the 2006 level yet led the team in both goals (36) and assists (13). What’s equally impressive is that she missed multiple games throughout the season due to her commitments with the U.S. Youth National Team (she was the top goalscorer at the 2022 CONCACAF U15 tournament and received the Best Player Award at the 2023 U16 Mondial Montaigu Tournament). In the postseason, she added an additional six goals and two assists for Solar, who finished as National Runners-Up.
The primary starting goalkeeper for South Carolina United FC during the 2022-2023 season, Chunn was instrumental for the side having a strong 2022-2023 season. She was recently named to the United Soccer Coaches Winter/Spring High School Girls All-Atlantic Region team and has verbally committed to playing college soccer at the College of Charleston.
Represented Eagles SC at the ECNL National Selection game at the New Jersey Showcase this past spring. Spears can weave together multiple passing sequences that can either move her side into an attacking position or consume large portions of the clock, depending upon what her team needs at the time.
A Duke University verbal commit, Long led her club side Slammers HB Koge to the 2007 Finals where they narrowly lost to eventual champions Solar SC 6-5. Long recently toured with Capelli as part of their international series of friendlies, where she scored a goal and earned an assist against Manchester City in their 4-0 win.
Spearheaded the DKSC 07 defense to a spot in the ECNL Playoffs, where they held a strong CESA attacking side goalless in the Group Stage. Sine recently represented the U.S. U17 Women’s Youth National Team in February for their series of friendlies against England.
For SLSG Green, Blakely in the center back role was able to help hold all opponents to 17 goals allowed for the year (second-lowest in the ECNL). She was also integral in set pieces, scoring eight goals in all contests. In postseason play, Blakely moved to SLSG Navy where she played in three different roles (wing mid, defensive mid, and center back). SLSG Navy was able to hold off Solar SC to capture the U17 ECNL National Championship.
Although Peyton primarily started in the center-back position for St. Louis Scott Gallagher she was a key attacking piece, scoring six goals and tallying three assists. SLSG made it to the ECNL Playoffs thanks in large part to Duffing’s defensive marking and decisive clears against attackers.
As the primary striker for the MVLA, Walsh scored the go-ahead goal in their 4-o ECNL Playoff opener against DKSC. She scored her second of the playoffs in their 2-0 win over CESA to help push her team into the Round of 16.
Organized the Match Fit Academy midfield effectively while providing excellent service to her teammates all season long. In league play, she scored six goals and tallied four assists while adding an additional two goals and an assist in Showcase matches. During the ECNL playoffs, she hit a pivotal pass that helped Match Fit earn a 2-1 win over the Utah Avalanche.
Led the Loudoun SC backline as a center-back that recorded 25 clean sheets during the 2022-2023 ECNL season, earning a spot in the National Playoffs. The two-time All Conference center back is a shutdown defender in one-on-one situations that can also stem counter-attacks with her recovery speed. A dynamic two-way, she scored seven goals during the regular season.
Started at center midfield and scored multiple goals for a World Class team that made it to the National Quarterfinals before losing out to the eventual champions. While her scoring touch certainly helped her team make a deep run in the playoffs, she was equally effective at creating chances for her teammates, making countless assists for her teammates up top throughout the season. Lombardo has a strong work ethic and is a leader, both on and off of the pitch.
An electric striker that can hit goals from anywhere inside the eighteen yard box, Erim was selected to the ECNL National Selection Game at the Houston Showcase event. At the High School level, she led Harpeth Hall to their first Division II AA state championship, scoring a brace.
Scored 21 goals and tallied 16 assists during league play while playing up an age year (she is a 2007 playing at the 2006 age level). In the playoffs, she continued her scoring tear, bagging 10 goals and notching seven assists to help lead SLSG Navy 06 to their second consecutive National Championship. Was named U17 Player of the Year in the Midwest Conference in addition to her All-Conference selection.
Slotting in at the center-back position, Stearns was a part of a So Cal Blues backline that conceded just 13 goals during the regular season. Their strong defensive continued during the ECNL Playoffs, where the California team made it to the Round of 16 and held the eventual champions Michigan Hawks to just a goal. Stearns was also a asset on the counter-attack and set pieces, scoring seven goals off of headers across all competitions for the Blues, while lacing countless dangerous balls into the box for her teammates to capitalize on (in addition to her role as center-back she would also alternate as an outside back and in the midfield).
