Players That Impressed: Girls Academy 2024 Spring Showcase

The Girls Academy National Events calendar continued this past weekend with the GA Spring Showcase. The event took place from April 18-22 at the Bryan Park Soccer Complex in Browns Summit, North Carolina. (College Coaches)

The GA Spring Showcase featured U15-U19 teams from across the league playing non-conference opponents. To view the results, click here.

Below are some of the top players from the weekend’s event sorted by graduation year. You can also nominate a player who stood out during the event through the following link.

2027

Ella Kate Johnston | Midfielder
Louisiana TDP Elite 09 (LA)

Buried the game-winning goal for TDP in their 1-0 victory against Washington East Surf in U15 Bracket A action. Johnston has excellent field awareness and knows when to hold off and build possession or put her foot on the gas and drive directly at opponents. She is a two-time USYNT ID Center invitee and was recently selected to participate in the GA’s Frontier Conference Talent ID event.

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Rylee Shields | Defender
Michigan Jaguars FC 09 (MI)

Anchored the Michigan Jaguars defense, helping the team go 3-0, with two clean sheets and only giving up one goal on the weekend. Rylee’s quick thinking helped the Jaguars get out of multiple jams and her poise under pressure aided their efforts in building possession out of the back.

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Rory Chiles | Midfielder
Michigan Jaguars FC 08 (MI)

Rory’s work rate, tackling, quick and accurate passing, and play in the air at Defensive Mid helped the Jags control the middle of the field between the 18s all weekend. Rory tracked back well to stop counters from the opposition. Rory’s precise thru balls and over the top accurate lobs set up numerous quality scoring opportunities for the Jags front line. Rory’s play helped lead the Jags to an undefeated weekend in North Carolina with a 2-0-1 record.

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Mila Dillard | Midfielder
Oakwood Soccer Club 08 (CT)

Scored two goals and tallied three assists for Oakwood, playing a pivotal role in the team’s rise to the top of Group B (2-0-1, 7 points). The Northeast Talent ID invitee showed her poise under pressure, netting the game-winning goal in Oakwood’s win over HTX. Dillard is also a member of the ODP East Region Camp and has played for NE Mutiny in the UWS.

2026

PK save to end my last game today. Nice win for @indypremunited! Two games tomorrow before I head home. Thanks @GAcademyLeague for a great event! @ImCollegeSoccer @ImYouthSoccer @TheSoccerWire @PrepSoccer pic.twitter.com/4zYaYZWTKP

— IzzyGibsonGK 🧤⚽️ (@IzzyGibson_GK) April 21, 2024

Parker Dieck | Center Back
Lou Fusz Athletic 08 (MO)

Netted a brace for LFA in their critical 3-2 victory over STA, moving up into the attack on set pieces and punishing defenses with her heading skills. Dieck is an effective two way player that can make the decisive stop on defense and then immediately help build possession out of the back. She is also an expert communicator with her fellow defenders, working together to shore up gaps and ensure that opponents are marked.

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Ariya Barton | Forward
Lou Fusz Athletic 08 (MO)

Provided a constant attacking presence up top for LFA, using her strong right foot to inflict damage on backlines all weekend. She provided a critical assist in Saturday’s 3-2 win against STA and then followed it up with a brilliant goal in their 3-0 win over Albion SC. Barton participated in this year’s GA Frontier Conference ID event and participated in the 2022 International Rush Cup.

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Taylor Stangle | Defender
Wake FC 08 (NC)

Stymied opponent’s attacking ambitions with her close marking and timely tackles, resulting in Wake going undefeated in Group C (2-0-1, 7 points). Stangle can read what attackers are doing and make small adjustments on the field to meet their style of play. She is also highly effective at limiting their passing lanes and forcing them to make high risk crosses and dribbles into dangerous territory.

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Sophie Esders | Forward
RNY FC 07 (NY)

Netted a hat trick in RNY’s 4-3 come from behind victory over Triangle United. Esders deep runs off of the ball and pinpoint passes galvanized Rochester’s attack throughout the weekend, lifting the team to an undefeated record (2-0-1, 7 points) and the top spot in Group P. She times her runs perfectly so that she has ample time to either drive directly at goal or link up with a teammate on a cross or a pass.

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Siena McCree | Goalkeeper
Long Island SC 08 (NY)

Held her own between the posts against three high scoring attacks in FC Tucson (1-1 draw), Santa Clara Sporting (1-1 draw), and Century United (2-1 win). In all three matches, McCree came up huge for LISC towards the final minutes making critical saves in traffic and giving her teammates time to reorganize. Especially in the Tucson match she is unafraid of taking on attackers in one-on-one situations and could lead the counter-attack with a quick throw to the outside.

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Rylee Binion | Defender
Century United FC 08 (PA)

Contributed to the Century defense in back-to-back wins over Santa Clara Sporting (1-0) and FC Tucson (2-1). Binion is always willing to make the difficult track back against speedy attackers. She can time her runs so that she can disrupt their open runs to goal and either box them out or make a tactical clearance to the outside.

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Kaylee Modelski | Center Back
Michigan Jaguars FC 08 (MI)

Operating out of the center back position Modelski provided lockdown defensive work for the Jaguars. Thanks to her clutch clearances and ability to track back on the counter-attack, the Jaguars shut out Indy Premier SC (4-0), while holding Southern Soccer Academy to just one goal (2-1). The former ECNL Midwest All-Conference First Team member also showed she can be an asset on the attack, burying the equalizer goal off of a free kick in Michigan’s 3-3 draw with Long Island SC.

