NCAA D1 Soccer Players from Arkansas

letsallsoccer · October 01, 2014, 01:12:37 am

Only know of four men. Couldn't say any for the girls.

William Hidalgo - St. Louis - 2011 grad
Wes Carson - UCA - 2013 grad
Hunter Weber - UAB - 2011 grad
Evan Scarbrough - UAB - 2011 grad

Any others?

michu · October 01, 2014, 03:48:57 pm

I hope there are more than four players because that is down right embarrassing.

FutbolPhan · October 02, 2014, 12:54:08 pm

Avery Taylor - UCA - 2014 Conway Grad (AR Rush)
Micha Tipton - UCA - 2014 Searcy Grad (AR Rush)
Alexandra Carter - Kentucky - 2013 Conway Grad (AR Rush)
Taylor Estrada - Kansas - 2013 Bentonville Grad (NWA Lightning)
McKinzie James - Arkansas - 2013 Rogers Grad (NWA Lightning)
Brooke Ballard - UCA -2011 Conway Grad (ASC)

Both Hunter Weber and Evan Scarbrough played club with AR Rush

Lionheart88 · October 02, 2014, 08:16:17 pm

Sylvan Hills had a girl this past year, but I'll let Girls SHoccer give the details since she's one of his.

dispossessed · October 02, 2014, 08:29:12 pm

Quote from: letsallsoccer on October 01, 2014, 01:12:37 am
Only know of four men. Couldn't say any for the girls.

William Hidalgo - St. Louis - 2011 grad
Wes Carson - UCA - 2013 grad
Hunter Weber - UAB - 2011 grad
Evan Scarbrough - UAB - 2011 grad

Any others?

John Lung'aho (LR Parkview) N. Carolina State (this is his senior year there)
Nelson Landaverde (Springdale) currently playing at Neosho CC in Kansas (has been offered by Valparaiso)
From back in the day: Frank Skoch (Seton Hall) and Ryan Lawrence (Oral Roberts) both Comets alumni

The list is definitely limited, but as has been discussed on other threads, the level of play and organization is improving in good ole Arkansas. Maybe we'll see this situation improve somewhat. Nowhere to go but up, right?

dispossessed · October 02, 2014, 11:09:36 pm

Quote from: dispossessed on October 02, 2014, 08:29:12 pm
Quote from: letsallsoccer on October 01, 2014, 01:12:37 am
Only know of four men. Couldn't say any for the girls.

William Hidalgo - St. Louis - 2011 grad
Wes Carson - UCA - 2013 grad
Hunter Weber - UAB - 2011 grad
Evan Scarbrough - UAB - 2011 grad

Any others?

John Lung'aho (LR Parkview) N. Carolina State (this is his senior year there)
Nelson Landaverde (Springdale) currently playing at Neosho CC in Kansas (has been offered by Valparaiso)
From back in the day: Frank Skoch (Seton Hall) and Ryan Lawrence (Oral Roberts) both Comets alumni

The list is definitely limited, but as has been discussed on other threads, the level of play and organization is improving in good ole Arkansas. Maybe we'll see this situation improve somewhat. Nowhere to go but up, right?

For the record as I understand it, Lung'aho transferred to Furman in 2012 and either graduated or has used all his eligibility.

kickabout · October 04, 2014, 04:06:28 pm

Jess Smith (Arkansas Rush) is in his second season playing D1 for Davidson College in North Carolina. They've been ranked so far this season...#3 on NCAA website (RPI), #15 Soccer America, #19 Top Drawer, #21 College Soccer News and #28 NCAA website (NSCAA). Although just handed their first loss, last week they knocked off previously ranked #2 UVA at Charlottesville and started the season off with a win over Cal-Poly. Playing St. Louis this coming Friday.

http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-men/d1

bystander · January 05, 2015, 07:55:20 pm

Everyone keeps referencing the club team vs. the school. In most sports, they only talk about the school. Is club level more important to being recruited for college than school soccer?

forumfan · January 06, 2015, 02:46:05 pm

Quote from: bystander on January 05, 2015, 07:55:20 pm
Everyone keeps referencing the club team vs. the school. In most sports, they only talk about the school. Is club level more important to being recruited for college than school soccer?

Yes - travel soccer is generally stronger than high school throughout the country (including the coaching, again, generally) and, generally, college coaches come to see travel teams play versus high schools.

collegesoccer · January 23, 2015, 12:33:00 pm

Quote from: kickabout on October 04, 2014, 04:06:28 pm
Jess Smith (Arkansas Rush) is in his second season playing D1 for Davidson College in North Carolina. They've been ranked so far this season...#3 on NCAA website (RPI), #15 Soccer America, #19 Top Drawer, #21 College Soccer News and #28 NCAA website (NSCAA). Although just handed their first loss, last week they knocked off previously ranked #2 UVA at Charlottesville and started the season off with a win over Cal-Poly. Playing St. Louis this coming Friday.

http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-men/d1

Davidson (Smith), UAB (Scarbrough, Weber), and St. Louis (Hidalgo) all were ranked throughout the season and all three were in the top 15 at different points in the season.
St. Louis and UAB both made the NCAA tournament as well.

collegesoccer · January 23, 2015, 12:39:22 pm

Quote from: letsallsoccer on October 01, 2014, 01:12:37 am
Only know of four men. Couldn't say any for the girls.

