Easily the most decorated and gifted soccer player to suit up for Commerce (’24 grad), and arguably to ever play in the BLITZ area, Ivy Tolbert has really hit her stride at Cornell. She’s now two years into her collegiate career, and is recently garnering a lot of national attention.

At Cornell, the midfielder has now played in 16 games for a total of 749 minutes. She’s earned four starts, and has taken seven shots on goal.

If those stats don’t jump out, it’s because we’re all used to seeing her score goals. For the Lady Tigers, Tolbert notched a mind-boggling 266 goals and 163 assists. She was a 4-time All-American at the HS level, and did all that in just three full seasons. A broken leg during her senior year in football really limited her that following spring as she played sparingly while recovering.

The BLITZ Hall of Famer and Soccer GOAT was named to the 2026 All-Ivy League Women’s Soccer Watch List, being one of just 24 players selected to the list.

She was named to the 2026 Women’s Soccer All-American Top 40, and Global Soccer Analytics has named her the Best Defensive Midfielder in the NCAA.

That’s high praise, and quite surprising as well after being a 3-time Georgia HS Player of the Year for what she brought in goals and assists.

Tolbert, a sophomore in her first season of competition, established herself as one of the most reliable and tactically essential players in the Ivy League,” says the release from GSA. “She was one of only six players on the Cornell roster to appear in all 16 matches. Cornell
repeatedly relied on Tolbert as its midfield stabilizer — the player inserted to settle the game, protect the back line, and restore control during the most demanding phases of competition.”

Here’s more from the official report:

Elite Pedigree and Historic Multi-Sport Background

Before arriving at Cornell, Tolbert was one of the most decorated high school players in the country. She was a three-time Georgia High School Soccer Player of the Year, a two-time USA Today National Player of the Year finalist and widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the United States.

Tolbert is also one of the most unique multi-sport athletes in Georgia history. She became only the second female player in Georgia High School Football history to score over 100 career points, a milestone that showcased her competitive toughness, consistency, and elite athletic profile. Her football achievements garnered statewide recognition and demonstrated the physicality and fearlessness that now define her role
as a collegiate No. 6.

Impact at Cornell
Her emergence in the No. 6 role aligned with a measurable defensive improvement from Cornell’s 2024 season to 2025. Tolbert’s ability to read danger early, break up evolving attacks, win critical second balls, and transition the team into purposeful possession made her the most complete and dependable holding midfielder in college soccer.

“Tolbert represents the modern defensive midfielder —athletic, intelligent, physical, composed, and indispensable,” said the Global Soccer Analytics evaluation team. “Her first year of collegiate play has already positioned her as the top No. 6 in the nation, with the upside to become one of the best at the professional level.”

Tolbert retains two years of Ivy League eligibility, giving her a long runway for continued development before entering the NWSL Draft, transfer portal, or professional opportunities abroad. Her combination of reliability, tactical maturity, and long-term potential makes her one of the most exciting defensive midfield prospects in the NCAA
landscape.

Key Attributes Identified by Global Soccer Analytics

• Elite game reading and spatial awareness
• Composure under pressure with clean, accurate distribution
• Outstanding defensive positioning and anticipation
• High success rate disrupting transitions and counterattacks
• Trustworthy in every game state — lead protection, tempo recovery, defensive stabilization

Projected Professional Trajectory
Based on Tolbert’s current development curve, physical profile, tactical intelligence, and year‑over‑year progression, Global Soccer Analytics projects that if she continues on her established path, Ivy Tolbert profiles as a likely 1st- or 2nd‑round selection in the 2029 NWSL Draft. Her reliability in high‑leverage defensive phases, combined with her
upside as a modern holding midfielder, places her firmly within the early‑round professional talent pool.