The issue of where exactly American women’s soccer development is at present is a thorny matter indeed.

The opening of U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy this fall would seem to indicate that the federation isn’t particularly thrilled with the current direction of its development pathway under the ECNL. It obviously has other motives, but producing high-end players who can repeat the senior team’s 2015 World Cup title again down the line is clearly the goal.

So how are we doing so far?

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After our four-part series on the men’s USYNT system ran its course earlier this week, it’s time to dip into the women’s side. This begins a four-part series on the top five USWNT prospects at every position currently plying their trade at the U23 WNT level on down. We’ll make our way from the back to the front, profiling the biggest names in the women’s game to know at each position.

And we start with the goalkeepers.