courtside

First career MLS game for Simon Becher. And, he gets his first career MLS goal, the equalizer in the 88th minute. 2-1 Whitecaps win: https://twitter.com/WhitecapsFC/status/1555773640930562049?t=JpNOMZwUktaWDPHG32eh7A&s=19 https://twitter.com/WhitecapsFC/status/1555776839431245824?t=hlIrT3pLbnqmCW-tK6_whw&s=19

Jeebs has started 15 games with Houston Dynamo 2. (1291 minutes) Parker has 16 starts. (1364 minutes) Niece has 11 starts (656 minutes) Becher has 18 starts. (1415 minutes) Schulte has 9 starts (810 minutes) Vaughn played in USL with L.A. Galaxy II. AJ has played in 17 games, starting 11. (918 minutes) Austin will be adding an MLS Next Pro team in 2023. Former SLU commit Devin Padelford has started 15 games with MNUFC2, 1316 minutes. 2023 SLU commit Carlos Leatherman has started 12 of 13 games and played 1057 minutes.

Following that league is also a good way to learn more about SLU commits, as well as previous SLU commits who never make it to campus and go pro instead.

Most of the SLU players start most games in MLS Next Pro. If you follow/watch that league, you will see lots and lots of SLU alums playing a lot of minutes. Often times they go head to head against each other. Kipp has been an MLS roster player.

You’re projecting again, as well as unsurprisingly posting nothing that adds to the topic discussion. If you have something to add about Women’s soccer, add it. Otherwise, move it along.

If the author of this thread (or Steve) wants to change the title to 2022-2023, that’s fine, and it would probably be helpful to some people here.

Simon Becher is getting a Vancouver Whitecaps MLS call up, after a strong season with WFC2. Well earned: https://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/whitecaps-fc-sign-wingback-ali-ahmed-and-striker-simon-becher-to-mls-short-term-

For those seeking more info about this, I posted about it back in mid June when Peyton was hired: https://www.billikens.com/forum/index.php?/topic/29777-slu-womens-soccer-thread-2020-2021/page/29/#comment-722744 https://slubillikens.com/news/2022/7/27/womens-soccer-bauman-joins-wsoc-staff-as-director-of-operations.aspx

SLU has a new 2023 commit from Carlos Leatherman, from St. Paul, Minnesota. Carlos has played for both Minnesota United FC Academy (MNUFC) and MNUFC2. And he has also trained with the Minnesota United FC first team. Most recently Carlos was selected to play in the inaugural MLS next All Star Game. He has been a teammate of 2022 SLU commit CJ Coppola. He played about a dozen games with his academy team, and about a dozen games with his MLS Next Pro Team, starting for both. (Former Billiken Patrick Weah is also a MNUFC player.) With MNUFC2, Carlos has played right back, along the same back line as former SLU commit Devin Padelford.(Devin, a left back, signed a pro deal instead of going to to SLU, after his accelerated development). Carlos is a speedy, athletic wing back who plays very well 1v1 both defensively and offensively, especially in space. https://twitter.com/cleathermanjr/status/1553130872337010693?s=21&t=cF_hd1qXpZJ0TICj8Btu5g

Championship Summer continues for SLU players and SLU commits. Congratulations to SLU’s Julia Simon, and her team, (Chicago Mustangs), for winning the 2022 United Women’s Soccer (UWS) Championship. They won 2-1 over Foothills (Calgary), and in the semis 1-0 over Athenians (San Antonio) Along the way, Julia led her team in goals (12), including a dramatic National Semifinal game winner in the 82nd minute, and, the equalizer in a 2-1 win in the final. https://twitter.com/uwssoccer/status/1551162845290708993?s=21&t=gIECirixD8nbwbyoMpAuLg For her efforts, Julia was named Tournament MVP. https://twitter.com/uwssoccer/status/1551375060694335488?s=21&t=IujN0uu3OfM5Mk6zOoDvcA ………………… This comes on the heels of SLU’s Caroline Kelly and Sophia Stram helping to lead their KC Current II team to the WPSL National Semifinals. (Kelly led KC Current II in scoring) …………………. After her team finished in the U19 Girls Academy National Quarterfinals, SLU’s Nina Preusser helped her dad’s U18 team to the USYS National Semifinals this past weekend as well. …………………

