With the inaugural ECNL Boys East Coast Super Cup on the horizon (December 13-15), to be played in conjunction with the 2024 NCAA College Cup, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the eight clubs who will be competing for this year’s inaugural championship.
The ECNL Boys East Coast Super Cup features the eight top-performing clubs from the eastern conferences of the ECNL Boys based on the 2023-24 regular season standings in the U15-U18/19 age groups. The event includes two clubs from each of the Florida Conference, Southeast Conference, Mid-Atlantic Conference, and the former Northeast Conference (now separated into New England and North Atlantic). These clubs will gather for a three day event to crown the first-ever ECNL Boys East Coast Super Cup Champion.
Each club will bring one team for the event, comprised of top players from the club across the U15-U18/19 age groups for an 'Elite 8' style knockout tournament. The two finalists will compete for the ECNL Boys East Coast Super Cup Championship on Sunday, December 15.
“Each year the ECNL puts on another competition to raise the level of competitiveness. Each year we’re excited to see what those new ideas are and I think this is one of the best ones yet,” said Pipeline SC ECNL Boys Director Brandon Quaranta. “Number one, you’re getting some of the best clubs in the country together, so, talented players, good staffs, clubs with like minded goals. Number two, the format of combining age groups. It’s both a challenge from a staff standpoint, which we find exciting, but also an opportunity for us to play some of our most talented younger players with some of our older, more experienced guys.”
Quaranta emphasized the importance of trying to win the new competition, but said Pipeline will also embrace the opportunity the ECNL East Coast Super Cup provides to mix their older and younger age groups together.
“We want to take advantage of the format and really embrace the idea of mixing our younger players and older players,” Quaranta said. “I think for us that’s just as important as trying to win the competition.”
Mark Hansen, Director of Soccer Operations at Florida Kraze, believes the event really highlights the quality of the league, as it continues to find new ways to showcase the best players and clubs from around the country.
“We’re extremely excited for the opportunity,” Hansen said. “I think it shows the quality of our boys program and what they’ve done over the last couple years, but also the quality of the league, giving this opportunity to these boys and to these clubs to really highlight some of the best of the best versus each other. It’s a great opportunity the league has created to showcase that in a new format, where I think it allows for even more player development.”
The ECNL Boys East Coast Super Cup will be held simultaneously with the visitRaleigh.com Boys College Showcase and will welcome a significant number of college scouts, as this is the only location in the country that can be scouted during the NCAA Men's College Cup.
“The excitement of the timing of the event brings an added level for the players,” Hansen said, who also noted the format will be very helpful for college scouts, as they get an opportunity to see how younger players are able to compete and perform when going up against players who are older than them. “I think it gives them a little bit more of a projection to say this kid can play against kids two or three years older, that they are ready for that stage. So I think it’s a great concept from the league and a great opportunity for all those participating.
“The college coaches congregate and will be around that setting,” Quaranta said. “So I think it’s a really good opportunity. I think it’s really smart of the league to put a competition down there in that area on the weekend and I think there will be a lot of players who benefit from what I consider a very sharp move from the league leadership.”
Learn everything you need to know about the East Coast Super Cup, as well as the teams competing, below.
Date: December 13-15, 2024
Location: WRAL Soccer Complex | Raleigh, North Carolina
Schedule: Every team is guaranteed two games, with the two finalists meeting in the East Coast Super Cup Championship on Sunday, December 15. View the full schedule of games and bracket here.
Streaming: Watch games from the East Coast Super Cup here
ClubsClub: Beach FC (VA)
Year Founded: 1982
Club Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Things You Should Know: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 - 2024 ECNL National Playoffs
2023-24 Award Winners: Ryan Walsh - U18/19 All-American and U18/19 Mid-Atlantic Conference Player of the Year
Club: Florida Kraze
Year Founded: 2013
Club Location: Winter Springs, Florida
Things You Should Know: 2006/05 - 2024 ECNL National Finalists; 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 - 2024 ECNL National Playoffs
2023-24 Award Winners: Aidan Godinho - U18/19-All American and U18/19 Florida Conference Player of the Year
Club: Florida Premier FC
Year Founded: 1979
Club Location: Odessa, Florida
Things You Should Know: 2008 - 2024 ECNL National Semifinalists; 2007 - 2024 ECNL National Quarterfinalists; 2006/05, 2009, 2010 - 2024 ECNL National Playoffs
2023-24 Award Winners: Luka Zujovic - U17 All-American and U17 Florida Conference Player of the Year, Broden Beorlegui - U16 All-American and U16 Florida Conference Player of the Year, Sebastian Aguilera Chavez - U15 All-American and U15 Florida Conference Player of the Year
Club: NCFC Youth Academy
Year Founded: 1974
Club Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Things You Should Know: 2008, 2011 - 2024 ECNL National Semifinalists; 2006/05, 2007, 2009, 2010 - 2024 ECNL National Playoffs
2023-24 Award Winners: Joshua Stewart - U16 All-American and U16 Mid-Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, Kevin Howard - U15 All-American and U15 Mid-Atlantic Conference Player of the Year
Club: NTH-NASA
Year Founded: 2016
Club Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Things You Should Know: 2006/05, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 - 2024 ECNL National Playoffs
2023-24 Award Winners: Tolu Adeyemi - U17 All-American, Caua Siqueria - U15 All-American
Club: Pipeline SC
Year Founded: 2011
Club Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Things You Should Know: 2011 - 2024 ECNL National Champions, 2009 - 2024 ECNL National Finalists, 2006/05, 2007, 2008, 2010 - 2024 ECNL National Playoffs
2023-24 Award Winners: Valentino Quaranta - U15 ECNL National Player of the Year, U15 All-American, and U15 Northeast Conference Player of the Year, Mason Wakefield - U18/19 All-American and U18/19 Northeast Conference Player of the Year, Nick Lentz - U17 All-American and U17 Northeast Conference Player of the Year, Austin Roberts - U15 All-American
Club: UFA
Year Founded: 2010
Club Location: Cumming, Georgia
Things You Should Know: 2006/05, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 - 2024 ECNL National Playoffs
Club: World Class FC
Year Founded: 2009
Club Location: Orangeburg, New York
Things You Should Know: 2007, 2009, 2010 - 2024 ECNL National Playoffs