YNT-eligible college players -- 2017 thread

He's rumored to have interest abroad. So, it's stunning to see him turn down MLS and Europe. It's not like he's Jordan Morris at one of the best universities in the world. But as you said, probably don't know the entire story.

 

Eight players who played college soccer last fall have been called up to the U20 team for next month's mega-camp.

Griffin Dorsey, F, Indiana (Soph.)
Mark McKenzie, D, Wake Forest (Soph.)
Justin McMaster, F, Wake Forest (Soph.)
Trey Muse, GK, Indiana (Soph.)
Manny Perez, F/D, North Carolina State (Soph.)
Justin Rennicks, F, Indiana University (Soph.)
Brandon Servania, M, Wake Forest (Soph.)
Carson Vom Steeg, D, Stanford (Soph.)

Seven HS seniors who have verbally committed to play college soccer this fall were also called in to the U20 camp.

Simon Becher, F, Holy Cross
Christian Cappis, M, Southern Methodist
Jack Maher, D, Indiana
George Marks, GK, Clemson
Glademir Mendoza, D, New Mexico
Aedan Stanley, D, Duke
Greg Tracey, M, Portland

There's also a U19 camp for players born in 2000. A dozen of those players have committed to play college ball this fall.

Franuel Amaya, M, UCLA
Charlie Ascensio, D, Clemson
Alex Budnik, GK, Dartmouth,
Jean-Julien Foe Nuphaus, D, California
Sam Fowler, GK, Washington
Matt Hundley, F, UCLA
Isaiah Parente, M, Wake Forest
Johan Penaranda, GK, Navy
Jeremy Rafanello, F, Drexel
Chris Richards, D, North Carolina
AJ Seals, M, North Carolina State
Sebastian Soto, F, California

 

YNT keeper Kevin Silva has moved from UCLA to Rutgers.

NEWS: #RFutbol Adds Transfers Kevin Silva & Vincenzo Pugliese To Roster https://t.co/opbv3qBTmA

— Rutgers Men's Soccer (@RUMensSoccer) January 15, 2018

 

That's an odd one. He must have wanted to be closer to home.................[Rutgers ain't chopped liver, that's not what I'm implying.] If I remember correctly he's from PA.

Its not for a lack of playing time at UCLA as he started most of their games last season.

 

We'll need @Sandon Mibut to weigh in, but I'd guess this says more about the sorry state of UCLA's program than it does about Silva or Rutgers.

 

Rutgers is in a pretty sorry state as well, though.
They were dismal last season. If I remember correctly, they didn't win a single game in their conference. That's inexplicably...............the Big Ten. I watched their game against Indiana and they were blown off the field. 5-0? 6-0? Something like that.

 

This is indeed odd.

It gets Silva closer to home and keeps him playing in a good conference. But there are myriad programs in NJ-PA-DEL-DC that would get him closer to home and keep him in a top conference that aren't as woefully bad as Rutgers has been of late.

It's also a continuation of the decline of UCLA. I mean, this was once Goalkeeper U. Tim Harris, David Vanole, Brad Friedel, Kevin Hartman, Matt Reis, Nick Rimando and Zach Wells all got capped by the senior USMNT. Several others went on to play in MLS. And arguably the best of the bunch was a guy named Anton Nistl in the late 80s who was just born at the wrong time in American soccer history.

So for a top GK prospect to be leaving UCLA is a really bad sign and it comes on the heels of UCLA having three straight awful seasons and missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the early 80s and their first losing season ever.

 

Rutgers could just be giving him a full (or the most) scholarship, but they were awful last year. Should test is GK ability.

 

This is sad for me. I no longer follow college soccer all that much, but back in the day I attended UCLA games regularly. My favorite moment was the game I was sitting in the stands and watched a freshman walk-on. After about 20 minutes I turned to his dad and said, "don't be surprised if your son plays professionally one day." This player was raw but very quick, like another galaxy quicker than anyone else on the field. You know who it is.

 

Feilhaber?

 

So after all the recent activity with signings and movement and what not, I was updating my spreadsheet with all the 97s and 98s called in by Ramos or Friedel during the last cycle.