It’s a strong class. Both the SLU Men and Women’s teams (which have different circumstances each) have an inside out recruiting approach which includes,’the state, region, nationally, and internationally. These incoming recruits of course don’t also count commits who signed professionally instead of attending SLU. That will happen here and there as it did with this class. SLU will continue to recruit a diverse group of players MLS Next, (most recently in Dallas) ECNL, (St. Louis hosted the finals after being in Sam Diego) USYS, (most recently in Indy and Chicago) transfers, (wide geography), and internationals. More information about the 2022 class is in previous pages of the thread,’as well as for some of the 2023 commits.

SLU released its 2022 recruiting class. We talked about these players here. Scroll back for more info. Here they are in one place: https://slubillikens.com/news/2022/7/18/mens-soccer-billikens-add-strong-2022-recruiting-class.aspx

She’s good, which is what matters most. She’s tall enough, and fast enough. She isn’t one of the few super tall 5’11 Center Backs SLU is recruiting. She is isn’t the big, strong, broad shouldered, physical center back SLU is recruiting. And, she isn’t one of the few speedy wing backs that SLU is also recruiting. She’s a high compete level, lock down marking back. Like some other SLU commits, she had opportunities in multiple Power 5/6 leagues. Here’s a photo of her next to her 5’8 teammate. Ulla is on the left: https://twitter.com/stldevacademy/status/1527803933565104133?s=21&t=GoCE03MrTgTQE45CooSXeg …………………. Keep in mind, for reference, when SLU lost in the NCAA Tourney to eventual Final Four team Rutgers last year, the Scarlet Knights best defender, First Team All American, and Finalist for National Player of the Year, was 5 foot 5.(Gabby Provenzano) And just before that, the best defender in the country, and NCAA National Champion, (Alex Loera) was 5 foot 7. So, sure, many teams like big tall strong center backs, and speedy wing backs and so forth. But sometimes the best players aren’t the tallest or fastest or this or that.

SLU has received a 2024 commitment from Ulla Sharp. Ulla is an athletic, versatile, tight marking, backline player who plays high school ball for Edwardsville, and, club ball for St. Louis Development Academy. (STLDA used to be Sporting St. Louis. They changed July, 2022) Most recently, Ulla was selected to play at the Girls Academy National ID Camp, which was held in St. Louis. Her U17 team recently competed in the Girls Academy Final 16 National Playoffs in San Diego, finishing just short of the National Final Four. As a Sophomore, Ulla helped lead high school team to the Illinois Class 3A Large School State Quarterfinals. (falling to the eventual state champions.)

Congratulations to 2024 SLU commit Ashley Miller and her team for winning the U17 President’s Cup National Championship in North Carolina. In addition to being a Best Eleven player, Ashley won the Golden Boot Award, and, she was named President’s Cup Most Valuable Player.

Some accolades continue to roll in for SLU recruits. 2023 SLU commit Nina Preusser was named a United Soccer Coaches All American, joining 2022 SLU recruit Taylor Krueger as recent high school All Americans. Most recently Nina and her club team finished in the National Quarterfinals of the Girls Academy Playoffs in San Diego. (SLU’s Ellie Paloucek is a teammate) 2023 SLU commit Ashley Koch was named to the United Soccer Coaches Central All Region Team. Ashley was also selected to play in next week’s Kansas vs Oklahoma High School All Star Game. Ashley’s club team most recently competed in the ECNL Champions League playoffs in Seattle, missing a chance to compete at the National Quarterfinals via a tie breaker.

