Players to Watch: ECNL Girls 2024 National Finals

The ECNL Girls will wrap up their 2023-2024 season with their National Finals, which will take place July 11-14 in Richmond, Virginia. (Event Homepage)

This year’s ECNL National Finals will feature 40 teams from across the league’s U13-U17 age groups. The U18/U19 Championship was decided at the National Playoffs in Seattle with San Diego Surf winning top honors.

Ahead of the weekend’s action, here are some players to know from this year’s event. Players are listed according to their graduation year.

2028

Arya Pfeiffer | Midfielder-Forward
Slammers HB Koge 10 (CA)

Opens up passing lanes for Slammers with her diagonal runs at goal and consistent ball control, forcing defenders to backtrack and get out of position. Pfeiffer is also an asset on set pieces and can frame her corners and free kicks perfectly so they are right at goal for her teammates to finish. She has participated in Mexico’s U14 and U15 Talent ID Camps this season and is a member of the ODP National Selection Team.

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Brooke Volpp | Goalkeeper
San Diego Surf 09 (CA)

Earned three clean sheets in Group Play and followed it up with a dominant performance in the Round of 16 against Concorde Fire Platinum (4-1). Volpp has superb technique in goal and can angle herself perfectly in one-on-one situations to give herself the best chance to make the save. Volpp earned a USWYNT U-15 call-up in October and attended the San Diego Wave camp this spring.

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Alexis Fischer | Goalkeeper
Eclipse Select SC 09 (IL)

Sprawled out to make a critical save in the penalty kick shootout to defeat FC Dallas in a tight Round of 16 battle. The USYNT U15 ID Camp invitee has flawless technique and goal and expertly organizes her defense to meet what opponents are throwing at them. Eclipse have a strong goalkeeper in goal that allows for them to build out of the back.

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Mary Orobono | Defender
Penn Fusion 09 (PA)

A highly versatile left-back, Orobono can make a defensive stop and then immediately switch into attack mode. Although she plays on the left she is comfortable driving at defenses with either foot making her difficult to break down. She added a goal and two assists to PFSA’s scoring output this season and played a critical role in their stretch run.

2027

Rae Young | Forward
Solar SC 09 (TX)

Consistently delivers for Solar’s 09s in clutch moments this season, using her speed and expert footwork to create space against tired legs. Young continued her torrid scoring run in the Round of 16 against SLSG Navy, scoring the game-winner in a tough 1-0 victory to clinch Solar’s spot in Virginia. Young is a pure number nine and is dangerous in open space or with her back to goal.

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Isabella Kail | Goalkeeper
Penn Fusion 08 (PA)

Blanked Tennessee Soccer Club 1-0 to book Penn Fusion’s spot in the Quarterfinals. On set pieces, Kail takes charge diving into traffic to make the decisive save or punch out. The Eastern Pennsylvania ODP member has excellent glove work and uses it to whip long throws out to her players on either flank to open up play.

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Deus Stanislaus | Forward-Midfielder
PDA Blue 09 (NJ)

Raked in five goals in PDA’s run through the National Playoffs thus far, including netting their lone goal off of a free kick in the Round of 16 against Utah Royals. Stanislaus is deadly in the final third for PDA and works with an overall star-studded attacking unit.

2026

Olivia Rubinich | Defender
Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 08 (PA)

Led Penn Fusion to an undefeated record in Group Play at the National Finals winning all three matches while allowing just four goals. In the Round of 16, they ran into a high-scoring press-oriented attack in Sporting Blue Valley. But the PFSA backline, led by Rubinich, grinded out a 5-2 victory and a spot in the Elite Eight. The All-American once again proved that she can dig deep against the best in the country and do what is necessary to earn results.

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Mia Herbert | Forward
Kansas City Athletics 07 (KS)

Opened up the National Playoffs with an exclamation point, scoring a brace in a 4-2 win over Concorde Fire Platinum. She added a solo goal on matchday two, holding off Match Fit Academy 1-0. Herbert can hit shots at a variety of speeds and times her runs perfectly so she can connect with passes in tight spaces. For Notre Dame de Sion Herbert has earned First Team All-State and All-Region honors.

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Jasmine McNish | Defender
FC Stars 08 (MA)

A members of Trinidad and Tobago’s under-17 National Team, McNish has led a stout defensive line that allowed only three goals in the ECNL National Playoffs. At six feet tall, McNish is an asset both on the ground and in the air for the Stars and can make key plays on both sides of the pitch. In one-on-one situations with an attacker she is effective at closing out attackers and clearing out difficult balls before they become goal-scoring opportunities.

2025

Maddy Herniter | Center Back
Beach FC 07 (CA)

Showed the attacking spark that she brings to Beach, scoring twice in a 5-1 victory over Concorde Fire Platinum. On the defensive end, Herniter likes to closely mark attackers giving them little space to work with and closing down passing lanes. Using her strong right foot, Herniter pushes Beach from a defensive posture to an attacking one while also maintaining Beach’s shape.

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Ava Paolini | Defender
Slammers HB Koge 07 (CA)

The Florida verbal commit has anchored the Koge defense for multiple years now and led an imposing backline this season back into the playoffs. She can plug gaps quickly in the backline and works seamlessly with her line mates to stem counter-attacking chances. Koge have made a habit of playing in the National Finals and are looking to reclaim top honors after placing second last year.

2024