Players To Watch: ECNL Girls Regional League 2023 St. Louis Showcase

The ECNL Girls Regional League national event calendar will continue with ECNL RL St. Louis from December 8-10 in St. Louis, Missouri.

ECNL RL Virginia will feature 180 teams from across the league’s U15-U18/U19 age groups. To view the schedule 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.

2028

Payton Harron | Defender
D’Feeters Kicks SC 09 (TX)

Serves as team captain and leads a DKSC defense that has allowed just one goal in nine conference games. Harron plays at the centerback position where she uses her superior vision to build plays out of the back and help run the counter.

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Tiffany Morris | Defender
Imperial SC 09 (TX)

Operates from the center back position and is lighting in her defensive position. She is vocal on the field and has great positional awareness all around.

2027

Taylor McHugh | Goalkeeper
D’Feeters Kicks SC 09 (TX)

Earned eight clean sheets to start the season for DKSC, propelling her team to a 9-2-1 record on 28 points in ECNL play. McHugh possesses excellent vision and uses it to make diving saves in even the thickest of traffic inside of the box. From her vantage point, she uses what she is seeing from her opponents to give her defenders valuable insight into how they can prevent goal-scoring opportunities.

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Presley Schmidt | Forward
FC Wichita 08 (IA)

Recently invited to participate in the USYNT Talent ID Center event in Kansas City, Schmidt is one of the top forwards in her age group in the ECNL-RL. In addition to featuring for their girls 08 team, she also plays for the boys 2008 team, and for their under-20 United Women’s Soccer League team. A Heartland All-Regional League team member last season, she was instrumental in lifting Wichita to a Quarterfinal appearance in last year’s ECNL-RL playoffs.

Congratulations to Presley Schmidt! Good luck and enjoy the soccer ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/j3XOOaI5K0

— FC Wichita Academy (@fcwacademy) September 12, 2023

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Caroline Kolb | Defender
Arkansas Rising 08 (AR)

Supplants a formidable defense by making key interceptions and consistently wining one-on-one battles. Her field awareness and calm presence help elevate a strong back line while her passing ability and accurate crosses assist in the attack. A highly versatile player, Kolb can move from outside back to midfield where her ability to read the game provides defensive steadiness and offensive drives.

2026

Jena Geiman | Goalkeeper
Kings Hammer SC 08 (KY)

Started the season strong for Kings Hammer, leading the team to a 3-1 win over FC Alliance. She has also featured for the ECNL team this season, conceding zero goals in five of her last six games with both teams. In one-on-one situations with attackers, Geiman remains cool and composed and can position herself to limit her opponents chances at goal.

A couple of my favorite saves from fall season. #2026goalkeeper pic.twitter.com/8y6rkNJjeW

— Jena Geiman (@jenageiman) November 2, 2023

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Avery Blackstone | Defender
Ohio Premier 07 (OH)

Provides a dynamic change of pace at the outside back position for Ohio Premier, using her speed to move her team from a defensive posture to an attacking one. Blackstone was instrumental in their 5-0 win over FC Alliance, making several key defensive stops during the match. She can also play in the forward position, whipping in crosses/passes for her teammates to capitalize on.

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Katelyn Haiser | Forward
Evolution SC 08 (IL)

Continues to be a dominant force up top and the leading scorer for her team. Haiser is always creative on the attack and can find the back of the net from all angles and positions around the box. She is a critical part of the powerful Evolution offense that just finished undefeated in the Heartland East Conference (7-0-1, 22 points).

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Hannah Hogg | Forward
Racing Louisville Academy 07 (KY)

Transitioned from high school to club play seamlessly this season, scoring six goals in Racing’s first three Ohio Valley Conference matches this season. Hogg’s speed and versatility both on and off of the ball makes her difficult to breakdown. But what sets her apart is her determination-even when she is closely marked she can find one of her teammates surging towards goal.

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Bailey Brown | Midfielder
Indiana Fire Academy South 08 (IN)

As the Fire’s holding midfielder, Bailey is equipped with a blend of physical prowess and mental acuity. Breaking down opposing plays and providing a defensive shield, Bailey’s ability to read the game, anticipate movements, and make crucial interceptions forms defensive stability and allows quick for offensive transitions. Her steadfast leadership and tight defensive work led her to being named to the ECNL’s Great River All-Conference team last season.

