KANSAS CITY – Illinois State goalkeeper Madi Valenti has been named to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's Players to Watch list for the 2026 season.
The Players to Watch lists are compiled and released by the Division I All-America Committees to highlight the nation's top returning players ahead of the 2026 regular season. The list features United Soccer Coaches All-Americans and All-Region selections from the 2025 season who are expected to return this fall.
Valenti earned United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's All-Midwest Region Third Team honors after a historic 2025 campaign. She became Illinois State's first Missouri Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Year since 2013 while helping lead the Redbirds to one of the best defensive seasons in program history.
Valenti recorded 12 shutouts in 2025, setting both the Illinois State and MVCÂ single-season records. She helped the Redbirds post a program-record 13 team shutouts and finished the season with a .853 save percentage, the seventh-best mark in school history.
She also totaled a career-high 86 saves, tying for the seventh-most in a single season in program history, and became just the third Redbird goalkeeper to record at least 80 saves in multiple seasons.
Valenti also established a new school record for goalkeeper minutes played in a season with 1,958 and tied the program record by appearing in all 22 matches.
"Entering the 2026 season, these previous honorees represent some of the best at their positions,"Â said Chris Przemieniecki, Senior College All-America Administrator. "As preseason training opens, we are pleased to recognize these outstanding student-athletes from our member schools. I would like to thank Jennifer Rockwood, DI Women's All-America Chair, Ryan Hopkins, DI Men's All-America Chair and their respective committees for their efforts in compiling these lists."