Yes. It’s a very good recruiting class. First, several returning players that didn’t play much or even at all last year, are very good, and, will play quite a bit. That part is less talked about and perhaps overlooked by some. But the returning players can play. That’s the first thing to know. Legut, Floriani, Moore etc…along with several players who played more often. Three of the transfers may start on the back line/will play a lot. And a couple of Freshmen will compete at wing back. There are 3 other attacking players that will play/provide depth in the attacking third. Some SLU commits and targets also recently played in the MLS Next Cup in Dallas, as well as ECNL Playoffs in San Diego. (St. Louis is hosting the ECNL Boys Final 8 for the 2nd straight year) A few others (and a few recruiting targets) such as Karson have been playing with stlCITY2. (Karson also has a younger brother Ryley playing as well) As long as he is healthy, yes, he will play and contribute. SLU is also working hard, with other targets as well to add to the already strong group of committed 2022 and 2023 players. (It will probably fly under the radar a but, SIUE is recruiting pretty welp right now as well. Not SLU level but good enough to mention, yes) You may need a roster sheet for a game or two, but SLU will have plenty of talent for next season and beyond.

At last count, I believe it will be 13 new players for SLU this season, including Warrington who played this Spring. (9 Freshmen and 4 transfers.) The latest transfer is Enzo Okpoye, a 6’2 Center Back from Yale. First Team All Ivy, and an All Region player. Helped lead Yale to its first outright Ivy League Title in 30 years with a strong defensive performance. Student Athlete Courage Award Winner for his on and off the field performance, overcoming a challenging environment in Nigeria, getting diagnosed with Malaria, and having multiple early career injuries. Enzo also has a knack for big goals in big moments from a Center Back position.

SLU has a 2024 commit from Ashley Miller, a Central Attacking Midfielder, from Fort Zumwalt South High School, and JB Marine. While playing for her dad, Ashley’s club team will soon compete in the USYS President’s Cup National Finals in North Carolina, Her team recently won the President’s Cup Midwest Regionals. Ashley has also been a Missouri Olympic Development Program, Inter Regional player. Honorable Mention All State as a Sophomore, the creative, skilled, pass first Miller, led the area in assists with 29, while also chipping in 12 goals, for the Back to Back Missouri Class 3 State Champions.

I can help with a few of those questions. Grant Calvert transferred to Belmont, along with Sam Rowan. Chris Bruch retired from soccer. Leeth transferred to Kentucky after a brief trial with Sporting KC II.

SLU Men’s Soccer Schedule: https://slubillikens.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule/2022 Some regional rivalry return games as expected, from last season, at Louisville, at Creighton, home for SMU. SLU will play frequent past opponent, Marquette at home, giving them an additional Big East game. Lipscomb won the ASun and was an NCAA team last year. Other notes, the exhibition game with Omaha, former SLU head coach Bob Warming recently retired as Omaha’s head coach. SIUE is recruiting well. Steve Bode takes over at Loyola Chicago this year. SLU gets the Ramblers at home. Bode has a lot of FC United connections, where SLU recruits often, as well as in Milwaukee.

Yes it is. I elaborated a bit about it several posts back. Some may not know or realize how challenging it is to get Arkansas and Notre Dame at home, among other highlights. Many high profile recruits will be at those games. Both of those programs are potential Final Four teams, playing, and recruiting, and high levels. SLU has an impressive non-conference schedule annually. Once again SLU has done well to schedule a strong game in a wide variety of power leagues, ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big East. (They also frequently schedule the Big 12) It’s more challenging logistically to schedule the Big 12. Xavier and Nebraska will be helpful in the Big East and Big 10. Some of the more local/regional games are good ones too for different reasons. Playing at UMKC gives SLU a KC market game. (Jess Smith, a friend of the program is also coaching Katelyn Brinkman in Summer Ball this Summer). SLU has players, commits, and recruiting targets from more than four different KC club teams. Missouri State, SIUE will be competitive. I’m also encouraged with the first non-conference A10 schedule of Loyola Chicago. They did a nice job, and will be playing games against Wisconsin, Xavier, DePaul, and Illinois. (Loyola has already recruited the Stl market in the past, and now they are already ramping it up even more as they transition to the A10. I was a little bit disappointed initially with Dayton’s Fall non-conference schedule. I was hoping for a little bit more with them. They also lost a key recruiting assistant coach. But they return the likes of Huber and Gemelli, and they will be competitive. (They are also adding a few future solid players from Stl and KC) The A10 as a league still needs to do a better job of allowing teams to schedule a more challenging non-conference game or two later in the season instead of early only. This makes a difference. And some of the league’s teams are better than others with their non-conference scheduling. (VCU, Rhode Island among the better ones)