2025

Haley Kocher | Midfielder
Missouri Rush 07 (MO)

A verbal commit to the University of Southern Indiana, Kocher leads a Rush midfielder that has dominated Heartland Conference play this season. Her expert passing on the attack and timely interceptions has led Rush’s balanced style of play to a strong start in Conference play (3-1-1, 10 points).

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Piper Hughes | Midfielder
KC Scott Gallagher 08 (KS)

Serves as KC’s anchor in the defensive midfield, making key tackles and stops to limit their opponent’s opportunities in the final third. A Heartland Conference All-Regional League team honoree last season, Hughes has followed it up with another strong performance this season. Alongside her teammates along the backline, KCSG has limited opponents to just four goals scored in nine games.

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Maya Lanier | Midfielder
Chicago Inter SC 07 (IL)

A dynamic midfielder that can contribute to the attack and defense. Lanier is coming off of a succesful run at the visitRaleigh.com Girls College Showcase where she scored the final goal on Sunday. In addition to her club exploits, she helped lead her HS team, Normal-Uhigh, to a 1A IHSA State Championship in 2023.

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Devin Tracy | Midfielder
Missouri Rush 07 (MO)

A member of the ECNL-RL Championship team from last season, Tracy has followed up with an equally impressive season pushing Rush to a 5-1-2 record on 17 points. Between the posts, Tracy has limited opponents to just six goals scored, third lowest in the Heartland Conference. In addition to their strong form in ECNL play, Rush have won three Missouri State Cups.

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Addison Szollosi | Forward
Ohio Premier 06/05 (OH)

Presses defense with a dynamic first touch and a thunderous shot, Szollosi is one of the top attackers in the Regional League Ohio Valley Conference. In just two games this season she has already made her presence felt, scoring a goal and adding two assists.

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Leah Rocha | Midfielder
Indiana Elite FC 07 (IN)

Coming off of a strong first weekend in which she scored four goals and tallied two assists, Rocha comes into the ECNL RL event on fire. Serving as the team captain, Rocha can pull her team out of tough spots with her play and her leadership. Last season, she was named to the Great River ECNL All-Regional League team.

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Mandi Santos | Defender
Sting Royal 07 (TX)

An eight time Team of the Week honoree, Santos has had a strong start to the 2023-2024 season for Sting. Thanks to her close marking and timely clears Sting defeated Arkansas Rising 3-0 in October. Santos was named to the Texas ECNL All-Regional League team last season and can also play in the midfield.

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Sophia Auzenne | Defender
Racing Louisville Academy 07 (KY)

Selected to the ECNL RL National Selection Game, Auzenne has provided lights out defensive work for Racing. Auzene’s motor allows her to continuously make defensive stops and then turn them into attacking plays. Alongside her teammates, her quick stops and precise passing has helped lead her team to back-to-back shutouts in Ohio Valley Conference South Division play.

2024

Katelyn Breedlove | Defender
Ohio Premier 06/05 (OH)

Started the 2023-2024 .season strong with Ohio, leading the team to back-to-back wins without conceding a goal. Breedlove primarily plays as an outside back for Ohio, using her speed and dynamic first touch to break past defenders and change the field of play. She is also an asset on the attack and create goal-scoring opportunities off of set pieces.

Corner assist, header goal! @OHIOSoccerCoach@shrummy11 @JasonBurrPFW @prlawrence1984@Jlsimonetti14 @SirmansCourtney @ChadBlomgren pic.twitter.com/Yxt1eFKIOR

— KatelynBreedlove (@KBreedlove2024) October 9, 2023

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Nadia Fabian | Goalkeeper
Chicago Inter SC 05/06 (IL)

Helped Inter earn a spot in the Illinois USYS State Cup earlier this fall multiple standout performances in goal. Her decisive shot-stopping ability was critical in their 2-1 win over Central Illinois United PFCU Navy to book their spot in the finals. In ECNL RL play, she has been equally effective, earning two clean sheets to pull Chicago into third in the Heartland Conference-East Division (4-2-1, 13 points).