Girls soccer notes: Holland, Stanciak among college recruits to watch

With close to 40 players committed to play soccer in college next fall, it is abundantly clear the Cook and Lake County area is a treasure trove of talent.

Many of these terrific players are on their way to D-1 programs all throughout the country, as well as D2 and D3 programs that will offer the same opportunity to pursue the dream of playing at the next level.

The recruiting process can be a physical and mental drain on even the best of players with a speed bump or two always along the way. However, in the end, the final decision is always met with great joy and hope for the future.

A trio of players were able to showcase their immense talent, success in the classroom, and devise a solid plan of attack in order to make perhaps the biggest decision of their lives thus far.

Addison Stanciak encountered one of those speed-bumps when a torn labrum in her hip just before the start of her rookie season sent the Warren Township star to the sidelines for several weeks.

Once back and pronounced fit and ready to go, the two-time all-state forward has produced plenty of brilliant play for the Blue Devils, making a huge impact on the game even far more than her sparkling scoring stats.

Stanciak will play at St. Louis University in the fall, making it official during her sophomore season over Chicago Loyola and Marquette, among others.

“(SLU) does not have a football program, so soccer is king there,” said Stanciak.

“I’ve seen the women and men play and their stadium is jammed-packed, the atmosphere is so much fun, and the combination most important to me — which is academics and athletics made my decision an easy one,” says Stanciak.

“(They) first saw me play at an ID Showcase Camp, and from there the recruiting process would continue from a number of other schools.”

“First and foremost it was important for me to follow my career path as a physical assistant, and both (SLU) and Marquette offered that program, so that put both schools at the top of my list.”

“It is a difficult program to be accepted into, and it will be intense, but I am thrilled to say that I was able to get in,” said Stanciak, who volunteers at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville as part of the Penwasciz Program that provides a medical internship program.

No doubt the composure, confidence, off ball movement, creativity, and variety in her lethal finishing skills impressed the Billikens coaching staff, as did the back-to-back 20 goal seasons.

“(The) phone calls, sometime(s) three times per day really helped me build social and communication skills, and an opportunity to present myself so much better to others,” said Stanciak, who will be joined by Libertyville star Sydney Dulak at St. Louis in the fall.

“I love playing high school soccer. Our coaching staff at Warren are great, and it’s fun to be playing with my friends, and in front of family and friends, and against friends from club at other schools,” said Stanciak.

The state of Illinois can boast of several first class keepers this spring, perhaps none better than Megan Holland.

The two-time all-state Barrington star follows in the Fillies tradition of high profile keepers that have gone on to play in D-1 programs such as Hannah Luedke and Samantha Schmitz by posting a minuscule 0.43 goals against average, while recording 27.5 shutouts the past two seasons.

No doubt the coaching staff at Kentucky was impressed with Holland’s fearless close range shot-stopping ability, her athletic and acrobatic skill to go from ground-to-air in an instant to push shots around the post or over the bar, tactical intelligence and awareness as well as leadership qualities second to none.

However, unlike the ease in which Stanciak would have in her selection of St. Louis University, Holland would need to switch gears on the fly in order to move on from her initial decision to play at Purdue.

“(I) was all set to play at Purdue University. Everything about it felt so good (the) staff, players, facilities and academics (but) after the 2023 season the head coach resigned,” said Holland.

“I knew it would never be the same with whomever they brought on as the new head coach, plus a lot of girls were leaving — it was just a real disappointing time for me.”

“(But) there’s the old saying of when one door closes, another opens, and although keepers go fast to all of the top programs, I was now able to go back to some of my first choice schools such as Illinois, Louisville, Minnesota, Notre Dame and Kentucky for another round of communication and visits.”

“It was a crazy process to be sure, but head coach Troy Fabiano and his assistant Steve Golas, along with the support my club coaches, and Ryan Stengren (Barrington) my best coach ever (all) helped make it happen, and I am so happy it all worked out.”

Holland, whose ultimate goal is to play professionally, is looking to pursue a degree in either exercise science or kinesiology, both inspired from plenty of physical therapy needed from injuries incurred during eighth grade and as a freshman.

Izzy Ceaser, the superb four-year starter at Grayslake North would compile a list of six schools atop her wish list: Alabama, Chicago Loyola, Florida Gulf Coast, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia.

However, it was after an official visit to West Virginia in late February of 2024 that Ceasar would sign on the dotted line to play for a Mountaineers women’s program that advanced to the NCAA tournament a year ago.

“I was in Arizona playing in a National Selection Showcase game where they (West Virginia) noticed me. Afterwards they came up to me to say that I did a great job, and that they will be in contact,” said Ceasar.

“(Following) up first with an email, then phone conversation, that was so much longer than most calls I’ve received, I knew in an instant that it all felt really comfortable to me.”

“There was a lot of more communication from November through January, and the visit (there) only confirmed that the staff, school, facilities, and community was something that I wanted to be a part of.

“The soccer at West Virginia will be great, it sounds like if I work hard that there will be an opportunity to earn some minutes and experience during my first two years, with a chance to become a starter afterwards,” said Ceasar, who with a degree in exercise science, she looks to a career as a physical therapist.

Ceaser, who among her club teammates include the aforementioned Megan Holland, has traveled to Morgantown, West Virginia to watch her future teammates play Big 12 rival Kansas, as well as a spring game against Ohio State.

A central defender, and outside-back for her club team, is able to use that experience to play either as a defensive midfielder or the attacking-playmaker role for North where she excels as a true box-to-box, tactical and technical champion.

“My club team (Rockford Raptors) has helped prepare me for the next step in my career, but playing at (Grayslake) North has been a great experience as well, and it is something that I will miss very much.”

Tournament time:

April is tournament month, with three high profile events on the schedule, and ready to thrill soccer fans in attendance.

The 7th annual Malnati’s Girls Tournament hosted by New Trier beginning on Saturday, April 12, and this always deep and talented event is resplendent with top 20 teams includes the likes of Libertyville, Naperville North and Stevenson, plus four teams that advanced into a 2024 sectional final.

Each club will host at least one match along the way, with the finals set for April 19 at New Trier at its gorgeous Northfield soccer campus.

The Ed Watson Naperville Invite began in 1998 as an eight-team tournament, and has slowly grown into the best of the spring as it now stands at 24 teams, with at least half of the clubs to be found in the Daily Herald Top 20.

A total of 24 teams are split across eight groups of three teams, with the top teams from each group advancing into the championship brackets while the others continue to play until suffering its second loss of the tournament.

Perhaps a harbinger of things to come, New Trier, the reigning state champion won it all here last season, while 2023 tourney champ Barrington finished second at state in overtime to O’Fallon.

Not to be forgotten is the BodyArmor Series tournament, ready to begin for the 23rd on April 12 at the Waukegan Sports Park, and ending on April 27 in LaGrange at the Lyons Sports Complex for over 60 teams.

The tournament is seeded, and broken into several Elite 8 brackets, all balanced to insure quality competition to all.

Metea Valley lifted the championship trophy last year.