Rio Rancho local the starting keeper for nationally ranked soccer team

RIO RANCHO — The Hope Christian girls soccer team has been nothing short of dominant: They have won four straight state titles. In their four-title run, the Hope girls have a record of 87-3.

According to Soccer Wire, the Hope girls soccer team was the 11th-ranked national team in a 2025 preseason ranking, and their starting goalkeeper is freshman Maddy James, who lives in Rio Rancho.

“I’ve always said that I’ve never seen anything like her; she’s so talented,” senior Hailey Sanchez said. “She was so funny and easy to be around, playing soccer with her was genuinely enjoyable.”

Last season, as an eighth grader, James had 51 saves, helped blank 18 opponents and logged nearly 750 keeper minutes. James was one of seven eighth graders on the team.

“Last year, I was only in eighth grade, but I had the best role model to look up to. Dylan Rees was one of my biggest motivations and has been even prior to my time at Hope. We have trained together for a while, and I loved that I got to play with her at least one year,” James said. “She is like a sister to me, and I will forever be grateful I had that experience with her.”

Rees was a senior keeper on the Hope squad last year and a first-team All-State player who formed quite the goalkeeper duo with James, who was also a first-team All-State player.

“I will forever be grateful that I get to be part of this legacy that the Hope Christian girls soccer program is building. I had such an amazing experience last year with this group of girls and coaches; we accomplished goals that not a lot of people thought were going to be possible,” James said. “Going undefeated last year was one of the best, most exciting experiences I have had playing soccer.”

James has been playing soccer since she was 6 years old and credits her goalkeeper coach Savva Biller for development as a player. She also wanted to shout out her club coach Simon Rothman, the Hope head coach Amy Fankam and Jay Fankam.

“I would say what you can expect from me for the rest of my high school seasons are: leadership from the back, organizing the defense, motivating teammates and ensuring a strong and cohesive unit. I’m going to focus on staying consistent in making key saves and distributing the ball efficiently to transition quickly into offense. And as always with this team, expect to watch a high level of soccer from all the girls that work so hard every day,” James said.

The Hope squad will debut the season Aug. 20 against Pojoaque Valley in a home bout that starts at 4 p.m.