Was an integral part of De Anza’s Round of 16 run in the ECNL Playoffs, playing at both the midfield and forward positions. McCormick is always looking for that little piece of space to exploit in the attacking third and can hit shots on target with a variety of speeds.
Wells is a two-time USYNT ID Camp invitee and was recently selected for Arizona’s Olympic Development Program. The 2026 midfielder makes timely runs off of the ball and can hit passes to her teammates accurately with one touch, a skill that she used quite frequently while playing with Arizona Arsenal in the ECNL last season.
Played up a year as a 2008 for the ‘Hounds last season and scored 15 goals while adding 6assists. In the ECNL Playoffs, she scored five of her fifteen goals and earned an assist. She has been a mainstay of the U.S. National Futsal Team system for the past two years while also being called up to the U15 USWYNT (she was recently called up for friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands where she scored a goal).
Serving as the attacking catalyst for Richmond in both the midfield and at the forward position, Serafim led United to the Group Stage at this year’s ECNL 08 playoffs. The side held their own against three tough opponents, losing by a goal to both Legends FC (0-1) and MVLA (1-2) before earning a 3-3 draw against Sting Austin.
Ally played rightback and centerback for her Arlington Soccer Association ECNL team which ended the season as co-Champions of the Mid-Atlantic Conference. After 12 conference games, the team compiled an 8-2-2 record, with only 17 goals against (1.4/game). Ally and the defense had five clean sheets in conference play, and the team qualified for the ECNL National Playoffs.
Alternated as a forward / midfielder for Concorde’s Platinum 08 side that reached the ECNL Playoffs. During the 2022-2023 season, Malsom scored 22 goals while adding 7 assists.
Brooklyn had an incredible freshman year racking up 105 saves in ECNL SE Region for Concorde Fire Premiere and then on her high school team splitting time between GK and CAM where she scored 12 goals and 7 assists while only allowing 3 goals. As a Captain on her HS as a freshman she led her team to the state semi-finals. She capped an outstanding freshman campaign at ECNL Nationals in San Diego where she recorded 42 saves in 3 games 1 clean sheet and 1 assist. She was ECNL All-Conference, All-State (GA), All-Conference, and All Bi-City Team. She was offensive POY on her HS team as a freshman. She had an astounding 91.3 save percentage, 7 clean sheets and almost 150 save in 18 games an avg of over 8 saves per game in all ECNL competitions including a remarkable 15 saves against #5 San Juan in the ECNL Playoffs
Scored eight goals for Pipeline in ECNL league play last season, helping the team qualify for the Playoffs in San Diego where they won one game in the group stage. As both a forward and midfielder, Mutinda makes precise runs off of the ball and can either hit a shot from distance or creating an attacking chance for her teammates with highly accurate service.
A member of San Juan SC’s ECNL 08s that made it to the Group Stage at this year’s ECNL Playoffs, Leifried at the age of 14 recently signed to play for Academica SC in the USL W-League. In addition to her club exploits, Leifried has also represented the USYNT at the U14 level.
Shepherded the Bay Area Surf midfield during the ECNL Playoffs to a 3-2 win over FSA FC to cap their 2022-2023 season. Earlier in the spring, she scored a goal for US Club Soccer’s iD2 National Selection team in their 5-2 win over Everton FC in England.
Loudoun earned a spot in the ECNL Playoffs thanks in large part to McKeen’s steady attacking work along up top. She was part of a forward unit that scored five goals in three matches in California, including a 3-1 win over La Roca in their opener.
Serving as a number nine and as an attacking midfielder for Richmond United, Newman led the team in goals during the regular season and National playoffs. During the playoffs, Jenna contributed to three of her team’s four goals, scoring two and assisting 1. Richmond had a great playoff run, losing by only one goal to the eventual national runners-up.
The Class of 2024 forward had a dazzling performance on the attacking side of the field for Atlanta Fire United at the U17 level, earning her 2nd team All-Conference honors in the Southeast.
The team captain for the KC Athletics 2008 squad, Kincaid earned 1st Team All-Conference honors in the Midwest. She was also selected for the inaugural ECNL Conference Cup, and was part of the national champion Central Team.
