Today we unveil our latest update to TeamRank, the comprehensive ranking system for elite club soccer teams nationwide, and we release the latest standings for U16, U17 and U18 Girls. Next week, we will update the younger age groups on the Boys side. We will update our National Top 25 of each age group at least once per month.

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SoCal teams continue run at U16

SoCal Blues, Slammers, Real So Cal, and West Coast FC all start play at the ECNL National Finals today in Richmond, VA, while Legends FC and Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks will head to Kansas on July 23 for the US Youth Soccer National Championships.

So Cal Blues remain #1, having rolled through the playoffs as well as the regular season, thanks in part to the stellar goalkeeping of IMG Academy 150 #54 Meredith Hummel. Hummel, who is headed to Texas A&M in 2015, hasn’t conceded more than one goal in a game all season, while recording 17 shutouts for the Blues. Slammers climb from #14 to #6 with 3 wins at the ENCL playoffs, including a tough one over Texas Conference champion Dallas Texans. #9 West Coast FC and #15 Real So Cal entered the playoffs as the 25th and 32nd seeds, respectively, but stunned their competition, and both advanced to the finals. 

#11 Legends FC got its revenge against #19 DMCV in the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships, taking the title after having lost to the Sharks in the CalSouth National Cup finals earlier in June. Both teams will be headed to the US Youth Soccer National Championships based on USYS National League finishes.

VSI West Florida Flames bound for finals at U17

2nd seeded SC Del Sol probably expected a cake walk through the ECNL playoffs last month, but after earning only a point against Connecticut FC, it had a must-win situation against a Florida team that had pulled out a win against Ohio Elite SA in its previous match, thanks to a goal by North Carolina commit Jessie Scarpa. The Flames, who finished a mere third in the Southeast Conference regular season standings, upset the Mountain West Conference champion, qualified for the ECNL finals in their first year, and jump from #14 to #8 in our standings.

OP Eagles go out on top at U18

#1 OP Eagles earned some hardware at the ECNL National Finals, and will head off to college as ECNL National Champions and as the TopDrawerSoccer.com Grande Sports Academy #1. Last year’s loss to CASL in the quarterfinals of the nationals gave team leaders Gabby Byorth, headed to Clemson in a few short weeks, and Ohio State commits Lindsay Agnew and Nicole Hopkins, a reason to ignore senioritis this spring in their quest for the title.

Team Chicago Botofogo took the USYS Region II crown and climbs from #22 to #17 with this update. Having already qualified for nationals via the USYS National League, Botofogo suffered its only loss of the season to FC United in the IYSA State Cup championship match earlier in June, but got its revenge and defeated the same FC United squad for the Region II title, with Marquette-bound Katie Ciesiulka scoring what would turn out to be the game-winner in the first half of play.

Next Thursday: U13, U14, and U15 Boys

TeamRank is the comprehensive team-ranking system devised by TopDrawerSoccer.com to provide an objective and common-sense approach to determining which elite youth soccer teams are the best in the nation.

The rankings, updated monthly, are primarily results-based, with a nod toward the league and championship competitions that emulate how excellence is determined in leading soccer nations around the world.

Tournaments are also included but at a reduced value due to the many mitigating factors involving such events, including attrition and guest players.

A final layer of executive evaluation is provided to account for variables that often impact results, thus ensuring that the monthly lists are not subjective, but are not purely mechanical.