2028 commits – Nationally Ranked and Youth National Team Players

Included in this segment are some top-level 2028 commits from California and Hawaii going to mid-major and Power 4 programs.   USE THE PROMO CODE almasin30 for a discount on your first subscription   The recruitment window is now in full effect, and players are making commitments in droves.  As some players are taking their time in weighing their options, others have made their decisions to go with some Power 4 as well as mid-major programs.  I've previously covered all of these players in previous features and some in at least 4 or more live evaluations at the ECNL and high school level.   Yet, these top-level players are now off the board and have laid the groundwork for preparing for their next stage in their soccer journey.  With this major hurdle out of the way, they can now decide whether to continue playing high school soccer or solely prepare for collegiate soccer.   One interesting fact about two of these players is that [player_tooltip player_id='266752' first='Kahali'a' last='Huddleston'] and [player_tooltip player_id='354571' first='Cara' last='Gouveia'] are both Hawaii-based players who also compete with teams on the Mainland (California) during spring and summer tournaments to raise their level of competition and to gain additional exposure.  [player_tooltip player_id='354571' first='Cara' last='Gouveia'] is a Punahou varsity player who has helped her team make a deep run into the HHSAA State Tournament final.  Gouveia is going to Sacramento State, a mid-major, and will compete against teams such as SJSU, Saint Mary's, and UOP.  I might be able to get out to at least one of their matches.   [player_tooltip player_id='266752' first='Kahali'a' last='Huddleston'] is a top-level defender who plays for Slammers HB Koge and was named as the BIIF Division II Player of the Year during the 2025-2026 season.  She led her team to a Big Island title and the state semifinals.  One interesting note was that back in the day, I played against Kaha's dad at the high school level and with him on the Maui Cobras U19 team back in the late 80s and early 90s.  Kahale was a standout soccer player as well as a football player.  It was great to have met up with Kaha's mom and dad at ECNL Phoenix last March.   One of the best feelings is letting parents know that their player is Division 1 material.  Now it's just “icing on the cake” or “smooth sailing” from here on out.  It's like coming full circle, as I plan to do more coverage for 808 players, with hopes of getting them to the next levels of soccer. Her choice to play at Seattle University is sound, as it is a top-level mid-major program located on the West Coast.  Not to say that Hawaii players would rather play on the West Coast, but travel might be easier, as they usually have more family members living in those areas.   Next up are [player_tooltip player_id='111094' first='Sophia' last='Malloy'] and Lynn Buyn.  Both players represent a prominent Saint Francis soccer program out of Mountain View, CA.  Malloy and Byun will definitely play a huge part in the Lancers' run in the playoffs, in which two seasons ago they were part of the team who won a treble (league champions, Central Coast Section Title, and a NorCal Title) prior to the last year's state championship inauguration.  Power 4 conferences are on tap for Malloy at Colorado and Byun at ASU (Arizona State University).  Sophia is part of the USYNT pipeline and has had standout matches in ECNL tourneys such as the ECNL National Selection Match, which I covered at ECNL Phoenix last March.   Last but not least, [player_tooltip player_id='223644' first='Liliana' last='Rubio'], the Girls Academy standout at the national playoffs in June, put on one of the best 2nd-half performances I've ever seen.  Lili's technical skills were on full display as she zipped past defenders, made slicing moves in traffic, and finished with precision.  The former Mexico Youth National team player is now eligible for a USYNT squad, so be on the lookout if our national team scouts are ready to give her a run at it.  I fully endorse her as an elite player.  Her move to MVLA, the ECNL powerhouse, is a step in the right direction. Her decision to choose SDSU (San Diego State University) will keep her in California, and she may have a choice to play on either side if the call comes.   Wishing these players the best of luck, and I hope to see them play at the next major ECNL tourney or during high school play.  The excitement, competition, and camaraderie have brought me back to the ranks of coaching varsity girls soccer this winter.  Yet, I will still maintain my duties as a prep soccer scout to cover high school soccer as well as club soccer.  Thanks to all the players, coaches, team managers, and parents for the love and aloha.  See you all soon.   