courtside

SLU has a 2025 commit, Addison Stanciak, from Gurnee, IL. Addison is a forward from Eclipse SC and Warren Township High School. She excels both off of the dribble, and in space, getting behind the defense, as well as creating opportunities for her teammates. She had 23 goals and 5 assists for WTHS this past season. She most frequently plays up top for both her high school and club team. An IHSSCA and Chicagoland Soccer All State player, Addison was named MVP of the Body Armor Classic scoring 2 goals in the championship game. After helping to lead her 06 Eclipse team through the rugged ECNL Midwest conference and to the National Playoffs this past season, Addison will be joined this Fall by 2024 SLU commit Emily Fox as teammates. She plays early Spring Super Cup before switching to high school soccer the same season. Her assistant High School Coach is long time Chicago area girls and boys high school coach, and former SLU Women’s Soccer Captain, Heather Crawford. Addison attends the same high school as SLU Men’s Soccer player Max Floriani.

New SLU 2025 commit Jack DiMaria is a talented two way midfielder for the undefeated U16 St. Louis City Academy team, and, a group winner of MLS Next Flex. He will play with the U17 team there this upcoming season. His team was one of the favorites to win the MLS Next playoffs but they lost a tough game earlier than expected. (The U17’s with several SLU commits was the team that advanced to the national quarterfinals.) Jack is a top 125 player nationally. Jack’s dad Jeff played at both SLU and Connecticut along with SLU Men’s Soccer coach Kevin Kalish. Jeff was a First Team All American the year after Kalish was a First Team All American. Jack’s sister Maddie played for the U14 girls youth national team this past year. She along with 2 other local players, won the inaugural ECNL Conference Cup in California last week. She is a top 25 national player in the class of 2027.

2-1 Notre Dame. SLU frequently likes to add wrinkles to exhibition games, such as adding an extra 30 minutes of play after the game, (which they did), and or practice PK's, etc....as a chance to work on some different things, and, to get more players some playing time. SLU had the only goal in the 30 minute mini game.

SLU plays a 4-1-3-2 when they need more offense or when they want to throw a wrinkle. In this formation they play one defensive center midfielder instead of 2. Example: Last year's home game vs Loyola. At half time SLU changed to this formation and it was very effective to create more needed offense in the 2nd half. They did it other games as well. But Katie's comfort zone has been 4-2-3-1 mostly and quickly switching back when it doesn't work or works well. With a deeper team, the opportunity is there to be more aggressive earlier in the game. SLU will be able to do this more in the future to start games, playing 4-1-3-2 with Alyssa Bockius, Addy Lang, Summer Fishel, Ava Rademeyer, etc....especially with Lang and Fishel. But for now they prefer to do it during the middle of the game. The other option SLU does sometimes is keep the 4-2-3-1 but move Kelly to the wing and keep Gaebe up top. SLU prefers 4 in the back, and, that best suits its personnel there right now. Many Power 5 schools prefer a 3-4-3 and variations of it. SLU also likes to have their wings switch sides during the middle of halves or games. Some other schools do this too. ............... As for some of the new players: Koch has been mostly an up top target/space player who is also learning some wing. Gary's primary experience is on the wing. But she's capable of playing several positions. N Preusser's experience is mostly in the middle. She defends welll there and that is something Shields likes. That's where Jess always played until last year where she also played some wing. Groark and Schwartz have been injured but both can play all 3 attacking positions. Simon plays both up top and central attacking mid. SLU's need is greater for her in the midfield. Schreiber plays wing or wing back. Luebbert is an outside back who also plays on the wing in a 3-4-3. Layton can play central attacking mid,(mostly here in college) wing, or outside back. Lutz is a center back. DeLuca will play wherever needed. Nelson is a wing. Jackson is an outside back and wing when not injured.