William Hidalgo - St. Louis - 2011 grad
Wes Carson - UCA - 2013 grad
Hunter Weber - UAB - 2012 grad
Evan Scarbrough - UAB - 2013 grad

Any others?

Fixed grad years above.

letsallsoccer · February 09, 2015, 12:13:44 am

Christopher Holmes to UCA

http://ucasports.com/news/2015/2/5/MSOC_0205155027.aspx

michu · February 09, 2015, 03:27:28 pm

How much development do these kids get playing high school soccer in Arkansas? Does most of their development come from club soccer, 50% club/50% high school, 60%/40%, etc. Obviously, there is not a sceintific answere, but just curious to thoughts and opinions.

collegesoccer · February 09, 2015, 08:28:55 pm

Chris is an excellent player who could've played just about anywhere. Great get for UCA!
In my opinion there's little to no "development" in High School soccer in Arkansas. Many would say that some skills actually degrade during the season. There are of course exceptions.... In parts of our state High School soccer is pretty much the only game in town so that ability to play is better than no play at all. Also, there are a number of schools that have good professional soccer coaches so those places may do a better job of maintaining skills during the season.
In areas that provide a club soccer opportunity, and especially clubs that have good high quality coaches, there is no comparison as far as development is concerned. Development, skills, and technical ability are focuses (or should be!)of clubs. You can't put together a good competitive team without skilled players so the focus on development ultimately produces winning soccer. High Schools have to put together a team in a relatively short period of time and try to mesh their play into a team quickly. Players love high school soccer. It's great fun, they play against buddies, rivalries are great, and it gives them touches. But their club teams are where development of players and their skills happen.

The Coach · February 09, 2015, 08:35:34 pm

Rachel Lehr from Berryville signed with The University of Radford

michu · February 11, 2015, 02:38:58 pm

Quote from: collegesoccer on February 09, 2015, 08:28:55 pm
Chris is an excellent player who could've played just about anywhere. Great get for UCA!
In my opinion there's little to no "development" in High School soccer in Arkansas. Many would say that some skills actually degrade during the season. There are of course exceptions.... In parts of our state High School soccer is pretty much the only game in town so that ability to play is better than no play at all. Also, there are a number of schools that have good professional soccer coaches so those places may do a better job of maintaining skills during the season.
In areas that provide a club soccer opportunity, and especially clubs that have good high quality coaches, there is no comparison as far as development is concerned. Development, skills, and technical ability are focuses (or should be!)of clubs. You can't put together a good competitive team without skilled players so the focus on development ultimately produces winning soccer. High Schools have to put together a team in a relatively short period of time and try to mesh their play into a team quickly. Players love high school soccer. It's great fun, they play against buddies, rivalries are great, and it gives them touches. But their club teams are where development of players and their skills happen.

That makes sense. Thanks, collegesoccer.

kickabout · June 22, 2015, 04:11:23 pm

Quote from: collegesoccer on January 23, 2015, 12:39:22 pm
Quote from: letsallsoccer on October 01, 2014, 01:12:37 am
Only know of four men. Couldn't say any for the girls.

William Hidalgo - St. Louis - 2011 grad
Wes Carson - UCA - 2013 grad
Hunter Weber - UAB - 2012 grad
Evan Scarbrough - UAB - 2013 grad

Any others?

Fixed grad years above.

Jess Smith - Davidson - 2013 grad

NWAguy · January 08, 2016, 09:47:45 am

Add Orsy Gonzalez (Springdale) to the list. He has been offered and verbally committed to play at Western Illinois.

Buck183 · January 10, 2016, 09:27:54 pm

Quote from: michu on February 09, 2015, 03:27:28 pm
How much development do these kids get playing high school soccer in Arkansas? Does most of their development come from club soccer, 50% club/50% high school, 60%/40%, etc. Obviously, there is not a sceintific answere, but just curious to thoughts and opinions.

I realize I'm quoting a reply that is almost a year old. Oh well.

My daughter has indicated she likens it to rec soccer vs club soccer. She enjoys representing her school and her community, but doesn't really gain anything other than that from the school side of things.

When playing club ball she passes to space knowing her teammates will be there when the ball gets there. In school balll she has to think about who she is passing the ball to. The club players from her team get the ball from the space the ball is being passed to just like club, the players that only play school ball or rec ball have to have the ball passed to their feet or the ball is not received.

It's almost like she spends the entire spring going backwards before she moves forward again with her club team in late summer.

Sir Alex · January 14, 2016, 11:57:21 am

Carlee Spears, Harrison, will sign with UALR in a couple weeks.

Jdhelbig · March 12, 2016, 02:27:12 pm

My former teammate from DeQueen Estiven Garcia now plays for Lyon college and was recently acknowledged for his outstanding freshman season for the Scots by being the recipient of the American Midwest Conference Freshmen of the Year! He finished the 2015 season with 11 goals and 6 assists, racking up a total of 28 points in only his freshmen year.

Badger · March 12, 2016, 06:18:39 pm

Estiven Garcia is a very good player, might have been the best player in the state last year. He was hurt in the state tournament. I understand he was offered/recruited by the U. of Memphis. Not sure if this is true but wouldn't be surprised. He was one of the top two players at Lyon last year as a freshman. The best player is a senior and had played Academy in North Carolina in high school and then for North Carolina State and another DI school (Campbell?) prior to Lyon.