New players at UCLA: http://www.uclabruins.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=30500&SPID=126937&SPSID=758710
Bruins are looking good in Spring so far, went undefeated this weekend The U20's look really good too! UCLA vs U20's 1-1 UCLA vs Stanford 3-1 UCLA vs Cal Poly 1-0
Who is on the back line? My guess would be Goralski and Matulich at full back, and Miranda and ? at center back.
The spring results have been encouraging. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The nice thing about recruiting top talent every year is that you never have to rebuild you simply reload.
I thought the fall-off would be greater, but the team looked good in the one scrimmage that I saw (vs. Stanford). One odd thing, though, is that this spring roster is pretty much the roster for next year because, as I understand it, there are only two incoming frosh and one of them is injured. So, the team can and will get better, but not by the addition of new players (unless there are transfers).
They have 3 incoming freshman this year. One hasn't been playing with her club team so hopefully she will heal soon. The player is ranked #9 by TDS and is a YNT vet. The 2016 season will be the big one. They have the #1 recruiting class in the nation with 2 U20 WNT starters coming in, a full Canadian WNT player coming in, a U19 WNT pool player, a U18 WNT pool player and another player that will start at centerback as a freshman. The coaches think that it might be the best recruiting class ever. Expect to see 4-5 freshman starters from that class and 2 of them played really well against the current team when they played the U20s.
They definitely have a star studed 2016 class, but half of those girls wont see the light of day for at least the first year. Just look at Cromwell's pattern from her first two seasons
I would agree with you ordinarily, however, in this case we are talking about a special situation. There are a few reasons why it will be different. The 2016 class is the first class that she had a full recruiting cycle to assemble. The coaching staff had a much shortened cycle to put the 2015 class together. These are her players not like this past season where she didn't recruit any of the 2014 recruiting class players. This past season they had 9 senior starters and a 33 player roster which severely limited opportunities. This season they are down to 27 players and unless they get this Norwegian WNT player that they are still trying to get for their 2016 class they will be down to 26 players when they come in. Several starting spots will open up as they come in and these are all impact players. Pugh and Canales played well against the current Bruins and will both be starters IMHO. Fleming is a holding mid with mad skills and could end up starting for the full Canadian WNT this summer in the WC. I really can't see her not at least playing. Pedersen is an amazing athlete and will likely be used at outside back. She has good size and speed and is a Courtnall like player. Dunphy is a 5'10 target forward. With Jenkins being a senior she will have the toughest time seeing minutes. She is big, fast and strong and can finish. McCullough is a 5'8+ central defender with skills and track star speed. She matched up very favorably with Abby D and the coaches think that she will slide right into the starting lineup. The Bruins have shown this summer that they will be a top 5 team this year and the following season will be a serious contender for the national title. At the end of the day we will see.
It's going to be one helluva recruiting class that's for sure. I have seen all of the players in the class play live other than Fleming (I've only seen videos and watched her on TV at the u17 and U18 world cups and she is definitely the real deal) I think that she might have gotten MVP of the last U17 WWC. Any way that you slice it there is not one player out of the 6 who isn't fantastic and most are downright dominant. Pugh has it all, speed, technique, great vision and a high soccer IQ not to mention having an absolute nose for the goal. She will take over Taylor Smith's spot and will be a starter from day one. Fleming will have Annie Alvarado and possibly Gabby Miranda (unless she stays at centerback) as holding mids in front of her although I could see them deciding to use her and Canales as attacking mids. They are going to have problems that any other team would like to have. How do I get all of my talent in the game...
