Intriguing Women's Players in NCAA Transfer Portal Part 2

The more research I do the more interested I become with this years transfer portal. There are some fascinating profiles that can help a team immediately. There seems to be a mixture of really experienced players with a fair amount of division 1 experience looking for a more established school that will enhance their professional chances or pursuing a more lucrative scholarship and NIL dollars. On the flip side there are many players whose roles have diminished and are looking for more time on the field elsewhere. In a 4-year eligibility system where your time to play collegiately is so small there is extreme urgency on behalf of players to capitalize. In this crazy game of soccer one coach may think you are brilliant, while another does not rate you. Injuries can also play a part with some players never able to climb back up the depth chart. I am wishing everyone in the portal luck on finding new homes and hopefully your careers will flourish in a new environment.   Addison Vali- SMU's #11 came onto campus with an excellent resume playing for a very successful Real Colorado team and was team captain during their national championship run in 2022. She was also on the ECNL National team 4 years running. She had a stellar high school career making first team all league and getting to the State Championship 2 years running. She made 9 appearances as a freshmen at SMU and was looking like she was getting an enhanced role in the squad this season. Unfortunately she did not see a minute this season as a sophomore which means she has 3 more years of eligibility remaining.   Abby Gemma- As a freshmen at Notre Dame Gemma saw a lot of minutes that most freshmen would be happy to receive. She started 8 games and had 14 appearances for the Irish. However, she has not touched the field since October. Coming into Notre Dame she was ranked as high as no. 19 overall recruit in the country and captained IMG Academy all 4 years. She is an ECNL national champion and has been a part of a handful of USA youth national team camps. With a CV like hers I don't think this young defender will have to look for very long to find a new home.   Keegan Schmeiser- She has 6 appearances for Penn St. her freshmen and sophomore years so is relatively unknown at the DI level, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Penn St. is a very good team, she is a U17 CONCACAF champion with the USYNT and was a United Soccer Coaches All-American in 2022. She played her whole youth career at Chicago United and her transfer portal entry suggests she is looking for an enhanced role at her new home. Is she a player that peaked early and is on the descent or is she someone who can standout the way she did a few years ago? Only time will tell.   Ellie Johannes- At Indiana so far Johannes did not play in the 2023 season and made 7 appearances this season all off the bench. Coming into college Johannes looked primed to dominate she was the USA Today Arizona High School Player of the Year in 2022. In her last high school seasons she logged an incredible 107 goals and 36 assists. Strikers are confidence creatures, it would seem a new home and an injection of confidence may get this young player going.   Hannah Langstaff- The Akron defender hits the transfer portal with a ton of value. She has 31 starts in 33 Division I appearances and looks like someone who is making a jump to a bigger program that enhances her professional chances. A product of the very strong Sockers youth club Langstaff has had a very solid collegiate career thus far.   Avery Brown- a very interesting career at Ole Miss thus far, in Brown's freshmen year she appeared in 17 games with 11 starts which is a fantastic start for a freshmen at an SEC School. However, this season she did not log a single minute which is rather strange for a player who had such a big role in year one. The good news for Brown is by not playing this season she has 3 years of college eligibility remaining.

The more research I do the more interested I become with this years transfer portal. There are some fascinating profiles that can help a team immediately. There seems to be a mixture of really experienced players with a fair amount of division 1 experience looking for a more established school that will enhance their professional chances or pursuing a more lucrative scholarship and NIL dollars. On the flip side there are many players whose roles have diminished and are looking for more time on the field elsewhere. In a 4-year eligibility system where your time to play collegiately is so small there is extreme urgency on behalf of players to capitalize. In this crazy game of soccer one coach may think you are brilliant, while another does not rate you. Injuries can also play a part with some players never able to climb back up the depth chart. I am wishing everyone in the portal luck on finding new homes and hopefully your careers will flourish in a new environment.