Grande Sports Academy TeamRank update

Grande Sports Academy TeamRank update
by Caroline Yort
December 12, 2013

Today we unveil our latest update to Grande Sports Academy TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide, and we release the latest standings for U16, U17 and U18 Girls. Next week, we will update the younger age groups on the Boys side. We will update our National Top 25 of each age group at least once per month.

(scroll down for system details)

Berg puts Texans back in Top 25 at U16

No. 1 Real Colorado weathered the storm of No. 2 FC Dallas at the ECNL Showcase in Phoenix last month, but couldn’t contain the tornado that is Haley Berg. The Dallas Texans midfielder had the assist to Bayleigh Chaviers to hand Real Colorado only its second loss on the season. Berg, a freshman playing up on the Texans U16s and already a Texas commit, also scored the lone goal for her squad in a draw with No. 6 Michigan Hawks at the event, and has 12 of the team’s 18 goals on the season. Thanks to Berg’s efforts, Dallas Texans has climbed to third in the ECNL Texas Conference and re-enters our rankings at No. 25.

New No. 1 at U17

The third day of play at the ECNL Showcase took its toll on Campbell Chapman’s squad, and GSA suffered its first loss of the ECNL season to Real Colorado, despite the efforts of Jennifer Westendorf and Ella Stevens, both of whom had goals on the day. With that blemish, GSA falls to No. 2 in the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25, and the new No. 1 is Dallas Sting. Sting remains undefeated in all ECNL play and had strong showings against ranked opponents SC Blues and Sereno at the showcase. Sting is loaded with players in the IMG Academy 150 rankings, including youth national team veterans Kaycie Tillman and Ainsly Wolfinbarger, who transferred this season from her home club TSC Hurricane in Oklahoma.

Michigan Hawks ECNL climbs from No. 8 to No. 4 after beating three ranked opponents in Sereno SC, Mustang SC, and CASL at the showcase. The Hawks, like Sting, remain undefeated in ECNL play and currently sit on top in the Great Lakes Division.

Beach FC Ingrassia re-enters TeamRank at U18

The start of US Youth Soccer National League play has given No. 25 Beach FC Academy enough of a boost to re-enter the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25 after a couple of months out of the ranks. Mauricio Ingrassia’s squad has gone on a winning streak in the Southern California Developmental Soccer League since dropping out of our rankings, rising to third in the league, and travelled to North Carolina for the opening weekend of National League play on a roll. The team is led by forward Kimberly Keever and midfielder Shannon Simon, both verbally committed to University of Washington, who between them scored 11 of the teams 17 goals in the four National League games played and put Beach FC at the top of the Blue Division standings.

Also new to the rankings this month is ECNL Texas Conference leader D’Feeters, who lept from fourth to first in the Texas Conference, defeating No. 5 Lonestar on a goal from Stephen F. Austin commit Hanna Barker. D’Feeters enters the Grande Sports Academy TeamRank Top 25 at No. 16.

Next Thursday: U13, U14, and U15 Boys

Grande Sports Academy TeamRank is the comprehensive team-ranking system devised by TopDrawerSoccer.com to provide an objective and common-sense approach to determining which elite youth soccer teams are the best in the nation.

The rankings, updated monthly, are primarily results-based, with a nod toward the league and championship competitions that emulate how excellence is determined in leading soccer nations around the world.

Tournaments are also included but at a reduced value due to the many mitigating factors involving such events, including attrition and guest players.

A final layer of executive evaluation is provided to account for variables that often impact results, thus ensuring that the monthly lists are not subjective, but are not purely mechanical.

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