Soccer Wire

SoccerWire is publishing Q&A articles with players who have Featured Profiles in the SoccerWire Recruiting Directory. The series allows players to share their stories on the college recruiting process, playing the game at the international level, travel and high school soccer, and their passion for the beautiful game. In this edition we will showcase U.S. Youth National Team goalkeeper Gabby Gjeldum, who plays for Galaxy SC in the Girls Academy, and has verbally committed to play for UCLA in 2028.

The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team opens the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on Sunday, Sept. 6 – the second match day of the tournament – against Italy, which fell 2-0 in the semifinals of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship to eventual European champion Spain. With UEFA getting four berths to this World Cup, plus host Poland, the semifinal finish was enough to earn Italy a spot in this World Cup.

STANFORD, CA – On a night that Stanford retired the No. 19 worn by the late Katie Meyer, the top-ranked Cardinal played to a 2-2 draw with USC from Cagan Stadium. With the draw, Stanford moves to 5-0-1 on the year, while USC is now 1-3-2. The pregame ceremony featured Katie’s parents, Steve and Gina, being presented with framed No. 19 jerseys before the Cardinal unveiled a No. 19 decal that adorns a portion of the wall along the south end of the facility.

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NEW YORK — MLS NEXT will kick off its seventh season this weekend as the most elite youth player development in North America. With a proven track record of developing top professional and collegiate soccer players, the 2026-27 season will continue to deliver best-in-class competition and development opportunities to prepare the next generation for the highest levels of the game.

Get Recruited Faster with a Player Profile on SoccerWire.com LEARN MORE high school: Apex Friendship graduation: 2029 I graduate in 2029 and currently have a 4.375 GPA.

SoccerWire is publishing Q&A articles with players who have Featured Profiles in the SoccerWire Recruiting Directory. The series allows players to share their stories on the college recruiting process, playing the game at the international level, travel and high school soccer, and their passion for the beautiful game.

Intercollegiate Women’s Soccer Organization for Coaches (IWSOC) and United Soccer Coaches released the newest Top 25 poll following the third week of competition in the 2026 NCAA women’s soccer season. Stanford remains in the top spot, followed by Duke holding steady at No. 2, Vanderbilt at No. 3, Michigan State at No. 4 and Wake Forest rounding out the Top 5. Three new teams – No. 19 TCU, No. 20 South Carolina and No. 22 Baylor – have entered the Top 25 after previously receiving votes.

(Pictured Above: No. 16 South Carolina has entered the Top 25 for the first time since 2016, as they lead of group of seven new teams in this week’s rankings.) United Soccer Coaches released the newest NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Rankings, featuring the nation’s Top 25 teams. The Week 2 coaches’ poll features Stanford in the No. 1 spot. They’re followed by Maryland at No. 2, SMU at No. 3, Ohio State at No. 4 and Georgetown rounding out the Top 5.

Longtime scout Jerry Penkala ([email protected]), owner and operator of JTF Academy, has compiled a list of the most common pet peeves shared by college coaches around the country, when it comes to recruiting in the modern youth soccer landscape.