Key Players:   [player_tooltip player_id='266752' first='Kahali'a' last='Huddleston'] (2028) - Defender - Kamehameha Schools, Big Island, HI - Ranked #28 in CA, #17 as a defender, and #116 in the Nation.   [player_tooltip player_id='354571' first='Cara' last='Gouveia'] (2028) - Midfielder - Punahou Schools, Honolulu, HI   [player_tooltip player_id='111094' first='Sophia' last='Malloy'] (2028) - Goalkeeper - Saint Francis High School, Mountain View, CA - Ranked #33 in CA, #3 as a Goalkeeper, and #140 in the Nation.   [player_tooltip player_id='206664' first='Lynn' last='Byun'] (2028) - Midfielder/Defender - Saint Francis High School, Mountain View, CA - Ranked #75 in CA, #51 as a Midfielder, and #233 in the Nation.   [player_tooltip player_id='223644' first='Liliana' last='Rubio'] (2028) - Midfielder/Defender - Clovis West High School, Fresno, CA - Ranked #41 in CA, #30 as a Midfielder, and #93 in the Nation.   Player Evaluations:   [player_tooltip player_id='266752' first='Kahali'a' last='Huddleston'] (2028) - Defender - Kamehameha Schools, Big Island, HI    She is a top-level defender who plays for Slammers HB Koge and was named as the BIIF Division II Player of the Year during the 2025-2026 season.  She led her team to a Big Island title and the state semifinals.  One interesting note was that back in the day, I played against Kaha's dad at the high school level and with him on the Maui Cobras U19 team back in the late 80's and early 90's.  Kahale was a standout soccer player as well as football player.  It was great to have met up with Kaha's mom and dad at ECNL Phoenix last March. Kaha has also won a national championship with the <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/program/slammers-fc-2/">[program_tooltip program_id='283476' first='Slammers' last='FC']</a> HB Koge team during the 2023/2024 season. At the ECNL Phoenix match, she played a solid match in the opener against MVLA. Her ability to shut down running lanes and cut off runners making diagonal runs into the 18-yard box. Kahalia helped to slow down the high-powered MVLA offense by staying calm under pressure and by making clean tackles.    Kaha's Highlights: ECNL Phoenix - Day 1 - Slammers HB Koge vs. MVLA   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/2038769944394125433?s=20 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='354571' first='Cara' last='Gouveia'] (2028) - Midfielder - Punahou Schools, Honolulu, HI    The [program_tooltip program_id='283443' first='Rebels' last='SC'] and Punahou varsity players have helped her high school team make a deep run into the HHSAA State Tournament final.  Gouveia is going to Sacramento State, a mid-major, and will compete against teams such as SJSU, Saint Mary's, and UOP.  I might be able to get out to at least one of their matches. Her dynamic skills and ability to play as a box-to-box player are where she left her mark. I've seen her play as an attacking mid, but she can transition to the forward position during critical moments. I really liked her calm composure and precise passes. Cara will be back with her varsity team as they make another run to a state final.    Cara's Highlights: Jeff and State Cup 2026   <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=kUeXyKonEmQ </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='111094' first='Sophia' last='Malloy'] (2028) - Goalkeeper - Saint Francis High School, Mountain View, CA    She is part of the USYNT pipeline and has had standout matches in ECNL tourneys such as the ECNL National Selection Match, which I covered at ECNL Phoenix last March. Sophia played lights out and made some great stops while showing her toughness after returning from a collision in the match. She didn't miss a beat once she returned and seemed to have forgotten the previous play while taking on a player making a run on goal. Her ability to read the offense sets her up in the right spots to take away attacking and shooting angles. It will be great to see her back at Saint Francis as the team looks to reload and make another run at a treble and possibly a state championship.    Sophia's Highlights: National Selection Match - ECNL Phoenix   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/2037876592190607664?s=20 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='206664' first='Lynn' last='Byun'] (2028) - Midfielder/Defender - Saint Francis High School, Mountain View, CA    She will definitely play a huge part in the Lancers' run in the playoffs, in which two seasons ago they were part of the team who won a treble (league champions, Central Coast Section Title, and a NorCal Title) prior to the last year's state championship inauguration.  