All posts by PUSC

College Bound

2027 Grad and 09G ECNL Player Ireland McAuliffe Commits to Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego

“I am beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at Point Loma Nazarene University.

Coach Tanner, Coach Kristi, and Coach Mark, from the moment I stepped on campus in 8th grade, I knew. I’ve dreamt of lacing up my cleats with “Point Loma” on my jersey. It’s the culture, the faith, and the family environment you’ve built that make this place special. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity.

To my friends and teammates, thank you for all the smiles and for pushing me to be my best self, unapologetically.

To Coach Jim, Helena, Katie, Leo, Kristina, and Ron, thank you for shaping me into the player and person I am today. You pushed me, believed in me, and helped me fall in love with the game at every stage. I’m forever grateful.

To Shay, Keenie, and Momaw, I’m so grateful for the love and support you’ve always provided. I’ll always carry that with me. Thank you for being such a huge piece of this process.

Mom, I don’t have the words to express my gratitude. If I become even half the woman you are, I’d be honored. The sacrifice you made going part-time will never be forgotten. You served others all day and still came home to serve our family with love. You showed me that “what doesn’t challenge you won’t change you.” The way you handle hard days and still show up as Mom is a superpower. Thank you for your patience, your love, and for teaching me to be proud of who I am, with or without soccer. Your faith gave me something to hold onto when mine was small.

Dad, the way you’ve led our home as a man of God has built trust and confidence in me. You’ve shown me to believe actions over words. “If you want what others don’t have, you have to work for what others won’t”, and “there’s a difference between meeting a standard and setting it”-those aren’t just words, they’re how I live. Thank you for the countless hours training, listening, and always being proud of me. Thank you for always treating me like your little girl, no matter how badly I said I wanted to grow up.

And most importantly, my foundation, the Lord. I would not have the blessing of calling this place and these people “home” without His guidance.” — Ireland McAuliffe

College Bound

2027 Grad Lucy Hoffman, 09G ECNL Team, Commits to the Runnin’ Rebels of UNLV

“I’m so excited to announce my verbal commitment to play Division 1 soccer at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas! Thank you to the coaching staff at UNLV for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. Thank you to my club coaches, Ron and Todd, my trainer, Victor, and my high school coach, Kara, for pushing me and helping me grow as a player. Thank you to my family and teammates for always supporting me. I couldn’t have done this without you. Can’t wait to get started. Go Rebels!”
#Colfax High School
College Bound

2026 Grad, Kat Olmedo-Coca, Commits to Sierra College

“So thankful for this opportunity and want to thank Coach Todd and Coach Sean for shaping me into the player and person I am today. And I’d like to thank my parents for always supporting me. Lastly, I am very grateful to Coach Jason Gantt for this opportunity to play and further my education at Sierra College. Thank you.“—Kat Olmedo-Coca, Roseville High School

College Bound

Donovan Kuwazaki, 07/08B ECNL, Commits to the Cougars at Cal State San Marcos

“I’m unconditionally grateful to further my academic and athletic career, as I’ve committed to DII Cal State San Marcos! First, I want to thank God for blessing me with such an amazing gift and opportunity to play soccer at the next level. Secondly, I want to thank all my coaches, teammates, and parents for supporting me and pushing me to be the best I can be!”—Donovan Kuwazaki
Rocklin High School
College Bound

07/08G ECNL Goalkeeper & 2026 Grad Brekyn Davenport-Murrish Commits to the Colorado School of Mines

“I’m so excited to announce my commitment to play soccer at Colorado School of Mines! I want to thank God, my family, coaches, and teammates for helping me along the way. Big thanks to coach Bashar and coach Ron for all their support. I also want to thank Coach Fickes and Devoe for this opportunity. I’m so excited to be an Oredigger!” — Brekyn Davenport-Murrish

#Del Oro High School

News

Richmond Kickers Sign Defensive Midfielder Placer’s Ali Sasankhah

RICHMOND, Va. — The Richmond Kickers have signed defensive midfielder Ali Sasankhah, the club announced Friday. Sasankhah adds a technically sound and hard-working presence to the club’s midfield unit ahead of the upcoming season.

Sasankhah joins Richmond following a four-year collegiate career at Sacramento State, where he developed into a consistent contributor for the Hornets while earning Big West Conference All-Academic Team honors in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

“During the roster build, we made it a point to look for competitors willing to do what it takes in different scenarios to get something out of each competition,” said Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky. “Ali brings a tough defensive presence, and he is very sharp on the ball. He has good passing range and is willing to mix it up when needed. As he gets up to speed, the City Stadium faithful will enjoy his brand of soccer.”

