As Division I teams prepare to compete during the Spring 2021 semester, one area to track is how Revolution Academy alumni perform.
While ample focus is placed on players going straight from Revolution youth teams to the professional ranks, college soccer remains an important part of the American soccer ecosystem. Some are ready for MLS or lower-division tests as teenagers, while others benefit from increased development and growth in school.
After all, that's the pathway that midfielder Scott Caldwell (Braintree, Mass.) and forward Justin Rennicks (South Hamilton, Mass.) took before signing their Homegrown deals. They came from different youth development eras, though their respective stints at Akron and Indiana were incredibly valuable.
Mindful of these dynamics, here are 12 Revolution Academy alumni to track during the Spring 2021 season. They're possible candidates for Homegrown or Revolution II deals, so we'll see how they fare after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Fall 2020 plans.