Players To Watch: ECNL Girls Fall 2023 Phoenix National Event

The ECNL Girls National Events calendar continues with ECNL Phoenix from November 10-12 at Reach 11 Sports Complex. (College Coaches)

ECNL Phoenix will feature 120 teams from across the league’s U16-U18/U19 age groups. To view the schedule for ECNL Phoenix, click here.

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.

You can nominate also nominate a player who has stood out this season that will be attending the event through the following link.

2027

Laina Harder | Defender-Midfielder
Slammers HB Koge 08 (CA)

Anchors a strong Slammers backline that has earned five clean sheets and allowed five goals allowed in league play. Harder runs a highly organized backline that works seamlessly one another to hold opponents at bay. In terms of her timing, she can make it so that her challenges break up attacking chances without putting her team at risk.

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Isabella Kamer | Midfielder
Sporting Blue Valley 08 (KS)

Always an option for her teammates in possession, Kamer moves well without the ball and she does well playing 1-2 touch to get away from pressure and change the point of attack for her team. Kamer is quick in tight spaces and difficult to mark with her excellent first touch. She is an ideal prospect for a possession-dominant style of play.

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Pilar Garcia | Forward
Sting Dallas Royal 08 (TX)
Lightning quick, Garcia can break through any defensive line and immediately create goal-scoring opportunities for Sting. A bronze medal winner at the Junior Olympics and an All-American, she posted the fastest AAU time in the open 400 meters in Texas. On the pitch, she can take that speed and turn it to her team’s advantage, making smart, timely runs off of the ball while avoiding drawing the offsides caution.

All-American ? pic.twitter.com/BCRjnEd44D

— Pilar Garcia (@pilargarc1a) August 7, 2022

2026

Mackenzie Hildebrand | Defender
Boise Thorns 08 (ID)

A Swiss Army Knife on the field for the Thorns, Hildebrand plays multiple positions along the defense and in the midfield, excelling at all of them. She possesses lightning quick speed and can either make the track back on defense to stem a counter-attack or jumpstart the attack with a dartin run down the flank. She is also an asset on set pieces, as evidenced by this Olimpico scored while playing for her high school, Timberline.

@michaellycklama might have to slip this shot into next weeks top plays Olimpico by Mackenzie Hildebrand @TimbWolvesAD @IdahoStatesman @sicathletics pic.twitter.com/V23sC4c9w1

— Michael Najera (@najeraww) October 12, 2023

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Ivana Vukas | Midfielder
Eclipse Select 08 (IL)

Scored a brace in Eclipse’s 7-0 win over Sporting Iowa, bookending an undefeated weekend in the Midwest Conference. In the midfield, Vukas can hit a variety of passes from both short and long distance. Her sense of timing is also on point and can either slow play down when holding a leading or speed it up if they need a goal.

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Annabelle Egeland | Defender
Eclipse Select 08 (IL)

Captained Eclipse to an eight game unbeaten run in October, including back-to-back wins over Michigan Hawks Magic (3-0) and SLSG Navy (2-0). Egeland remains cool and calm under pressure and can make the decisive clear to help her team organize. She helps set up the attack by providing strong coverage in the back and making high-quality passes to the midfielders.

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Tatum Mailander | Defender
Eclipse Select 08 (IL)

Captained Eclipse’s O8s recently to a draw with Michigan Hawks and provided the game-tying goal. Her stout defensive work was also integral in their 2-0 win over St. Louis Scott Gallagher Navy to help with playoff seeding. Tatum is a lock down defender who is also dangerous making runs, getting crosses off and hitting long strikes on goal. Her strength and speed along with her back line teammates make her one of the top defenders in the 2008 age group.

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Haley Cramer | Forward / Midfielder
KC Athletics 07 (MO)

An ECNL Midwest Conference All-First Team selection, Cramer is quick and creative with the ball on the attack and smart with the ball in back. She has tallied multiple goals and assist this ECNL Season. Cramer works hard on both ends of the field connecting passes with midfielders and defenders. She can quickly transition to an attacking mode, driving the ball down the wing with her speed or cutting to the inside to help create the most threatening scoring opportunities for her team.

