On National Signing Day, the top college soccer programs officially began to build towards the 2011 fall season. According to NCAA rules, Wednesday marked the first day players could sign letters of intent, essentially confirming where they’ll continue their playing career.
Official announcements will be revealed over the coming weeks, as international players are enrolled, transfers confirmed and last-minute issues sorted out.
MLS academies continued to play a large role, stocking some of the best programs in the nation. Sounders FC provided a number of talented players, including the promising DeAndre Yedlin to Akron, Sean Okoli to Wake Forest and Nick Polodichuk to Duke.
Here’s a list of 11 top schools and their respective class, as reported to TopDrawerSoccer. MLS Academy listed in parentheses if pertinent:
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>School</strong></span> |
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Players</strong></span> |
<strong>Akron</strong> |
<p>Kyle Culbertson, FW (Columbus Crew); Andy Chiu, FW (Real Salt Lake); Wil Trapp, MF (Columbus Crew); DeAndre Yedlinm, MF (Seattle Sounders FC); David Murrow, D; Bryan Gallego, D (New York Red Bulls)</p> |
<strong>Duke</strong> |
Nick Polodichuk, MF (Seattle Sounders FC); Sean Davis, MF (New York Red Bulls); Riley Wolfe, MF (LA Galaxy); Andrew Morales, MF; Nate Eggleston, MF |
<strong>Indiana</strong> |
<p>Lance Davis, MF; Kyle Sparks, MF; Patrick Doody, MF (Chicago Fire); Jack Coleman, D (FC Dallas); Eriq Zavaleta, D (Real Salt Lake); Michael Soderlund, GK</p> |
<strong>Louisville</strong> |
Shaquille Hamilton, MF; Isaiah Trejo, D |
<strong>Michigan</strong> |
<p>T.J. VanSlooten, FW; Colin McAtee, MF; Caleb Stanko, MF</p> |
<strong>Maryland</strong> |
Alex Shinsky, MF; Dan Metzger (New York Red Bulls), MF; Kyle Roach, D; Keith Cardona (New York Red Bulls), GK |
<strong>North Carolina</strong> |
<p>Cooper Vandermaas-Peeler, FW; Ryan Dodson, FW; Joshua Miller, FW; Darvin Ebanks, MF; Miguel Lopez, MF; Jodran McCrary, MF; Jon Ray, MF; Nathan Diehl, D; Sam Euler (Chicago Fire), GK</p> |
<strong>Southern Methodist</strong> |
Will Smith, FW; Aaron Simmons, MF; Edu Aranda, MF; Alex Blanton, GK; Devin Cook, GK |
<strong>UCLA</strong> |
<p>Reed McKenna, FW; Nathaniel Schnitman (LA Galaxy), MF; Alex Padilla (LA Galaxy), GK</p> |
<strong>Virginia</strong> |
Chris Somerville, FW; Ryan Zinkhan, FW; Kyle McCord, FW; Matthew Mills, MF; Grant Silvester, D; Matt Brown, D; Will Hare, D; Kyler Sullivan, D; Spencer LaCivita, GK |
<strong>Wake Forest</strong> |
<p>Sean Okoli (Seattle Sounders FC), FW; Ted Mullin, MF; Dallas Aminzadeh (D.C. United), D; Sam Fink, D; Matt Pacifici, GK</p> |
