Meet the 2026 PPL/MAPL/Independent Preseason All-America Team

The Prep Premier League, Mid-Atlantic Prep League, and other Northeastern independent residential soccer academy programs are home to some of the nation's top high school and rising professional prospects.

Six of the 11 Preseason All-America selections are already committed to NCAA Division I programs, and by season's end, all 11 very well could be headed to Division I.

PPL/MAPL/Independent Preseason All-America

Position: Name, School, Year, College Commitment (if applies)

GK: Bernardo Herdy, Hoosac School (N.Y.), Sr.

D: Joey Riley, Pennington School (N.J.), Sr., Army

DM: Marcio Chaves, Hoosac School, Sr.

M: Matthew Addai, Pennington School (N.J.), Sr., Rutgers

M: Josh Baker, Northwood School (N.Y.), Jr.

M: Thiago Cesar, Northwood School (N.Y.), Sr.

M: Jeremie Kasongo, Woodstock Academy (Conn.), Sr., Coastal Carolina

M: Brayden Marta, Masters Academy (Mass.), Sr., Holy Cross

M: Arthur Masson, Woodstock Academy (Conn.), Sr., Missouri State

F: Mauro Gil Sacristan, Andrews Osborne Academy (Ohio), Sr.

F: Richard Sarpong, Woodstock Academy (Conn.), Sr., Wake Forest

The Players to Know

Goalkeeper: Two international keepers with professional aspirations headline the goalkeeping talent at the Prep Premier League's top two programs. Hoosac School's Bernardo Herdy gets the nod over Woodstock Academy's Bruno Bartel, with both making their U.S. debuts this fall. Herdy arrives at Hoosac from Brazil, while Bartel recently played for Union Berlin in Germany.

Defenders: With this preseason 11 weighted heavily toward midfielders, there are only two true defenders in the group, and both are outstanding. Army commit Joey Riley was a key figure in Pennington School's run to a New Jersey Prep title, recording eight shutouts over the team's final 12 matches. Marcio Chaves, meanwhile, earned PPL second-team honors and was a High School on SI Honorable Mention Prep All-America selection last season after helping Hoosac to the PPL crown.

Midfielders: The six-man midfield is highlighted by Pennington School's Matthew Addai, a Rutgers commit who scored 22 goals and added eight assists last season. Addai factored in more than half of Pennington's 58 goals. Woodstock Academy's Jeremie Kasongo was a High School on SI Third-Team All-America selection last season with Northfield Mount Hermon, but will attend Woodstock for a post-grad year. Kasongo has already committed to Coastal Carolina. Brayden Marta, a Holy Cross commit, will be a key piece as Masters Academy fields its first team this fall. Arthur Masson, a returning standout at Woodstock Academy, is committed to Missouri State. Northwood's Thiago Cesar, a High School on SI Third-Team Prep All-America last season, and Josh Baker round out the midfield selections.

Forwards: Woodstock Academy's Richard Sarpong, a Wake Forest commit, and Andrews Osborne Academy's Mauro Gil Sacristan round out the Preseason 11 at forward. Both were PPL first-team selections last season, while Sarpong, a standout at Woodstock since his freshman year, was a High School on SI First-Team Prep All-America selection. He also claimed the PPL Golden Boot in 2025, scoring 10 goals in seven league matches.

Others to Watch

F: Samuel Andoh, Northwood School (N.Y.), Jr.

GK: Bruno Bartel, Woodstock Academy (Conn.), Jr.

F: Alex Benamou, Pennington School (N.J.), Sr.

D: Hiro Brasileiro, Hoosac School (N.Y.), Sr.

D: Pedro De Souza, Masters Academy (Mass.), Sr., Swarthmore

D: Alan Fentaman, Northwood School (N.Y.), So.

D/M: Max Garner, Pennington School (N.J.), Jr.

M: Mateo Henry-Lacombe, Woodstock Academy (Conn.), Jr.

F: Tommy Kim, Peddie School (N.J.), Sr.

F: Nathan Marchand, Masters Academy (Mass.), Sr., Tufts

F/W: Minseong Park, Andrews Osborne Academy (Ohio), Sr.

M: Leo Ponce, Western Reserve Academy (Ohio), Sr.

M: Jack Scheffel, Western Reserve Academy (Ohio), PG

M: Matias Settles, Northwood School (N.Y.), Sr., Vassar

M: Gus Shapiro, Pennington School (N.J.), Sr.

W: Richard Szekely, Northwood School (N.Y.), Sr.

M: Ashton Turcotte, Northwood School (N.Y.), Sr., Gettysburg

F: Jeon Wolfe, Northwood School (N.Y.), So.

D: Daniel Youn, Pennington School (N.J.), Sr.

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