Recruiting News: The Irish secure commit from top centerback

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The recruiting battles continue to heat up for the Class of 2024. The landscape for scouts and top prospects has certainly changed over the last few weeks. As of Tuesday, there are only three players from the PrepSoccer Class of 2024 National Rankings Top 20 without a known verbal commitment. The race is now firmly on for which program will have the top recruiting class for the 2024 class. Stanford and North Carolina have the early advantage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>However, Notre Dame is making a big push after the last week. The Irish landed two verbal commitments in the last week including standout center back Abby Gemma. Originally from New Jersey, Gemma moved to Florida a few years ago to join the IMG Academy and take her game to the next level. The U.S. Youth National Team defender has been a standout for IMG over the past few seasons, and should be one to watch at the next level as she joins a Notre Dame recruiting class that includes [player_tooltip player_id='44320' first='Melinda' last='Hathaway'], Isabela Engle, and Elizabeth Heller. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6346dc7d80ac2","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["42101"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Washington State is quietly putting together a pretty impressive class for 2024. The Cougars have three verbal commitments for the 2024 class after the last week. [player_tooltip player_id='42101' first='Emerson' last='DeLuca'] is the second commitment from Colorado for this class. She is an outside back who is versatile. She can play on either side, which should give her a chance to contribute immediately to the Cougars defense. She likes to get forward, but she is quick and her recovery speed is elite. [player_tooltip player_id='19706' first='Kendall' last='Campbell'] is also an exciting addition for the WSU 2024 class.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"id":"block_6346e13b80ac4","name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14967129/62d34b0864e0640220751d51' width='480' height='240' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6346e21a80ac5","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["23386"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Santa Clara's coaching staff is among the best in the country at scouting - regardless of level, budget, etc. The Broncos find talent and develop talent. Weiland is one of the most interesting prospects to make a recent commitment because if you look at the current Santa Clara roster there are zero players from the Midwest. So what made Santa Clara buck the trend and target a defender from Kansas City? Well, Weiland has some intangibles that are obvious on film. She is a shutdown 1v1 defender. She plays as a left back (but she is right footed) so she regularly goes up against the best wingers in the country. She does well in using her body to knock attackers off the ball. The instinctual nature of how she defends on an island makes it obvious that she can go against better, faster competition and still hold her own. Weiland probably needs to be more comfortable with her left foot in order to make an impact early with Santa Clara, but the potential is very exciting. She joins fellow Missouri-native Isabelle De Buyl in the 2024 Santa Clara recruiting class.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"id":"block_6346e4f080ac6","name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13833307/6228249fd468aa14141da08c' width='480' height='240' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6346e50680ac7","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["20829"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"There is something going on at Purdue that should have people excited based on this 2024 class. They have five verbal commitments right now: Zoe Cuneio, Grace Jackson, Stephanie Lathrop, Brooke Birtwistle, and Graziano. The latest being Graziano who is a center midfielder with ridiculous upside. She is a left footed playmaker who is great at set pieces. She is an above average finisher for the position. She does not have the breakaway pace, but she is tough and loves the challenge. She is likely going to be a stellar No. 8 in the future. This is one of the best classes Purdue has ever assembled.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3kTk_yVpuY","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3kTk_yVpuY </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6346e90e6ce8a","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["24336"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Ledwith is a right-wing prospect from one of the best ECNL clubs, SUSA. She checks all of the boxes from what scouts look for from a player in that role - dynamic in space, good first touch, decision-making in the final third, and wins 1v1 out wide. Ledwith is plug and play type of prospect. She fits a role perfectly and you know what you are going to get from her. Going from regular starter to all-conference player at the next level will require her to develop more parts of her game, but she has shown the aptitude to improve on her weaknesses in the past.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["24357"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='24357' first='Alexis' last='Re']' is another top prospect from SUSA who made a verbal commitment recently. She is a versatile player who is listed as a forward/midfielder on her player profile. I think she is more of a center forward at the next level, but there are plenty of elements of her game to suggest she could play any spot in the spine of the team at a top program like West Virginia. She can be a bit of a bully against defenders with her powerful runs and strength on the ball. She has excellent technique in striking the ball and will rip the net off the goal at some point during training. West Virginia's hardest decision might be figuring out how to best utilize her.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":2,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Verbal Commitments for the Class of 2024 (Oct. 4-11)</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><li>Mia Paugh - Utah&nbsp;</li><li>Hope Kim - SLU</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='44320' first='Melinda' last='Hathaway'] - Notre Dame&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='42101' first='Emerson' last='DeLuca'] - Washington St&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='26448' first='Amaya' last='Dawkins'] - Wake Forest&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='33403' first='Maison' last='Smith'] - Alabama</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='27277' first='Sydney' last='Williams'] - Stephen F Austin&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='27553' first='Ashleigh' last='Vizek'] - Virginia Tech&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='26177' first='Katie' last='Shea Collins'] - South Carolina&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='23386' first='Ava' last='Weiland'] - Santa Clara&nbsp;</li><li>Abby Gemma - Notre Dame&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='26121' first='Madden' last='McDonald'] - South Carolina&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='24357' first='Alexis' last='Re']' - West Virginia&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='19756' first='Lauren' last='Hunter'] - Santa Clara&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='20829' first='Faith' last='Graziano'] - Purdue&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='18891' first='Caitlyn' last='Simons'] - UCSB&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='24336' first='Maggie' last='Ledwith'] - Indiana&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='60819' first='Avery' last='Lampe'] - Kentucky&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='23008' first='Sophia' last='Recupero'] - Duke&nbsp;</li><li>[player_tooltip player_id='19706' first='Kendall' last='Campbell'] - Washington State&nbsp;</li></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->