The National Soccer Coaches Association of America and USA TODAY High School Sports have teamed up to produce and promote the USA TODAY/NSCAA Super 25 for boys’ and girls’ teams.
To kick off this partnership, USA TODAY and the NSCAA have released the Super 25 Preseason Rankings for the fall. This is the first time the NSCAA has done a preseason poll of high school teams. Regular season rankings for the fall-competing teams will begin Sept. 1; winter and spring team rankings will be available starting Jan. 5 and March 22, respectively.
“We’re pleased to be able to partner with a respected news outlet like USA TODAY to provide our regional and national rankings for soccer fans to see,” Lynn Berling-Manuel, NSCAA CEO said. “We believe this partnership will be mutually beneficial and will help further promote high school soccer on a national scale.”
Josh Barnett, director of content for USA TODAY High School Sports, added: “We are excited to begin this partnership with the NSCAA and to be adding boys and girls soccer to the Super 25 rankings. The NSCAA rankings have been recognized as the best available and come from devoted coaches nationwide working to help athletes excel. As participation continues to grow in high school soccer and the game’s popularity remains on the rise, soccer’s inclusion is overdue in the Super 25.”
With this partnership, USA TODAY adds two sports to its Super 25 rankings program. Super 25 now provides rankings for 10 high school sports (five boys and five girls), growing from four sports two years ago. The Super 25 rankings date back 30 years and hold a significant place in USA TODAY Sports’ history.
To view these weekly rankings, fans can go to either NSCAA.com or USATODAYhss.com.
About USA Today High School Sports
USA TODAY High School Sports is the leading destination for high school sports news and information, providing nationwide coverage and aligning locally with USA TODAY Sports and Gannett properties in various markets across the country. USATHSS is home to the Super 25 national rankings and the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Teams for boys and girls sports, both serving for more than 30 years as the leading platforms for determining the best teams, and the best athletes, in scholastic sports. USATODAY HSS also is the official media partner for the Gatorade Athlete and Player of the Year programs.
About the NSCAA
Founded in 1941 and based in Kansas City, Mo., the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate coaches, encourage excellence and serve the soccer community. The NSCAA is the world’s largest soccer coaches’ organization with members at every level of the game. The membership is primarily made up of coaches, but also includes administrators, referees and others in the soccer industry. The NSCAA provides its members ways to enhance the game of soccer by providing a national education program, interaction and networking opportunities, and membership benefits.