One Dark Horse Recruiting Class to Watch in Every Conference

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p>The Prep Soccer recruiting class rankings were released this week for the 2026 grads. Check out the rankings here. View <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/national/rankings/girls/2026-rankings/">the full player rankings for the class here</a>. Learn more about <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/how-we-rank/">our ranking process here</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>ACC — Wake Forest</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 50 Commits:</strong> 2 (#47, #58)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong> Wake's class is built around technically sound midfielders who fit perfectly in the program's possession system. Depth and IQ could make this group a long-term problem for opponents. Eva Forster is the one to watch from this group, as our top ranked recruit. Among the players ranked outside the top 100, Ava Reddy might be the one to watch. Her technical ability and decision-making should shine in this system. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>SEC — Alabama</strong> </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 100 Commits:</strong> 2 (#12, #34)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>Dark horse probably isn't the right word choice for Alabama but this class slipped under the radar thanks to Tennessee's #1 overall pickup. Alabama quietly secured two Top 40 players. An elite attacking-minded midfielder and a US international goalkeeper lead the way for the Tide. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Big Ten — Wisconsin</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 50 Commits:</strong> 2 (#38, #42)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>Like Alabama, this class is slightly overshadowed by another program in the same conference. However, Wisconsin could end up with the better group at the end of the day. The elite talent in Izy Traub and Michaela Panella has to have the Wisconsin coaching staff absolutely giddy for the future. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Big 12 — Colorado</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 100 Commits:</strong> 3 (#72, #75, #97)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>While TCU and Texas Tech stockpiled recruits, Colorado quietly landed two elite midfielders in [player_tooltip player_id='20206' first='Sloane' last='Phillips'] (#72) and [player_tooltip player_id='82459' first='Sienna' last='McAthy'] (#97) along with strong defenders in Ellyse DeBolt (#75) and Bianca Willis (#105). </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Ivy League — Princeton</strong> </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 50 Commit:</strong> 1 (#44)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>Victoria Adams (#44) gives Princeton a future centerpiece defender. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Big East — UConn</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 200 Commit:</strong> 2 (#152, #186)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>Connecticut landing a pair of highly ranked players in this class makes them the leaders for the Big East. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>WCC — Pepperdine</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 150 Commits:</strong> 2 (#39, #117)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>Pepperdine's class fits their technical, possession-oriented system like a glove.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>AAC — </strong>Rice</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 200 Commits:</strong> 2 (#145, #185)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>Rice pulled together a star-studded class. A recent CIF Player of the Year, [player_tooltip player_id='171785' first='Valentina' last='Labuschagne'], and a top player from Michigan, Sloane Popov, lead the way.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Atlantic 10 — Loyola </strong>(IL)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Ranked Commits:</strong> 2</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>Loyola (IL) leaps out from the pack in the Atlantic 10 thanks to landing two local recruits with high upside. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Mountain West/Pac-12 — </strong>Colorado State</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>💡 <strong>Top 100 Commits:</strong> 1 (#99)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>📈 <strong>Why they're a dark horse:</strong><br>This is a tough one to classify. Colorado State is in the quartet of schools ditching the Mountain West and joining the Pac-12 (or whatever number this should be) on July 1, 2026 so feel free to claim either conference here. Brecken Ferrell is the headliner of the group. Britland Raisey is excellent too. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->