2025 Rankings and RPI thread

[Zip_ME87]

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Zip_ME87

[TennZip]

When you look at the preseason 2025 rankings, you can see that they are identical to the Final Dec. 16, 2024 rankings

 

The United soccer coaches put no thought or research into the pre season rankings.   They just started with the end of year 2024 rankings.

 

 

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-men/d1/united-soccer-coaches

[TennZip]

Top Drawer soccer(TDS) released today...their July recruiting rankings for Fall 2025.

 

It is a premium article...so you will probably only be able to see the top 5 teams that they have rated.

 

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/2025-mens-di-recruiting-rankings:-july_aid54877

 

I never put much stock in their recruiting ratings....because 1) TDS only has 2 or 3 employees so it is impossible for them to be aware of every talented high school player, every international player and every college transfer.....and most importantly - 2) they can't accurately rate Akron because Akron has not yet released their fall signing class.   TDS is not aware of the May transfer windown players that the Zips are bringing in.  They are also not aware of any freshman joining the team from Europe.

 

UCLA #1 ; Portland #2 ; North Carolina #4 and Maryland #5 in recruiting rankings...are not included in the top 25 preseason ranking done by the United Soccer coaches.

 

Stanford at #3 in the recruiting rankings...is the only top 5 recruiting school ranked in the pre season team rankings.

 

TDS has Akron ranked at #43....Again, I think that Akron is under ranked.....as the Akron new player announcement will includes players that TDS does not know about....and ZNO posters (like us) do not know about.  Hopefully, we have some good transfers coming in and some freshman internationals.  

Jared and his coaches (unless the rules have changed) can begin coaching the players 15 days before the regular season opener,  With the opener at VCU on Aug. 21, that would mean that Jared and team can begin active coaching on August 6.   I would anticipate that the new Zips fall player announcement will come on August 5 or August 6.

 

43. Akron (39)

Commitments: M Braxton Hayes (Nashville SC – No. 116), GK Gavin Crane (Cleveland Force), F Aljaz Dodig (Celje), M Logan LaMaina (Sporting Athletic), D Jose Pedro (Rio Ave), D Jamai Royer (Vaughan SC)

Transfers: M Jack Sullivan (Saint Louis), M Abdi Bahur (East Tennessee Sate), M Tyler Morck (St. John’s), D Freddy Kossehasse (Iowa Western Community College)

 

  Georgetown is the highest rated big east team....in the recruting rankings

8. Georgetown (8)

Commitments: F Charlie Rosenthal (LAFC – No. 44), M/D Timothy Logan (New York Red Bulls – No. 97), M/F Casey Milliken (NEFC – No. 124), D William Caldwell (Toronto FC), M Loukas Maroutsis (AEK Athens), M Noah Satriano (Baltimore Armour), GK Dimy Toruba (Inter Miami CF)

Transfers: D Jackson Lindimore (Indiana)

There are several programs staking a strong claim on this last spot. Georgetown holds the edge as the attacking reinforcements of Rosenthal and Milliken offer high-level promise. Lindimore is a big-time add via the transfer portal. Maroutsis is a late addition, joining from a club in Greece.

 

   Other teams that are included in the recruiting rankings

St. Louis is #9 in the recruiting rankings.  They have signed 4 freshman that are ranked in the top 200 incoming domestic freshamen (Akron has 1...Braxton Hayes)

   not on Akron's schedule....Pittsburgh was #19 in the June recruits/transfer rankings.  Pitt jumped to #12 in July rankings due to adding Josh Hardin from Akron.

Ohio State is #19

West Virginia is #37

Cornell is #42

 

[NYC ZIP]

The other thing about TDS is their main metric is their own internal player rankings which are at best only somewhat informed, especially when you get outside the top 20 or so that are already pros.

[TennZip]

This article has no rankings...but top drawer soccer (TDS) ...did a Big East preview

 

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/article/?categoryId=21&articleId=54910&articleTitle=mens-a10-big-east-ivy-league-preview

 

Big East

Akron joining has done wonders for the strength of the Big East, adding another storied team to a conference full of legacy programs. The Zips and Georgetown will likely fight for supremacy, while Providence looks to continue its rise as an elite program. St. John’s and Connecticut, two programs desperate to reach the highs of the late 90s and early 2000s, are among the others to look out for this season.

 

Top Players to Watch:

 

Mitch Budler, Akron(m) (Goalkeeper of the Year)

 

Top Freshmen to Watch:

 

Braxton Hayes, Akron(m) (No. 116 Ranked TDS Class of 2025)

[fknbuflobo]

In limited 2nd half action, Braxton Hayes did not seem to be pushing for a starting job in Exhibition #1.

Disappointing.

 

Hopefully, we shall see more of Hayes on Wednesday during exhibition #2.

Edited 2 hours ago by fknbuflobo

[Zip_ME87]

I'm hopeful we can use this thread to track rankings and RPI as they change throughout the season rather than jumping around the forum to find them.