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Emma Bates | Midfielder
HTX 07 (TX)

Whether playing as a six or a ten, Bates dominated midfield play disrupting the opposition’s movement and starting possession out of the back. Her excellent field vision allows for her to pick out weak spots in her opponent’s alignment and exploit them. Bates is coming off of a strong high school season for PNG in which she earned All-State honorable mention honors and will look to use that experience as well as her run of form from the Spring Showcase to put it into HTX’s final push for the playoffs.

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Brooke Langlois | Midfielder
Seacoast United 07 (NH)

The Seacoast midfielder continues to make her presence known both on and off of the ball, providing a constant creative spark. She two direct assists and multiple chances created over the course of the weekend. Her positioning was also on point, giving her the right amount of space and room to break through defenses and create attacking chances. Her experience playing in Europe for ODP’s Northern New England Select Team paid off in critical stretches of each match as she was more than accustomed to the pressure of playing in a big match.

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Chloe Bunton | Midfielder
Louisiana TDP Elite 08 (LA)

Bunton entered the Spring Showcase on a showcase scoring streak, tallying goals in each of her three games at the Winter Showcase. The 2026 midfielder continued her strong run of attacking form, scoring in each of her first two GA Spring Showcase games. A two-time Frontier Conference Talent ID selection, Bunton is coming off of a successful season with Benjamin Franklin High School where she was a runner-up in the State Championship and earned First Team All-State and All-Metro New Orleans honors.

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Bianca Juncaj | Forward
Michigan Jaguars FC 08 (MI)

Scored the go-ahead goal in the Jaguars’ 3-3 draw against Long Island SC and was a constant threat up top all weekend for Michigan. Juncaj has excellent tactical awareness and always puts herself in a strong position to create goal-scoring opportunities. Thanks to her efforts on and off of the ball, the Jaguars scored nine goals which were the most out of U16 Group A.

2025

Ava Skaggs | Midfielder-Defender
Baltimore Armour 07 (MD)

Threaded precise passes into the attacking third for Armour, leading Armour to nine goals and an undefeated record in Group F (3-0-0, 9 points). On matchday one, she set the tone assisting one of Caroline Atwill‘s two goals in their 3-0 win over OL Reign. She added an Olimpico and an assist in their 5-3 victory over Sporting California. In their 1-0 finale over Seacoast United, she kickstarted the game-winning drive by linking up with Ryleigh Alcala who found Ally Mace for the game-winner.

5 GOALS today & @bagirlsacademy win!
⚽️Caroline🅰️Me/Ava🎥2
⚽️Caroline🅰️Sadie🎥3
⚽️Lily🅰️Sadie🎥4
⚽️Aaliyah
⚽️Me/Ava Olimpico🎥 1@ImYouthSoccer @ImCollegeSoccer @TopDrawerSoccer @TheSoccerWire @PrepSoccer @SoccerMomInt @DMVSoccer96 @bagirlsacademy @TopPreps @GAcademyLeague #team pic.twitter.com/wYclpeSyAt

— Ava Skaggs – 2025 (@AvaSkaggsSoccer) April 21, 2024

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Caroline Atwill | Forward-Midfielder
Baltimore Armour 07 (MD)

Scored four of Armour’s nine goals on the weekend, earning braces in their victories over OL Reign and Sporting California. The Eastern Kentucky verbal commit serves as Armour’s number nine and is constantly looking for small gaps in defenses to exploit. After a strong GA Spring Showcase and an undefeated record at the Jefferson Cup Skaggs, Atwill and the Armour attack are setting their sights on the stretch run in the GA Mid-Atlantic Conference.

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Grace McCasland | Forward
Seacoast United 07 (MA)

Knocked home a brace on matchday one to give Seacoast the 2-1 win over Santa Clara Sporting. While her shooting prowess was on point all weekend, McCasland showed off her slick passing skills as well, providing the game-winning assist against OL Reign Academy (2-0). The Binghamton verbal commit will look to continue her strong run of form for Seacoast in Northeast Conference play where they have eight pivotal games in the next month.

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Mackenzie Wallace | Forward-Winger
Lexington Sporting 07 (KY)

The speedy striker scored Lexington’s third goal on Monday, lifting her team 4-0 past NY Rush. The two-time Lexington All-City Player of the Year worked seamlessly with Kennedy Harmon, Jordan Williams, and Reese Patrick to throw multiple attacking options at weary defenses. Whether she is creating her own shot or setting up others, Wallace is a dominant attacking force.

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Kayla Carrasco | Forward
Liverpool FC IA SoCal 05/06 (CA)

Seamlessly switching from her usual left winger position to left outside back, Carrasco stymied some of the fastest forwards in the league, resulting in 3 game-winning shutouts for Liverpool FC IA SoCal in Group E (3-0-0, 10 GF, 0 GA). Carrasco was highly effective at adjusting her style of play to limit the opposing team’s passing lanes, using impressive speed to run overlaps, and delivering wicked left crosses for game-changing assists. Her desire to get on the ball, constant movement, impressive stamina, and technical skill in tight spaces earned her two Player of the Match nominations.

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Lily Kiliski | Midfielder
New York Soccer Club 07 (NY)

Assisted on three of NYSC’s goals over the course of the weekend, leading her to the top of Group B in the U17 age bracket. Kiliski excels at facilitating possessing and moving the ball and sometimes players into a positive position for NYSC. Off of the ball, she can weave through defenders and give herself the right amount of space to connect on passes.