BOTC - US Lacrosse Community Forum Forums MID-ATLANTIC LACROSSE MARYLAND FORUM Boys 2026 Grads - Mid Atlantic Region

Sounds like somebody's son didn't get any 7/1 contacts...

Aint that the truth , but it is the truth. HS recruits arent as valuable as they were years ago. Besides starters, even in college, the backups are always looking at the portal for themselves or who is coming.

Class of ‘26 is very low talented lacrosse players.

I've heard this said many times. I disagree with this claim as I've seen numerous players in the 2026 class play up with the 2025s in elite tournaments and showcases (non re-classes btw) and have a lot of success.

We'll know the level of talent the 2026s have as a class when they get to college. The amount of 2026 players that earn significant minutes in their freshman and sophomore years compared to other classes will give you some legitimate evidence to measure your claim against.

This is the Mid Atlantic Maryland forum, no one plays up in MD. Keep it real !

This is 100% what is happening in the college game right now.

L

Doesn’t matter, I was talking about the 2026 class as a whole so the point still standa

Portal has change the lacrosse recruiting world, and not for the better

Correct. Kids can go somewhere right out of HS, but aside from the top 50-100 kids per class, the chances of your son playing and contributing at their first college commitment are slim.

College coaches simply don't know what they are looking at when it comes to HS players. They havent had to recruit them for years. They get it mostly wrong. And they really don't care. Because of the portal.

Most kids these days have to commit anywhere they can, and then portal to a better location.

Problem with college lacrosse is they recruit 10th graders who’ve only played against other 10th grader's !!!

Correct. The good players play up a class or two, not down against younger kids.

My 27 has had a ton of looks already, because I've been playing him up as a 26 and he's been dominating all these reclassed underperformers.

It’s much easier to play up then down!!!

Plus college coaches don’t like it! It’s a NCAA violation
waiting to happen.

Wrong, most of, if not all of the high end recruits have been playing on their varsity high school teams since they were freshmen or sophomores where they literally play against kids 1, 2, 3 and 4 years older. College coaches attend these high school games and see them compete with and against older kids. What planet do you live on?

You “play up” at the younger developing years to get better against older comp. Then you reclassify and dominate on age grade level kids. It’s a game! It’s not illegal, The “LAX people” know the game and play it well! Check out the top recruits committed to the top D1 programs! They are mostly reclassified kids at some point!! Check their ages! Colleges don’t care, they just want to win!

Fortunately, all the college coaches packets list grad year right next to phone number.

Most first teir players in the DMV taken now? I’m curious when programs will begin looking at the next set of players. Will they wait for fall tournaments?

Yes, They will start the second tier/second wave soon. The major fall tournaments have concluded.

Below is the DMV commit list from the DCUM that looks pretty accurate for the DMV.


Madlax 2026 - US Club Rank #67
1 University of Maryland (Good Counsel) Midfield
1 John Hopkins (STAB) Attack
1 John Hopkins (Landon) LSM/Defender
1 Denver (STAB) Defender
1 Providence (Episcopal) Midfield

Next Level 2026 - US Club Rank #26
1 Princeton (Georgetown Prep) Attack
1 Navy (Landon) Attack/Mid
1 Navy (SJC) Defender Midfield
2 Michigan (Lawrenceville/Deerfield) Mid/Attack, Midfield
1 Brown (St Andrew) Goalie
1 Georgetown (SJC) LSM/Defender
1 Army (GP) Fogo
1 Syracuse (SJC) Defender
1 Towson (SJC) Attack
1 Rutgers (GZ) Attack
1 Dartmouth (Culver) Midfield
1 Fairfield (GP) Defender

DC Express 2026 - US Club Rank #14
1 Penn State (SJC) Goalie
1 Navy (Potomac) Midfield
1 Navy (Bullis) Midfield
1 Penn State (Robinson) Defender
1 Yale (GC) Attack
1 Lehigh (SJC) LSM/Defender
1 Towson (GC) Midfield
1 Villanova (GP) Defender
1 UPenn (Bullis) Midfield
1 Utah (SJC) Midfield
1 Mount St. Mary's (GZ) Defender
1 BU (StP&P) Attack
1 VMI (Riverside) LSM/Defender

VLC 2026 - US Club Rank #31
1 HP (PVI) Attack
1 BU (PVI) Midfield
1 JU (PVI) Defender
1 JHU (PVI) Midfield
1 Vermont (PVI) Defender

IAC:
GP - Princeton (A), Army (FOGO), Villanova (D), Fairfield (D)
Landon - Navy (A/M), MI (FOGO), JHU (LSM/D), Mount St. Mary's (FOGO), Bellermine (D)
Bullis - Navy (M), UPenn (M)
Episcopal - Providence (M), Loyola (A/M)

WCAC:
SJC - Navy (D), Penn State (G), GU (LSM), SU (D), Lehigh (LSM/D), Towson (A), Utah (M)
PVI - HP (A), BU (M), JU (D), JHU (M), Vermont (D)
GC - MD (M), Yale (A), Towson (M)
GZ - Rutgers (A), Mount St. Mary's (D)

MAC:
Potomac - Navy (M)

Others:
STAB - JHU (A), Denver (D)
SAS - Brown (G)
Robinson Secondary* - (D)
Deerfield – MI (M)
Culver - Dartmouth (M)
St. Peter & Paul (A)
Riverside* - (LSM/D)

*Public VA

And Folks while you all complain about holdbacks, Most of that list is players that are holdbacks.

And guess what, Not one college coach cares, they only care if the player is young. Most will pick a holdback over non holdback any day with similar ability.

So keep complaining, but do so as your player goes down the debt chart and recruiting chart.

PPOS

Thank You!! Couldnt agree more!!

Pursuing Potential Overcoming Setbacks

Yes, Holdbacks rule . Not liking it .