Brian, My name isn't Chris. I'm not 60 nor close to it. You have me confused with someone else. I took someone else up on their offer. That's different. I don't think you understand how this works. If one is decent and has ethics, it's all good. People can happily post what they want as long as it's on topic. It can be as simple as go team. People who troll and people who don't have ethics, don't like being held accountable. That's why you're here trolling off topic, defending your unethical friends. That's on you, not me. I'm good. Again this is the SLU Women's Soccer thread.

That’s incorrect. You have me confused with your “mentees.” It’s called accountability. That’s the word you (and a few others) don’t like. Be decent and have ethics, and it’s all good. Troll and and/or be unethical, and it isn’t. That’s it. Seems pretty simple. What you don’t like is accountability, especially when it’s one of the fellas. No one is forcing anyone else to be dishonest and unethical. No one is forcing anyone else to troll. As a non-deserved courtesy, I even kindly offered, if he was unsure about something, just ask. I only read and post in a handful of threads. (All of my basketball discussion is elsewhere for example.) This is the SLU Women’s Soccer thread. If you’d like to talk with me about something else, I’m happy to set that up in private messaging. But don’t be surprised if trolls and/or unethical people are held accountable when they stop by these few threads.

Wrong thread. This is the SLU Women's Soccer thread. Happy to take it to private messaging and set something up with you.

Don’t you live in Austin? You could have posted in the SLU Men’s Soccer thread about SLU alum Kipp Keller’s strong play in his last 5 MLS games, going the full 90 in 3 of the last 5. That would be more productive than trolling.

I’m just taking you up on your offer. This is the 3rd time in the past week that you’ve posted off topic here, trolling, being an internet tough guy. You seem overly interested in me. In your most recent post you suggested to set something up in person. I took you up on your offer. Let’s take it to private messages and set something up so that the soccer people can enjoy the soccer thread.

Perhaps SLU needed a Supreme Court Justice, to spend some yacht time: https://twitter.com/brettmmurphy/status/1689584651252219904?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng https://twitter.com/brettmmurphy/status/1689584652619522048?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng https://twitter.com/brettmmurphy/status/1689584654595047424?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-other-billionaires-sokol-huizenga-novelly-supreme-court

You are anything if not a dedicated SLU Soccer thread reader. That’s great. Trolling isn’t the most productive self esteem strategy for yourself or others. It slows and limits the topic discussion you seek here so frequently. And if anything, it sounds exhausting. I don’t think you understand how being an internet tough guy works. You volunteer yourself not others. Besides, Pete and Zach aren’t exactly big dudes. (No offense Pete and Zach) So can i volunteer yourself. That seems fair. You’re in luck. I’m in town today. I do have a fundraiser to attend this evening. But I can rearrange my schedule and make time for you late this afternoon to accommodate your needs. Message me and we’ll work out the details. I’ll copy a neutral poster in the messaging if that makes you more comfortable. That way the soccer people can have the soccer thread, and you get to be a tough guy elsewhere privately, win/win. As a dedicated soccer reader, I’m sure you’d want that for them. The soccer teams appreciate your support and enthusiasm. That’s really great. Good for you.

Summer Ball WPSL Heartland All Conference team: Houck, Gaebe, Heckel, Puricelli. Offensive Player of the Year: Gaebe. Defensive Player of the Year: Puricelli. https://twitter.com/WPSLCentral/status/1689305654559649792?t=KQlAOHSWQdr6Q39q6t0nRA&s=19

https://twitter.com/EclipseSelectSC/status/1689642834000052224?t=m6sup2N9xpcE1hJaT6JfBA&s=19 Emily doesn't have a twitter account. But her club team does, and today they congratulated her on her recent SLU commitment.

