The Charlotte, North Carolina native was one of the best players at the 2026 Kane Rize. She was named the Class of 2030 midfielder MVP at the event. Ko is 2-handed and can light it up from deep. On one offensive possession, she rolled back to her left hand and launched a shot that pelted the pipe with velocity. Justin Staggers and I looked at each other and knew Ko was the real deal; it was both our first time seeing her play in person. On defense, she had a nice deflection. Overall, a real athletic player who is going to be fun to watch.

UNC’s dominance at the college level is starting to show up in the youth ranks, and 2030 Addie Ko is the latest example. The Charlotte, North Carolina product turns heads every time she loads up to shoot. The power she generates behind her sidearm runner at this age is remarkable, and she looks incredibly confident and controlled in her release. There is a smoothness to her mechanics that makes the shot a work of art. But it wasn’t just her shooting ability that stood out Monday. Ko looked like one of the most complete offensive players on the field. She is extremely slippery in open space, able to knife through a defense with the ball on her stick or find pockets of space in transition to become a dangerous scoring option off the feed. Ko was nothing short of a matchup nightmare for anyone tasked with guarding her. She is a special talent.

Addie Ko is going to be a household name soon. The midfielder/attacker is a very explosive dodger. She looks like a seasoned veteran. She weaves through the defense like a cheetah on a mission. Ko rips shots with both hands and has different release points. Everything she does seems natural and smooth. Her elite change of speed and direction is second nature. When the North Carolina native operates from up top, she is at her best. College coaches need to put Ko on their 2030 Big Boards.