2028 Defenders: Standouts of the Summer

The Class of 2028 has no shortage of defensive talent, and this summer gave some of the best defenders in the class plenty of opportunities to prove themselves against top competition. With September 1 quickly approaching, these girls continued to separate themselves and made their presence felt.    DeSarno is a super athletic defender with the IQ, physicality, and composure to take on some of the toughest matchups. She earned All-Conference ISL-AA honors as a sophomore at one of Maryland's top high school programs, and her play this summer showed exactly why. Her 1v1 defense is stellar. She makes contact early, applies relentless pressure, and understands exactly how physical she can be while still playing disciplined defense. Her positioning and footwork allow her to dictate where attackers can go rather than simply reacting to them. DeSarno also has great instincts off-ball and knows when to jump a passing lane and come away with an interception. In transition, she protects her stick well and has the athleticism to push the ball upfield. She can even finish offensively when given the opportunity. Her motor never seems to shut off, and she brings that same intensity to every possession.     Beattie is a lockdown 1v1 defender who combines speed, aggression, and great anticipation. She is extremely disciplined with her positioning and uses her stick well to disrupt without taking herself out of the play. Her quickness allows her to stay attached to attackers, and even when she gets challenged, she does not give up on a possession. Beattie is also excellent around ground balls and can immediately turn a defensive stop into transition the other way. What made her summer even more impressive was that she spent much of it playing in a cast while recovering from an injury. It never seemed to change the way she competed. She continued to play with the same aggression, hustle, and confidence, showing just how tough a defender she is.     Clark's length immediately creates problems for opposing offenses, but there is much more to her game than size. She uses her height and reach extremely well to disrupt passes and create turnovers, and she has become an interception machine because of how well she reads developing plays. She is also incredibly athletic and can maintain her speed for long stretches, which becomes especially valuable in transition. Clark is physical around the ball, has strong positioning, and consistently comes away with ground balls and caused turnovers. Once possession changes, she is comfortable getting involved in the clear and can weave through traffic to move the ball upfield. She can even take it to goal herself when the opportunity is there.     Heckler brings a level of physicality that makes offensive players uncomfortable from the start of a possession. She makes contact early, stays connected, and rarely lets the pressure drop once she has established position. If an attacker exposes her stick, Heckler is going after the ball and has the strength and timing to take it away. What makes her especially effective is that her physical style is backed by strong positioning and defensive awareness. She understands angles, keeps herself in good spots, and makes attackers work for every inch of space. She is relentless without simply chasing the ball, which allows her to stay in control while still playing extremely aggressively. Heckler's ability to combine physicality with disciplined defense made her a consistent standout this summer.     Burkholder brings much more than defense to the field. She can play through the midfield, contribute offensively, and still be a complete defensive presence. Her defensive footwork and strength immediately stand out, especially in 1v1 situations where she does a great job influencing where an offensive player can go. She is physical, composed, and constantly applying pressure without losing control of the matchup. That combination of strength and speed makes her difficult to get around. On the offensive end, Burkholder has a powerful shot from distance, can catch and finish through traffic, and sees the field well. Her ability to impact both ends makes her an especially versatile player in the Class of 2028.

The Class of 2028 has no shortage of defensive talent, and this summer gave some of the best defenders in the class plenty of opportunities to prove themselves against top competition. With September 1 quickly approaching, these girls continued to separate themselves and made their presence felt.