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

(scroll down for system details)

Sporting KC starts strong at U16

The core group that won the USYS National Championship last summer at U15 for Sporting Kansas City has moved full time into the Development Academy. Add to that championship roster US Youth National Team member and IMG Academy 150 Class of 2018 center back Jaylin Lindsey, and former South Carolina United goal scorer Grayson Barber, and you end up with a team that has scored 17 goals in its first four matches, while conceding just four, landing at No. 14 in our rankings.

More:  IMG Academy 150 rankings | Commitments

Albion, Solar climb at U17

Albion SC White has started the season undefeated in Coast Soccer League’s Premier Division and Cal Regional League play, climbing to No. 6 in the process. Solar Chelsea Red leads the Region III Premier League West Division with an 8-1 record. Both of these teams will be fresh off a regional season and ready to face Baltimore Celtic and Seattle United when the National League begins.

New to the rankings this month is Kendall SC 99 Academy Reserves at No. 25. Kendall ran the table in the Florida Premier League at 9-0-0, and is poised to qualify for the NPL Championships next summer, though it’s just October.

Vardar, Nomads newcomers at U18

Two teams that never entered our rankings during the 2014-15 season are making a good showing to start the 15-16 season. Vardar, who lands at No. 22, is 4-0 with wins over Crew SC Academy, No. 18 Shattuck St. Mary’s, Minnesota Thunder Academy, and Crew SC Academy Wolves.

Nomads sit atop the Southwest Conference standings with a record of 4-0-1. That stellar record includes wins over No. 10 LA Galaxy and No. 21 Vancouver Whitecaps, and helps them enter the rankings at No. 24.

Next Thursday: U16, U17, and U18 Girls

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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