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Olivia Feagin | Midfielder
Challenge SC 07 (TX)

A highly technical, box-to-box midfielder with the vision to create chances for her team as well as herself. Her technical ability gets herself out of tight spaces. She is also strong defensively and consistently plays her team out of pressure. Her off the ball movement is strong, finding spaces on the field to make plays.

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Bella D’Amico | Midfielder
Santa Rosa United 07 (CA)

Led her club team in goals last season with 15 while playing mostly on defense. D’Amico has twice been named to the ECNL Northwest and NorCal First Teams and started at last year’s Continental Tire All-Star Game.

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Mia Hurd | Goalkeeper
FC Wisconsin 07 (WI)

Splits time in goal, alternating every other half with Alianna Banner. Through eleven games and 495 minutes, she has allowed only three goals and held opponents scoreless during eight matches.

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Anna Taylor | Defender
Colorado Rapids 08 (CO)

Helped her team go undefeated last year in the Northwest Conference. She was also awarded Player of the game against Crossfire Premier 08s. She also helped her team secure a win against Sting Dallas Royal by scoring a goal in their 2-1 win.

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Kyla Dawn | Forward
Legends FC 07 (CA)

Over the last three years Dawn has scored 121 goals across all competitions (116 in the ECNL and 5 for the USWYNT). Her combination of power and speed coupled with a high motor make her a difficult player to breakdown. She is also an excellent leader on the pitch, having been a part of Legends’ 2021 National Championship and their two Elite Eight Appearances.

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Izzy Sivadon | Goalkeeper
Kansas City Athletics Elite 08 (KS)

Has led the Atheltics to a 4-3-3 record on 15 points in a difficult Mid-America Conference. Sivadon possesses excellent footwork and can help her team build out of the back with a simple pass or throw to the outside.

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Clara Dowdle | Defender
Sting Dallas Royal 07 (TX)

Has been named to team of the week for Royal ECNL two times already this fall for her outstanding defensive play. She is a versatile OB that can also join the attacks as well as being a lock down defender.

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Tyller Grimes | Defender
Sting Dallas Black 08 (TX)

Led Sting to an undefeated record through ten games (which included six clean sheets and only six goals allowed) in a tough ECNL Texas conference. Grime is an aerial threat in both boxes. On the attacking end, she created the game-winning goal in the Texas Conference Cup semifinals, connected on a header inside Real Colorado National’s box. Her header deflected off of the goalie and find a teammate for the lone goal. Sting would go on to defeat Solar 4-2 in penalties (1-1 in regulation) to clinch their spot in the ECNL playoffs next June.

2025

Cecilia Nowicki | Defender
Jacksonville SC 07 (FL)

Spearheaded the Jacksonville FC defense to an ECNL Final Four appearance last season. Nowicki can hit the long ball to teammates on the wings to lead the counter-attack but can also make the smart, short passes that force opponents to chase. She is also an asset on set pieces and can use her height to hit shots on target or help set up her teammates.

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Ava Lamothe | Defender
Sporting Blue Valley 07 (KS)

As an outside back/wing back, Ava possesses a natural left-footed advantage and excels in her ability and speed to navigate up and down the line. Her standout performance lies in her ability to slow down the opposing attack with her one-on-one defensive situations. Ava also exhibits impressive ball-handling skills and agility, which she leverages effectively during offensive plays to generate scoring opportunities.

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Sierra Cordola | Goalkeeper
Eagles SC 07 (CA)

Leads the Eagles backline with her acrobatic saves and decisive shot-stopping ability. On the pitch, Cordola can pick out attackers intentions with ease, either making the decisive stop or calling it out to her defenders to ensure that coverage is met.

Close call today 😉@JennyJaggard @Downeysoft0887 @boydieee13 @USUMannyMartins @KRONISACADEMY @CoachJButt @CDJ20 pic.twitter.com/IjsJhits4Q

— Sierra Cordola ???? (@CordolaSierra) October 1, 2023

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Abriana Ruiz | Defender
Colorado Rapids 07 (CO)

A tough and physical defender, Abriana leads the talented Colorado Rapids 2007 backline. She is technically very proficient and has used her speed and field awareness to shut down some of the best attackers in the Texas Conference this season. On the attacking end, she uses her height to on set pieces to help create goal-scoring opportunities for her team.