I too have seen all of these players live/streamed. Completely agree with the first 3 getting PT their Freshman year. The other 3 are very fine players, but College is a different game and they will most likely take the line with the rest of the quality Freshman that have learned from the bench their first year. (Despite what a coach may tell a kid). I could be wrong, but its not like the girls who will be upperclassman don't come in with a stacked resume as well and have spent their years learning from the bench
To back up my statement I looked at a small sample size from UCLA past 2014---7 recruits several with NT Resume--603 minutes played by 2 players---the other 5 never saw the pitch 2013---8 recruits several with NT Resume--4,441 minutes played (3 players accounted for 3830 the other 5 road pine) 2012---8 recruits including Lavrusky and Smith--2405 minutes played (1850 which were Smith and Konkol) 2011---No individual Time stats available on UCLA website but it is safe to say this UBER class was the exception to the norm. Dahlkemper started all 21 games, Dydasco 17, and Killion 11 (mewis starts were unavailable but played in all 21) Of the 11 recruits in what many consider the best class ever, 3 had -0- starts, 2 DNP, McCarthy, White and Oyster all were secondary players ( later to become regulars)
I don't disagree with what you are saying at all. This 2016 class has been compared favorably to the 2011 class by the coaching staff. I have literally seen the emails calling it possibly the greatest recruiting class in history (which is a big statement). One of the two in the 2011 recruiting class that didn't play is no longer attending UCLA. They are also trying to get a player that got minutes against the senior USWNT when Norway played the US in the Algarve Cup. She is a forward/mid and is dynamic. This isn't about resumes it is about ability. Pederson's brother plays for the Dodger's and one of McCullough's parents was an All-America at UCLA and one was all-conference. They don't currently have a player on the roster as athletic as either of them. You mentioned Abby D. One of the players was matched up with her at a positional camp and she more than held her own at the age of 15 (they offered her pretty much the next day after seeing this). Don't be surprised if 4-5 players in this class are starters by mid season. This is their crown jewel recruiting class. That's all that I am saying.
Forgive me, but how does a brother playing baseball or parents who played sports translate into automatic starters in soccer at a collegiate level? Especially on a team as stacked as UCLA. Every single kid on a collegiate D1 team is there because they have earned it, not because Mommy or Daddy played.
Genetics...... A very powerful thing. Not the end-all, but can give coaches a glimpse into the future especially as they recruit earlier and earlier. Taking note of build of parents along with athletic history can suggest some possibilities in the future . Does not mean that players won't have to work hard to get there or that they may not pan out even if they have 2 all American parents, but it gives coaches a chance.
This UCLA thread is funny. There is nothing to discuss except how stacked this program is and that they'll only get better. The 2016 class will be special. Good thing for other programs that UCLA also can only play 10 field players at a time.
I am not saying it makes anything automatic. I was just sharing some info that I found out about the players that you might not have known. Every player has to earn his/her spot in high level sports. All that I was suggesting is that the coaching staff may have seen something and the kids backgrounds might give insight into what that is. On a team that stacked, everything is earned. No worries just passing along what I have heard. Every girl that sees field time will have earned it that's for sure.
Absolutely. I recommend The Sport Gene, by David Epstein. It is a survey of research on the relationship between genetics and hard work at a sport. To use an example I'm familiar with, Brian Winters (former NBA basketball player, is the father of Keelin Winters (former holding mid-fielder for the U of Portland and current holding mid for the Seattle Reign). Does anyone really think that genetics aren't part of Keelin's success? Lots of hard work too, but genetics matter.
This is cracking me up. I have been a lurker on this board for some time and never felt the need to post, but lets be real here....To anyone who has ever been on the SoCal Soccer Board, you will recognize the tenor and arrogance of the above poster as Abdul. He is the former "all American" and his Daughter is the 5'8' Center Back/Track Star that made Abby Dahlkemper look like an AYSO player. Also understand if you argue with his posts he will put a size 13 shoe up your A$$
Nice guess but you missed by a mile. By the way his wife was the all-American so you should get your facts straight. I have to assume that you are a DB Surf parent. No surprise that you are a lurker. Your club recruits all of its good players and coaches from elsewhere. It's kinda funny how you guys stand for your kids financing good players coming in and taking spots from your kids. I guess that it is a San Diego thing. My daughter I s going to another top school. See if you can guess which one. I promise that you didn't get in and neither did your kid.