@Ohiodad51 girls soccer is a unique beast . most girls physically are at final height 8th/9th grade - boys much later. recruiting is accelerated in girls vs boys soccer. Also ACL tears are a huge epidemic in girls soccer specifically and not boys and not really any other girls sport; so waiting also has the ACL tear as a possibility as a negative for those who wait. Duke and Notre Dame are unlikely to have scholarships left for juniors or seniors.
Duke women has 2 -2022 and 2-2021 commits as of today
https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer/college-soccer-details/women/duke/clgid-27/tab-commitments#tabs
Notre Dame has 2-2022 and 4-2021 commits as of today
https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer/college-soccer-details/women/notre-dame/clgid-43/tab-commitments#tabs
Again the system is not a good one, but it is what it is. I hope Forbes is believable enough for you all.
“college recruiting, especially for girls, often starts well before any athlete steps into a high school for the first time.”
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"In only three Division I men’s sports – basketball (34 percent), lacrosse (30 percent) and golf (20 percent) – did more than 20 percent of athletes report having first direct or indirect contact with a college recruiter in freshman year of high school or earlier.
But that 20 percent threshold was passed by female athletes in eight sports at the highest level of college athletes – including nearly half of basketball players (47 percent). The other seven sports:
Softball, 43 percent
Gymnastics, 39 percent
Lacrosse, 37 percent
Soccer, 37 percent
Volleyball, 37 percent
Field hockey, 26 percent
Golf, 20 percent"