Anyway, one of the chances was to a college player, Abdulkabir "Siad" Haji. In 2016 he played at D-III New England College but transferred and is now at Virginia Commonwealth and last fall he led the the team with 8 assists and added 2 goals in 17 games to help VCU to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Those are decent enough stats, but what makes it interesting is that according to US Soccer, Haji was born 12/1/99, meaning he played as a college freshman at 16 and played this past season at 17. In that context, those numbers are pretty impressive.

http://www.vcuathletics.com/sports/msoc/2017-18/bios/haji_siad_7yh8
https://www.ussoccer.com/players/h/abdulkadir-haji#tab-1

So my question is if anyone can confirm if in fact Haji just turned 18. Because if so, he might warrant a look from Ramos this cycle.

 

He probably doesn't know himself:
http://usatodayhss.com/2017/america...-year-haji-abdikadir-louisville-ky-collegiate

 

Same kid?

Odd that a player with a pedigree like the one in the USA Today story only goes to a D3 college, especially since he was living in the same town as a collegiate power.

And how did the kid go from living in Louisville to Manchester, New Hampshire?

Also, to come to the US he would have had to have some kind of documentation of his age. Whether or not that documentation is legit is another question but it's not like he just made it up here.

And if it is the same kid in the USA Today story, all the more reason for US Soccer to get him in for a look!

 

Thanks, Dave.

I hope Louisville plays VCU next fall so Haji Abdikadir can face Abdulkabir Haji!

Seriously, those two coaches need to make sure that happens.

 

May be not.

 

According to TDS' HS guru Sheldon Shealer, Aboubakar Keita, a 00 from the Crew academy who was at the recent U19 camp, has verbally committed to UVa.

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-player-profile/aboubacar-keita/pid-111092/tab-college-choices

He's the 13th player from that U19 camp to commit to a college program this fall.

 

Today is national signing day in NCAA soccer. Haven't seen a ton of announcements yet.

Here's one, US U17 Arturo Vasquez commits..............

Injury kept this 2017 U.S. U17 MNT player from going to the World Cup in India

Now, the No. 19 recruit in the class is on his way to @UCLAMSoccer - the program just confirmed: https://t.co/efFHLNtgXL pic.twitter.com/8S1LzLqFnG

— TopDrawerSoccer (@TopDrawerSoccer) February 7, 2018

 

USYNT and NYCFC goalkeeper commits.................

Glad to announce my commitment to the University of Pittsburgh. Thankful for all obstacles and decisions I’ve made in order to get to this point. Thank you to god, my family, coaches and teammates who support me every single day, it means the world to me. #H2P pic.twitter.com/mUcu7NbUCY

— Johan Penaranda (@JohanRPenaranda) February 6, 2018

 

This is interesting as he had originally committed to Navy.

But that was before his YNT call-up. Obviously he had a change of heart and it's tough to beat the ACC.

Jay Vidovich has done a hell of a job at Pitt. This will be his third season and he's already getting YNT players and last month one of his (over-aged foreign players who only had 1 season of eligibility) got drafted.

 

Another player from the mega-camp changes his commitment. Jeremy Rafanello from the Union academy had verballed to Drexel but is now going to Penn State. It should be noted that last month PSU hired a new head coach from the Union academy.

After a hard decision, I am very happy that I can announce that I will continue my soccer and academic career at Penn State University! Thank you to everyone who has supported me on my path! We Are! pic.twitter.com/ZDEvCgGhmj

— Jeremy Rafanello (@JeremyRafanello) February 7, 2018

From a USYNT perspective, Pitt and Penn State are bigger and better programs than Navy and Drexel so it's most likely better from a prospect development perspective. But for those programs, it's gotta sting to lose a high-end player. Guys like that don't end up at places like Drexel and Navy too often.

 

Clemson makes George Marks, Grayson Barber official. No word yet on Charlie Asensio.

Welcome to the #ClemsonFamily, George Marks!! #ClemsonUnited pic.twitter.com/y6cZv6xpFL

— Clemson Men's Soccer (@ClemsonMSoccer) February 7, 2018

Welcome to the #ClemsonFamily, Grayson Barber!! #ClemsonUnited pic.twitter.com/edO43i2Hi8

— Clemson Men's Soccer (@ClemsonMSoccer) February 7, 2018