2027 Prospect Fit Report — Liberty University
Skyler Hoefener
2027 CDM / Center Back — St. Louis, MO · AFA Fillies ECNL · Villa Duchesne High School
Overall Liberty Fit Assessment
Strong fit across positional need, physical profile, and faith-centered culture. A rising DI program losing its entire defensive core by Fall 2027 — and an FCA founder who would tower over the current back line. The alignment is deep and multi-dimensional.
Roster Turnover & Positional Need
Defensive and midfield projection for Fall 2027 based on the 2025 published roster.
The 2025 junior class loses Lauren Littleton (CUSA Defensive Player of the Year), Sallie Garner (CUSA Preseason All-Conference, All-South Region), Kayla Magee (VaSID All-State), Elise Graf (2x CUSA Defensive POTW), Carly Keene (D/F), Briana Myers (CUSA All-Conference First Team), and Avenley Monteith (21-game starter). Seven defenders and midfielders depart in one class — the entire defensive core and midfield spine that powered two CUSA titles and a first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | 2025 Cl. | Fall '27 Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Sallie Garner | D | 5-6 | RS Jr. | Graduated | CUSA Preseason All-Conference · All-South Region |
| 21 | Lauren Littleton | D | 5-4 | Jr. | Graduated | CUSA Defensive POY (preseason, regular season, championship) · Biomedical Sciences |
| 34 | Kayla Magee | D | — | Jr. | Graduated | VaSID All-State |
| — | Elise Graf | MF/D | — | Jr. | Graduated | Started all 21 games · 1500+ mins · 2x CUSA Defensive POTW |
| 27 | Carly Keene | D/F | 5-7 | Jr. | Graduated | Transfer from Lehigh |
| 22 | Presley Kaiser | D | 5-3 | Fr. | Junior | Returns |
| No. | Name | Pos. | 2025 Cl. | Fall '27 Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Briana Myers | MF | RS Jr. | Graduated | CUSA All-Conference First Team · 1500+ mins |
| 17 | Avenley Monteith | MF | Jr. | Graduated | Started all 21 games |
| 9 | Isabella Wedemeyer | MF | So. | Senior | Coach's daughter · 4.0 GPA Criminal Justice |
| 24 | Sammy Farnham | MF/D | Fr. | Junior | 5-5 · Returns |
Seven of ten defensive and midfield contributors depart by Fall 2027 — including the CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, two All-Conference defenders, and the All-Conference First Team midfielder. Only Kaiser (5-3), Wedemeyer, and Farnham (5-5) return. The 2026-27 class brings three defenders (Bertram, Myrmel, Smulik), but Fall 2027 still has massive need. Hoefener at 5'11" would be the tallest defender in the program by four inches over the tallest returning defender (Farnham, 5-5). She changes the set-piece calculus immediately.
Liberty is on a clear upward arc: two CUSA titles in three conference seasons, a first-ever national ranking (#24), and a first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025. The players who built that foundation graduate by 2027. Replacing them with the right recruits determines whether this program sustains its momentum or resets.
Player Evaluation
Scouting assessment based on film review, statistical analysis, and competitive context.
Physical Profile: At 5'11", Hoefener would tower over the current defense — Garner is 5-6, Littleton is 5-4, Kaiser is 5-3. The height gap is the most dramatic of any school in this portfolio. She changes the set-piece calculus immediately, winning aerial duels through height, strength, and timing.
Defending: Missouri All-Region and All-Conference First Team as a sophomore. Coach Wedemeyer himself was a top defensive player at Virginia Tech — he knows what elite defending looks like and will recognize it on film. Her ability to read the game, organize a back line, and win 1v1 duels translates directly to CUSA competition.
Distribution: 16 assists in a single season from the CDM position — leading her entire conference from the deepest-lying midfield role. CUSA play demands creative transition from defense to attack. With Myers' All-Conference midfield contributions departing, Hoefener's playmaking from deep fills a critical void in the transition game.
Engine / Fitness: Cross Country All-Conference and a 3rd-place finish in the Greater St. Louis 10k confirm elite aerobic capacity. The CUSA schedule against DI competition demands that extra athletic gear — Hoefener's endurance base means she sustains high-intensity efforts deep into matches across a demanding conference calendar.
Leadership / Faith: Founder and President of Villa Duchesne's FCA chapter. For a faith-centered program under Wedemeyer (USC Faith-Based Coach of the Year), this alignment is as meaningful as any on-field attribute. She didn't join a campus ministry — she built one. That initiative becomes program culture.
Academic Fit: 4.1 GPA at a ~99% acceptance rate institution — zero admissions friction. Liberty honored six players with Academic All-District recognition in 2025. Hoefener continues and elevates that standard.
Bidirectional Fit Analysis
The case from each side — and why timing matters.
Skyler has ECNL showcases throughout spring 2026 and Playoffs in June — every event is an opportunity for competing staffs to engage her. Liberty's DI scholarship ability is a major advantage over DIII competitors in this portfolio. Programs that engage first and lead with scholarship conversations win these recruits.
Credential Summary
Verified athletic and academic honors.
Opportunities for Engagement
Faith alignment, defensive pedigree, and program momentum — here's how to build on it.
A 5'11" ECNL-level CDM/CB with a 4.1 GPA, All-Region credentials, 16 assists from the back, FCA founder values, and the physical profile to fill Liberty's most dramatic roster gap. Admissions-clean, DI scholarship-eligible, and built for the CUSA level. These prospects don't come around often.
A prospect of this caliber — DI-level size, ECNL pedigree, All-Region credentials, and faith-centered leadership — is being actively recruited at every level. Liberty's advantages are real: DI scholarships, a rising program, a defensive-minded head coach, and faith alignment that goes deeper than most. But those advantages only matter if the staff engages first. Every week without contact is a week another program fills the gap.
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