Let’s make this the last exchange in the soccer thread. That’s why people are here. Happy to take it elsewhere. Nowhere above did I say you weren’t at the game. You keep focusing on that because everything else is bad for you, again. I did say you tweeted to Stu Durando that you had a “representative” at the game because he tweeted that he wasn’t there. I attached that tweet above. The point which has now evaded you several times, is what good is it to have someone at the game as a “representative,” when that “representative” doesn’t obtain the most important thing about the exhibition game. Not that it’s not a surprise. You don’t do the work. When you cut corners, make mistakes, get called out on it, you are just two fans chatting it up. But at the same time you want to be respected by people like Stu and anyone else. It’s their 3rd class of 2025 commit. Again, if you spent less time competing, and more time doing the work, you would make less mistakes. Free SLU Soccer.

Nice try to gaslight and distract. No one forced you to post here or tweet on twitter what you posted and tweeted. No one said you weren’t there. What I did say is that you were guessing. That’s what people do when they cut corners. That’s why you didn’t mention the recruits at the game or the commitment.’It’s also why you didn’t tweet about it. I said just ask next time, no need to guess. Guessing leads to mistakes, as you were shown. You did find the time to tweet at Stu that he wasn’t there and that you had a “representative” at the game. It would have been helpful if that dialed in “representative” tweeted or posted about the recruits at the game since they were tweeting Stu about it.

SLU’s 3rd 2025 commitment, Ava Scorfina, is a 5’11 Center Back/Wing Back who plays for Lou Fusz 06 team and for the Lou Fusz High School Composite Team. She did not play high school soccer this year, after playing the previous season. Ava is a high motor, high IQ, individual defender in space, who also gets forward, especially on the wing into the attack. Unique skill set. She helped her U17 club team to the Girls Academy National Quarterfinals this Summer. (had a win over Isa Moreno’s team in the round of 16) Ava also played on the Lou Fusz Composite team that played an independent schedule that included Jefferson Cup, Super Cup, and other showcase events. SLU attended league play games, Lou Fusz training sessions, and the Adidas Midwest Elite Camp. Ava’s dad Tom, played high school ball (shortly after Kevin Kalish) for SLU alum Vince Drake, and he later played at what is now Missouri State.

There’s no need to guess. If you want to know something, just ask. This is the 3rd commit to the 2025 class. You may want to delete your tweet here saying it’s the 2nd: https://twitter.com/midtownmadpod/status/1689331397268283392?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng SLU’s first 2025 commit didn’t tweet about it. …………. You also tweeted sarcastically to Stu Durando that you had a “representative” at the exhibition game, because he wasn’t there. It’s better than discussing a game you didn’t see. But if you were there, and you weren’t guessing, you’d know which committed and uncommitted recruits were at the game, and, which players recently committed. You also would have posted it on Twitter. https://twitter.com/midtownmadpod/status/1689110007873175552?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng Guessing, and copy/paste from the internet without reference, isn’t as effective of an information strategy as experiencing things first hand. No one is saying that you have to do the work and put in the time. But no one is forcing you to post these “shortcuts” as well. Examples can also be very simple: An above poster here, for example, said he attended the exhibition game.(I was there too) Then he posted about what he saw and experienced first hand. That seems simple enough. Maybe start with that. …………

SLU has a 2025 commitment from Kai Jaeger. Kai is a Forward/Wing from St. Louis City Academy, formerly Sporting Springfield SC. Kickapoo High School. Most recently, Kai was a part of the St. Louis City Academy Team that advanced to the MLS Next Quarterfinals, with future Billiken teammates Jackson Delkus, Zach Stanton, Braden Benyr, and Braydon Sellers (who also has played for City2) Kai will play on the St. Louis City UPSL team this season.