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Alaina Villa | Midfielder
Slammers 07 (CA)

An ECNL Southwest Conference All-First Team selection last season, Villa is a hard-working midfielder that provides an immediate impact to her team whenever she steps foot on the field. As Slammers’ center attacking midfield, she led their high-flying attack last season to a ECNL National Playoffs Sweet 16 appearance last season.

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Kylie O’Donnell | Midfielder-Forward
Eagles SC 07 (CA)

An aggressive midfielder that likes to press defenses, O’Donnell is also a sharp passer and can deliver quality service to her teammates with both pace and speed. O’Donnell last season was an Elite 64 National Champion in US Youth Soccer and a National Champion with US Club soccer in 2022
and has received Best XI honors with USYS.

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Ryan Fogel | Defender
Dallas Texans 07 (TX)

Ryan is a tough, smart and physical defender who can make all range of passes with both feet. She is a possession-first style defender but is capable of going to ground, winning aerial challenges, and tight containment in one on one challenges to shut down an attack. She was a critical piece of the Texan’s defense that recorded eleven shutouts in ECNL league play last year (tied for 2nd place in shutouts in the highly competitive Texas Conference) and helped lock down the back line as a freshman starter on the Ursuline Academy of Dallas’s State Championship team in 2023.

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Rowann Law | Midfielder
St. Louis Scott Gallagher Navy 07 (MO)

Rowann made the move from Central IL United of the Girls Academy this summer to play for SLSG’s Navy team this season and and has made an immediate impact at the left winger position. She was invited to the GA Mid-America Talent ID clinic over the summer and scored the first goal at IHSA 2A HS State Championship to win 1st place. Over the past few years she was selected twice for the Illinois ODP State Select team, ODP Reg Invite & Regional Pool Team and USYS National President’s Cup Best XI.

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Rylann Law | Midfielder
St. Louis Scott Gallagher Navy 07 (MO)

Alongside her sister Rowann, Rylann also made the move to SLSG over the summer from Central Illinois United. She was also invited to the GA’s Mid-America Talent ID over the summer. At the high school level, she scored the second goal at the IHSA 2A HS State Championship to win first place and give her school the insurance they needed in overtime for a 2-0 win. She ended her HS season with a record-breaking 42 goals and was selected for the IHSSCA All State Team. Over the past few years, she was twice selected for the Illinois ODP State Select team ,as well as the ODP Reg Invite & Regional Pool Team.

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Kianna Perez | Midfielder
Gretna Elite Academy 07 (NE)

Coming off of a year in which she was recovering from an ACL injury, Perez has thrived this season scoring key goals for Gretna in the Midwest Conference. In 2022, she was named to the ECNL Midwest All-Conference First Team and participated in an ECNL National Selection Game. From the midfield, she provides an attacking spark and can also slot in at the forward position.

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Brooklyn Fuller | Midfielder
Legends FC 07 (CA)

A versatile midfielder. Brooklyn makes an impact in all three facets of the game. Whether she is playing holding or an attacking midfield or playing as a wing, she is a difference-maker on the pitch and makes her teammates better. One of the leading scorers on a strong Legends team, Brooklyn has a knack for scoring big goals from anywhere on the field.

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Ashle Reese | Defender
Eagles SC 07 (CA)

A part of California’s ODP for several years, she has been recognized as one of the top players in the Southern California region. She also received accolades for her high school team Harvard Westlake as a center back and as am outside back. Her strength is her speed, her vision for a killer pass, and her offensive threat.

2024

Tiffani Vegaalban | Midfielder
Davis Legacy SC 06/05(CA)

Scored seven goals and tallied one assist alongside five build-up assists for Legacy thus far this season in the ECNL. Vegaalban has picked up where she left off last season which saw her earn U17 Northern California All-Conference honors.