Lynn is going to Power 4 conferences at ASU (Arizona State University). During my last evaluation, she had a solid match and helped keep the Lancers' attack in sync as they played a tough St. Ignatius team to a 0-0 draw. Her ability to scan the field and find open pockets allowed her teammates to find diagonal running lanes as well as to make overlapping runs in the attacking third. I've previously covered her matches during the previous season as well as in ECNL games. Lynne seems to be getting quicker, stronger, and a bit smoother with the ball at her feet while making turns on a dime.    Lynn's Highlights: Saint Francis at St. Ignatius https://x.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/2015310888467849525?s=20   [player_tooltip player_id='223644' first='Liliana' last='Rubio'] (2028) - Midfielder/Defender - Clovis West High School, Fresno, CA    The Girls Academy standout at the national playoffs in June put on one of the best second-half performances I've ever seen.  Her technical skills were on full display as she zipped past defenders, made slicing moves in traffic, and finished with precision.  Aside from her stellar play on offense, Lili is as lethal as a defender. She can make clean and hard tackles with timing and precision. The former Mexico Youth National team player is now eligible for a USYNT squad, so be on the lookout if our national team scouts are ready to give her a run at it.  I fully endorse her as an elite player.  Her move to MVLA, the ECNL powerhouse, is a step in the right direction.    Lili's Highlights: GA Academy Highlights - Norco, CA   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/2070019040274522621?s=20 </div></figure>   I was fortunate to have been able to ask a few question on recruiting and here are the responses from Lili and Cara. Hope this helps our future Prep Soccer players as they navigate through this challenging part of their soccer journey. Here are the questions and their responses.   <ol class="wp-block-list"> <li>What are three of your strengths as a soccer player?</li>   <li>When did you and your parents decide that you would want to be a collegiate soccer player?</li>   <li>What are some of the things you are currently doing to prepare for your college soccer journey?</li>   <li>What has been your most memorable soccer moment or moments as a soccer player thus far?</li>   <li>Is there a club, collegiate, or professional soccer player who inspires you?</li>   <li>Where do you see yourself or hope to be in your soccer journey in 5–6 years?</li>   <li>Who are the people you would like to thank in supporting you in your soccer journey?</li> </ol>   Liliana "Lili's" Responses   "Three of my biggest strengths as a player are my speed, technical ability, and confidence in 1v1 situations. One thing I've learned throughout this journey is that there is always more to accomplish and more ways to grow."   "Being recruited is not the last step for me—it's the first step. I'm excited to continue working, developing, and pushing myself at the next level."   "One of my most memorable soccer experiences was getting the opportunity to play at CONCACAF. That experience reminded me how much I love this game and how far soccer can take me."   "I'm so excited to see myself continuing my journey at San Diego State University and competing at the collegiate level. Players like Cameron Patton and Julie Doyle have inspired me throughout my journey and have shown me what is possible at the next level."   "Most importantly, I want to thank everyone who has helped me get here. Thank you to all of my coaches at LAMO, Esteban, my coach at MVLA, and most importantly, my parents. Thank you for believing in me, supporting me, and pushing me every step of the way."   Cara's Responses   1. "I would say my three strengths are my speed, technical ability, and my field vision."   2. "For me, I always knew I wanted to play in college. I realized that I want to keep competing and playing a higher level."   3. "I am currently trying to keep getting better in practices and games. Constantly staying in shape and working on my technical skills is helping me prepare for college."   4. "My most memorable moment would definitely be winning nationals back in 2023 with my club team. It was special because my team had worked extremely hard all summer and I also made many core memories with my teammates!"   5. "Caprice Dydasco is someone I definitely look up to. She also happens to be my coach daughter. She is the extremely hard working, kind, and very supportive. She has been in the NWSL for over ten years and recently had her first baby! Seeing that a player from Hawaii going to the mainland and becoming super successful was awesome!"   6. "I hope to still be playing soccer and continuing to get better both as a player and a person."   7. "I would like to thanks my parents, coaches, and teammates for guiding me through this entire journey."

Included in this segment are some top-level 2028 commits from California and Hawaii going to mid-major and Power 4 programs.