Busy time with training/player development, Summer ball, and some upcoming news…it’s been good to see so many people out at training and games. ………………… 2023 SLU commit Sam De Luca was named Arkansas Player of the Year, after leading her school to the state title game, during a 42 goal and 15 assist season. Her undefeated club team recently was a top 8 seed (out of 43) in the ECNL RL Regionals in Texas 2023 SLU commit Nina Preusser, voted a Captain prior to her high school season, was named First Team All State, as well as the Region Offensive Player of the Year, in the state’s toughest region. Nina, playing both up top and in the central attacking midfield, helped lead her team to the Missouri Class 4 State Runner Up Finish for the third straight season. Her team played the State’s toughest schedule, only losing in pk’s this season. That includes a 4-2 win over 2022 Illinois Class 3 State Champion Metea Valley from Chicago as well as some big game winning goals in high profile games for Nina. 2022 SLU commit Ellie Paloucek, voted a Captain prior to her season, was named First Team All State, and First Team All Region. A two way captain, and central midfielder, she helped lead her high school team to the Missouri Class 3 State Quarterfinals. Ellie and Nina will be heading to San Diego with their U19 club team for Girls Academy National Playoffs. 2023 SLU commit Maddie Sibbing was named First Team All State as well as the KC Region goalkeeper of the year. 2023 SLU commit Jordan Gary was named All Conference, All Sectional, All Region, in Illinois. She will be playing U17 ECNL national playoffs with SLU commits Autumn Jackson, Alyssa Bockius, and Lucie Schwartz in Seattle. Jordan also had a successful track season. 2022 Lauren Spaete finished up a strong high school career in Iowa and will be playing USYS club ball this Summer. 2022 SLU commit Hannah Smith (currently playing UWSL Summer ball with several SLU players) played RW and F for her undefeated ECNL Super Cup Team. (with Alyssa Bockius and Autumn Jackson) 2023 SLU commit Autumn Jackson played right wing back for her undefeated ECNL Super Cup Team. She will be playing with her U17 club team at the ECNL national playoffs in Seattle. 2023 SLU commit Alyssa Bockius played as a central defensive midfielder for her undefeated ECNL Super Cup Team. She and Autumn are U17 club teammates. Super Cup is comprised of all star teams 2022 through 2026 on one team. 3 of their Super Cup teammates separately represented the United States Youth National Team in both the UEFA Tourney in Sweden, (France, Norway) as well as the Friendlies against Germany and The Netherlands. The Super Cup team played teams throughout the Midwest as well as against a few college teams. 2022 Becca Wolterman, Taylor Krueger, Clare Nicholas, Lauren Hiatt, 2023 Eva Schreiber played club ball this Spring, and will all be competing in Seattle at the ECNL National Playoffs, as well as U23 Summer Ball for some. 2023 Macy Lutz, will be playing at the ECNL national playoffs in Seattle after finishing her club ball season. 2023 Ashley Koch was named Kansas First Team All State, and her top 10 national club team will be playing at the ECNL national playoffs in Seattle. Her club team won the U17 Midwest Conference. 2023 SLU commit Lucie Schwartz has progressed well with rehab this Spring after sustaining an injury during basketball season. Lucie is a club teammate of Autumn, Alyssa, and Jordan. Lucie, Hannah, Autumn, Alyssa, Jordan, Ellie, Ashley and Taylor, were recognized recently in the IMG rankings. SLU now has a roster/commits from Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio, Washington, Indiana, Florida, Utah, Colorado. In addition to those states, SLU also has recruiting targets in Texas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Kentucky, Nebraska, Massachusetts among others. …………………. Peyton Bauman was hired to be the SLU Women’s Soccer Director of Operations. Peyton is a Mizzou alum, a former goalkeeper, (Dallas, Solar) and, most recently a graduate assistant at Murray State. …………………. Some Summer Ball play: Emily Gaebe, Madelyn Smith, Jess Preusser, Karsen Kohl, Lyndsey Heckel, are all playing on the new U21 WPSL team for Lou Fusz. (Lou Fusz will take over Fire & Ice next season. Former SLU assistant Bry McCarthy is a player coach with them as she also coaches their youth GA teams) Anna Lawler, Katie Houck, Lauren Phelps, Emily Puricelli, Hannah Smith, Sydney Beach, Abbie Miller, are all playing UWSL with SLSG this Summer. Emily Groark has done well with rehab and she is on track to play this Fall. Caroline Kelly and Sophia Stram are with KC Current II in WPSL. Katelyn Brinkman is with Kaw Valley. Liz Stureman is with Indiana Fire Julia Simon has been playing with Chicago Mustangs UWSL. …………………. Good luck to hard working, good teammate Gracie English, as she transfers to Missouri State and transitions back to an attacking midfielder and wing from the defensive midfield and right back positions.