SLU has a 2025 commitment from Braden Benyr, from Swansea, IL. Braden is a center midfielder from St. Louis City Academy, and formerly SLSG Academy. He attends Belleville East High School but he does not play high school soccer. Skilled on the ball and in tight spaces, Braden is a strong holding midfielder who can tackle, distribute, and get forward on the flanks into the offensive attack. He has been a St. Louis City Academy club teammate of SLU commits Jackson Delkus, Zach Stanton, and Braydon Sellers. Their U17 team recently advanced to the MLS Next Playoff Quarterfinals. Braden is playing with the UPSL team for St. Louis City Academy this season. https://twitter.com/bradenbenyr/status/1688566504508346368?s=46&t=TsCCkuE48YmnkWfoKqc_Ng

SLU has a new 2025 commitment, Summer Fishel, from Indianapolis, Indiana. Summer is one of the better two way central midfielders in the country for her class. She is a box to box, two way player, who can defend, tackle, hold, distribute, takes free kicks, gets forward creates, and finishes. While playing for FC Pride, Summer has been a 3 time, First Team, ECNL, All Conference player. (Ohio Valley Conference) She also plays Super Cup for FC Pride. Last season she chipped in 19 goals, helping lead Roncalli High School to the regional title Summer is also a hooper for Roncalli High School basketball. She will not be playing soccer this Fall after she picked up an injury during Summer playoffs. She will be back after the end of the year.

SLU has a new 2024 commit, from Emily Fox, Deerfield, IL, in the Northern Chicago suburbs. Emily is a skilled and creative attacking midfielder, who plays club ball with Eclipse SC, and, high school ball with Deerfield High School. She is a time All State player with the IHSA, and, with Chicagoland Soccer. Emily has 73 goals in 3 high school seasons at Deerfield. (17, 27, 29) She is the all time points leader at Deerfield, and, she will become the all time goals and assists leader early in her Senior season. Emily helped lead her high school team to the 2022 State Championship game, and, the sectional finals in 2023. In club ball, Emily has played with Eclipse North SC and Eclipse SC in the Midwest Conference of the Elite Clubs National League, as well as Pegasus FC in USYS. She played Summer Ball with Chicago Dutch Lions in USL-W.

Thanks, Wendelprof. Welcome to the Soccer threads. I don’t know your geography, but there are very likely opportunities in your geography to see either SLU Women or Men play, or committed and uncommitted SLU recruits as well. You can let me know here or send me a message and I can let you know when there are worthy games of note near you. It’s almost a 50 state, and International thing, these days, year round, Men and Women. You mentioned Pat and Carl, who were of course two of the many great ones. Since you mentioned Carl Gentile, you’d possibly be interested to know that his son Vince, (Notre Dame) recently returned to St. Louis this Summer after several years in Cincinnati. Vince is a former SLU Women’s Soccer assistant, who also coached at Xavier. He was most recently the Technical Director of a Girls club team there. (Kings Hammer) Vince is part of the club soccer restructuring at St. Louis Scott Gallagher, where he was before in the past. I’m sure there are several others that you’d know, both in and out of St. Louis at various places around the country and internationally. Both SLU Soccer programs have worked effectively with strong leadership, to be in good competing positions nationally. And now finally some long overdue resources have been initiated as well. As long as the University supports new, and future endeavors, within the programs, in a wide range of areas, there is potential for big things for both programs. That will be essential to being competitive at the highest levels, moving forward. It’s more challenging for the Women’s program, because league affiliation matters more than in Men’s soccer. The new soccer building, and new Champions Center, are good beginnings to this long term support. Hopefully there will also be a new NWSL Women’s professional soccer team in St. Louis soon as well. SLU has had its first of many play in that league this season.

