Women's Postseason Top 100 Freshmen

by TopDrawerSoccer

December 19, 2024

The TopDrawerSoccer postseason freshmen rankings are here, looking at the 100 first-year players that defined the college soccer season in one way or another. A historic campaign from Izzy Engle leads the way.

1. Izzy Engle, Notre Dame - Engle had a season for the ages, with her 19 goals finishing second in the nation and standing as the most scored by a freshman in a decade. With a one-percentile combination of speed, technique, and elite finishing, the Minnesota native was an unstoppable goal-scoring force, whether at wing-back early in the season or at striker by the end.

2. Trinity Armstrong, North Carolina - For context on how dominant Armstrong was at center back for the national champions, consider that the team was 19 and 2 in the games she played and 3-3 in the six matches she missed to partake in the U17 World Cup. Supremely confident on the ball and measured in the tackle, the Texas native casually delivered one of the best defensive campaigns college soccer has seen from a freshman.

3. Keegan Smith, Arkansas - Tasked with stepping in as a freshman starter on a team with College Cup hopes, Smith answered the call with an impressive campaign, producing 11 shutouts and an 84% save percentage to rank in the top 25 nationally for both categories. It took a Sweet Sixteen penalty shootout to finally knock out the Razorback as the New York native proved to be one of the best showstoppers in the country, regardless of class.

4. Amalia Villarreal, Texas - Villarreal stepped up in a big way for the Longhorns, contributing nine goals and eight assists to help lead the team to the SEC tournament title despite an injury to the legendary Trinity Byars. Whether finishing a well-worked team move or setting up a teammate, the Michigan native played far beyond her years.

5. Ginny Lackey, James Madison - Such was the form of the British striker that had she not missed the first five games of the season, the number one spot would likely be hers. With 12 goals and 10 assists from just 16 matches, Lackey quickly cemented her reputation as one of the best strikers in college soccer.

Check out the rest of the top 100 here.

Related Topics: Atlantic Coast, SEC, Sun Belt