During his senior season in 2024, Sasankhah appeared in 15 matches with 11 starts, becoming a regular in Sacramento State’s midfield rotation down the stretch. He recorded one goal and two assists on the season, including a penalty finish in the regular season finale against UC Davis. Known for his composure on the ball and on-field endurance, Sasankhah played the full 90 minutes in multiple matches and started each of the Hornets’ final eight contests of the year.

The 6-foot-2 Persian-American saw steady growth throughout his collegiate career. As a junior in 2023, he started 14 matches and consistently featured in Sacramento State’s midfield, logging several full-match performances. The year prior, he played a major role in the Hornets’ lineup, starting 17 of 18 appearances in 2022, scoring his first collegiate goal in a road victory at Saint Mary’s while totaling 1,476 minutes on the pitch.

Sasankhah made his collegiate debut in 2021, appearing in nine matches as a freshman while earning four starts and recording multiple 90-minute performances early in his career.

“It means a lot to have officially signed my first professional contract with a well known club like the Kickers,” Sasankhah said  “I’ve heard amazing things about the team, fans and the atmosphere. I’m more than excited to be part of the Kickers family and play under Darren.”

Before arriving at Sacramento State, Sasankhah starred at Foothill High School in California, where he was named Pioneer Valley League MVP and team MVP, helping lead the Mustangs to a league title. At the club level, he competed for Placer United in Rocklin, California.

In addition to his collegiate experience, Sasankhah spent time competing in USL League Two with Des Moines Menace, gaining valuable experience in a competitive environment.

News

New ECNL Conference League Playoffs to Debut in 2027

RICHMOND, Va. (March 2, 2026) – The ECNL is excited to announce an expansion of the ECNL Playoff structure, with the inaugural ECNL Conference League Playoffs set to kick off in the 2026-27 season in a collaboration with the new unified national competition consolidating the team-based competitions of US Club Soccer and US Youth Soccer.

The ECNL Conference League Playoffs in summer 2027 will combine qualifying teams from the ECNL Regional League and the new competition that combines US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues and US Youth Soccer’s National League. The combined new competition will be the top team-based competition in the country, integrated into US Club Soccer’s youth soccer competitive pathway.

“The new ECNL Conference League Playoffs, and the new competition pathway with US Club Soccer and USYS, will recognize and reward top performing teams at all levels of the pyramid, in a logical and transparent pathway,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers. “This collaboration will provide needed clarity and connection in the youth game, and we look forward to the first four ECNL Conference League playoff events in 2027.”

The 2026-27 ECNL Conference League Playoffs will feature four regional playoff events, culminating in the ECNL Conference League Finals in the summer of 2027. The 2026-27 ECNL Conference League Playoffs will take place in Dallas, TX, Davis, CA, Greensboro, NC, and St. Louis, MO with the location of ECNL Conference Finals to be announced at a later date. The ECNL Conference League Playoffs will expand to six venues in the 2027-2028 season to include more locations and teams, and to further reduce travel.

This new postseason structure continues the collaborative work between US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer, and the ECNL, providing a capstone competition to the competitive pathway announced in December.

The release of US Club Soccer’s competition pathway also coincided with U.S. Soccer’s recently announced Pathways Strategy, an initiative committed to making the game easier to navigate, more accessible and more supportive. To that effect, US Club Soccer welcomes other organizations in the youth soccer ecosystem to collaborate in this vision, and has had positive discussions with many other member organizations.

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About US Club Soccer

A National Association member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, US Club Soccer fosters the growth and development of soccer clubs in order to create the best possible environment for players of all ages.

Anchored by Players First and its pillars of Club Development, Coaching Development, Player Development, Referee Development, Parent Engagement & Education and Player Health & Safety, US Club Soccer offers registration, league- and cup-based competition platforms, player identification and a variety of other programming, resources and services. US Club Soccer is sponsored by Nike, DICK’S Sporting Goods and Gatorade.

About the ECNL

The ECNL is the nation’s leading youth soccer development platform for America’s top soccer players. The ECNL mission to provide the best youth sports experience in the world drives constant innovations in competitions and experiences for players, parents, families, coaches, referees, and partners. The ECNL has questioned convention and challenged the status quo of youth sport since 2009, pushing boundaries and striving for unmatched excellence. Together with its clubs and club leaders, the ECNL creates unforgettable memories and supports the development of youth players into college stars, professionals, world champions, and leaders.