SLU has released its Fall Schedule and, as usual, it’s good: https://slubillikens.com/sports/womens-soccer/schedule Non-Conference: Home: Arkansas, Notre Dame, Nebraska, SIUE. Road: Drake, UMKC, Missouri State, Xavier Conference: Home: Loyola Chicago, George Mason, Rhode Island, VCU, St. Joes. Road: Lasalle, Richmond, Duquesne, UMass, Dayton. …………………… Some Highlights include: Arkansas is the 3 time SEC Regular Season Champions. (this will likely be club night) They advanced to the Elite 8 this past season. In doing so, they defeated Notre Dame 3-2 in the NCAA Round of 16 to get there. They were a number 2 NCAA seed. Notre Dame was a number 3 NCAA seed. Both schools are recruiting at high levels as well, to be among the NCAA’s best, moving forward. Xavier is the defending Big East Regular Season Champions, something they have won multiple times the past few years. Nebraska had wins this past season over Mizzou, Baylor, Loyola Chicago, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota. They had only one loss of more than one goal on the season, playing in the rugged Big 10. SIUE has won the OVC Tournament each of the past 2 seasons, advancing to the NCAA Tourney. New A10 team, Loyola Chicago, won the last 4 straight MVC Regular Season and Tourney Titles. ………….. SLU will open with two exhibitions, home for Lindenwood, and at Evansville. Non-Conference opponents include teams from the ACC, Big East, Big 10, MVC, OVC, SEC.

SLU has a new commitment from 2023 Wing Back/Wing Eva Schreiber. Eva plays club ball for Tennessee Soccer Club (TSC) based out of Nashville. And, she plays high school for Battle Ground Academy. Her high school team fell just short of its 3 straight Tennessee Division II-A State Title, falling in the final. Eva was named Tennessee All State after the season. Eva is a U19 club teammate with 2022 SLU commit Lauren Hiatt. Their team finished one game out of first place in the Southern Division of the very competitive Ohio Valley Conference in ECNL. They will be competing in the National Playoffs in Seattle next month. Eva is originally from San Diego and moved to Nashville before high school. She is a very versatile player that excels making wing flank runs as a wing back defender, or a goal scoring/service attacking player.