If you are unsure, you can always ask. I’m only going to post a small percentage of information for various reasons. It was certainly misleading to many at best. I know this because I received a lot of messages about it, including some from recruits and their families. People can go back to May 1st in this thread and read your post and read the replies for themselves. Every year the SLU Women and Men’s Soccer teams will have transfers in and out. This happens at every school, in every sport, but less so at SLU Soccer.(Happy to discuss the Men’s roster construction in their thread.) …………. I often post more about additions to a team than about those leaving. But I will post these here: Lauren Spaete retired from soccer after her first semester at SLU. She transferred to Iowa State at that time. Lauren Hiatt retired from soccer after her first semester at SLU. She transferred to the University of Tennessee at that time. Hannah Smith transferred to Grand Canyon University this Summer. (She played Summer Ball with several current SLU players) Taylor Krueger transferred to Seattle Pacific University this Summer. (She played Summer Ball in Portland.) All of the rest of the Freshmen are still on the team. ………….. As for incoming transfers, SLU checks the portal each semester, as any team would, to see if there is a player or two in it, of interest. SLU targets very few players. They first targeted Izzy Luebbert at the end of the first semester. She stayed at Arkansas through the Spring before transferring to SLU after that. SLU explored adding Liv Layton as a grad transfer to play one more year, at the end of 2nd semester. SLU had a prior relationship with both players. ………… Non Freshmen departures: Liz Stureman medically retired from soccer in May of 2023. 8 graduating Seniors left the team from 2022. A few others stayed to use remaining eligibility. 11 new 2023 current Freshmen, and, 2 incoming transfers, a 2nd year and a 5th year. SLU’s roster size will be 30 this season. And that is going to be a common number range moving forward for the roster, as it has been in recent seasons. It’s essential to have a 2nd 11 to win at the highest levels, and, to have increased competition for positions and play. SLU is also exploring adding an additional 2024 player at this time. This means they are in talks with a specific player, and, it may or may not happen. One player de-committed and committed elsewhere. SLU currently has 8 2024 commitments. 2025 has one commit thus far, with many more to come soon. August 1st kicked off official visit season for 2025 players. SLU has very roughly 90 targets, with initial focus on less than a third of those players. And within that group there are priority targets. Chris Allen is the lead recruiter for SLU, and, he does the heavy lifting with SLU recruiting. Although, Katie Shields also does some of the recruiting herself, as well as in coordination with Chris. It’s a team effort. And, Jenna Bracken is a recent addition there. Many competitor schools have hired 3rd assistant coaches, under the new rule change, which allows for 3 assistants. These coaches were previously known as a Volunteer Assistant Coach. SLU still the Volunteer Assistant position, currently being filled by Cal McKee, whose focus is more on player development. All sincere posters are welcome here any time.

Preseason United Soccer Coaches Poll is largely based on the previous season’s results. You will notice the side by side comparison here: https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/rankings/college-rankings/ncaa-di-women/ SLU was top 10 in 3 different polls, and top 10 RPI last season, as high as 4th in one poll and 8th in RPI. But they dropped a little bit in the polls when they lost in post season. 11th was the best poll after postseason. As SLU wins games, it will improve its ranking. It’s good to be ranked, as it has value as a recruiting and marketing tool. When other schools sell their leagues against SLU in recruiting, and, they do this every day, SLU can sell winning, and results. It’s fine. As for BYU, in just the past 4 seasons, they finished NCAA Quarterfinals, NCAA 2nd Round, NCAA Championship Game, NCAA Sweet 16. They have one of the toughest places to play in the country, and they have high octane offensive teams. It will be a big challenge, but, that’s part of the fun, and it’s why you play the game.

South Carolina was included when I said 9 out of the past 14 seasons the SEC has won the baseball national title. They were not included in the “past decade” comment because they haven’t been to the CWS since 2012, and, they have made it to Supers less than half of the time this past decade. They of course are still a very good program. Clemson baseball is back largely because of Erik Bakich. Last regional won was 2010. He’ll change that quickly. Coastal Carolina has a strong baseball program, and, of course they had a magical 2016. They also have a bigger budget than SLU. Many SEC schools have great facilities, and, others have plans of their own as well. This year, Tennessee announced a $100 million baseball facility upgrade. Vandy announced one as well as part of their $3.2 billion project. And these were two of the worst ones in the league: https://vucommodores.com/vandy-united-ushers-in-new-era-at-hawkins-field/ https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2023/06/30/lindsey-nelson-stadium-naming-rights-tennessee-baseball-renovations/70371207007/ SLU obviously doesn’t need to spend with the SEC regarding facilities and resources to have a good competitive baseball program. But they do need significant facilities and resources upgrades to be more competitive more often.