Five Defenders to Know from the Updated Texas 2026 Girls Rankings

After some months, the Prep Soccer 2026 Texas Girls State Ranking was updated last week, with new players being added to the prestigious list that features only the best of the best in the Lone Star State and the existing ones having their positions adjusted.   The ranking will continue to be consistently updated so it accurately reflects the progress achieved by players over time and presents a clear picture of the Texas landscape, always having in mind each prospect's potential to make an impact at the next level.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/texas/rankings/girls/2026-rankings/">Texas 2026 Girls State Rankings</a></li> </ul>   The updated Texas 2026 Girls State Rankings now feature 221 players from every corner of the Lone Star State, and we're taking the week to present you with some of the most intriguing names that made the list.   Today, we look into the defenders:    Wiele is the third-highest-ranked defender in the Rankings and appears in seventh place overall. A center back, she plays for Westwood High School and the [program_tooltip program_id='283497' first='Sting' last='Austin'] U19 team in the ECNL league. Defensively, her game is anchored in her high soccer IQ, which consistently gets her in the right places to make stops. Extremely mobile, Wiele also stands out when defending in transition, forcing opponents away from the penalty box and picking the right moment to make a defensive play and win the ball. Her immense offensive contribution is another key part of her game. Wiele hits the ball extremely well and uses that ability to make a difference in set pieces, typically ranking among the team's top players in goals and assists.      Weiss is listed as the sixth-best defender and ranks 19th overall in Texas after our last update. She plays as a right back for Hebron High School in the Dallas area and starts for Sting Royal U19 in the ECNL league. Weiss is a modern outside back, who brings a lot of intensity to the field and is extremely solid on both sides of the ball. Her offensive game is elite and adds a lot to her team. Weiss is a constant option out wide, intelligently overlapping and engaging in combination plays to get the ball to the end line, but can also be dangerous coming inside with her ability to pass the ball and finish from outside the box. Weiss is very disciplined when playing defense and does a great job of not allowing opponents an inch of space in the final third and keeping them under pressure.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LilyWeiss23/status/1940422727581761775 </div></figure>    Dedmon moved up in the Rankings and is now the 15th-best defender and ranks 53rd among the class of 2026 prospects in Texas. Originally a center back, she can also play as an outside back with her high school team, Ridge Point, and her club [program_tooltip program_id='283243' first='Albion' last='Hurricanes FC'] U19 in the ECNL league. She has all the tools one would want from a center back, combining tremendous athleticism and superior positioning. Dedmon is probably at her best when used in the center of a back three, where her ability to cover ground makes the most impact. The defender is also very comfortable on the ball, often supporting the offense with strong runs through he middle, and has a strong aerial ability, which sometimes leads her into playing as a striker in the final minutes of matches when her team is trailing.    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ChopDedmon2/status/1747422119674188282 </div></figure>    Bryant is a new addition to the Rankings, and she was allocated in 26th place among the defenders and 83rd overall. A left back, she's part of the Memorial High School varsity team and plays club soccer for [program_tooltip program_id='283648' first='FC' last='Dallas'] U19 in the ECNL league. Bryant is a very technical and intelligent player, who doesn't put a foot wrong and is very efficient with her actions on both sides of the ball. She's a reliable defender, who makes the right choices in her zone and demands a lot from opponents who want to make it past her. Bryant also has a great capacity to support her team's offense, distributing passes effectively out of the back in the team's buildup and appearing in good spots in the final third to send crosses into the box.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/02/2J4A0180_69793b.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-279856" /></figure>    Fuller comes up as the 31st-best defender in the state and is ranked 101st overall in Texas. She's a standout from the Austin area, where she plays high school ball for Hendrickson and represents [program_tooltip program_id='283397' first='[program_tooltip program_id='278668' first='Lonestar' last='']' last='SC'] in the ECNL Regional League. A tall center back, she's excellent at dominating the penalty box in the air and using her big frame to block shots and take up space from opponents. Fuller also has solid mobility and does well when she has to defend in space. A vocal leader for the team, she's comfortable on the ball and connects good passes from the backline.

After some months, the Prep Soccer 2026 Texas Girls State Ranking was updated last week, with new players being added to the prestigious list that features only the best of the best in the Lone Star State and the existing ones having their positions adjusted.