Virginia class of 2026 loaded with top players

The state of Virginia is rich in soccer talent, and that is on complete display in the 2026 class as it is simply loaded. Watching the film from these five players shows just how loaded the class is. These five are just the tip of the iceberg, and are certainly worthy of praise.    DeTuro is invaluable because of her ability to play outside back and to play center back. When she's on the outside, she looks like a forward, which she used to be. She not only gets up the field quickly, but knows which pockets of space to occupy. She's clever on the ball as she can turn defenders or beat them off the dribble. She can play a ball on the ground between defenders or fan out and play it wide. As a center back she reads play well and is good in the air and also good at stepping up and disrupting passing lanes.     Lombardo is a dynamic midfielder, one who can sit deep or push up on the attack. She takes her defensive responsibilities seriously as she is strong, physical and very disruptive but she also likes to get forward and has quite the burst of speed. She helps the team transition as she knows when to ping the ball quickly and get going, or when to let play develop as she is comfortable in possession. She plays a very nice ball on the ground, routinely splitting defenders, and plays balls into space instead of at the player.     Nicholson is a midfielder with a variety of skills. She is one who can be incredibly dangerous in the final third because of her ability on the ball and how she can navigate traffic. She creates, showing good patience and vision and the ability to play a ball, but she can also finish and do so from range. What really stood out to me was her ability to receive the ball and then, knowing where her teammates were going to be occupying space, to play that ball into that space, perfectly. She's a great facilitator of the ball.     Rogers is one of those players that can lull you into a false sense of security as she glides around the pitch, making players think they can keep up with her. Then she kicks it into high gear and defenders get left behind. She is so smooth and so cool on the ball as she can switch feet without losing stride, she can stop and start or pull back to create space. She can use either foot to finish with and is lethal. She is an excellent playmaker from the No. 10 spot with tremendous creativity, athleticism and vision.     Vanags is one of the most impressive defenders in Virginia. She is hard-nosed, dedicated and fierce. She just stands out in all aspects when you see her on film. She is a true ball-winner as she dominates in the air, and she wins her challenges on the floor as well, showing great timing with her tackles. She's a stout 1v1 defender, proving difficult to beat because she has great footwork, agility and anticipation. She has the speed needed to keep up with attackers and to help the defense recover if they get caught out, as well. I liked what I saw of her ability to possess as she seems calm on the ball, she can move the ball and can break lines with her passing ability.

The state of Virginia is rich in soccer talent, and that is on complete display in the 2026 class as it is simply loaded. Watching the film from these five players shows just how loaded the class is. These five are just the tip of the iceberg, and are certainly worthy of praise.