Recruiting

[Essexfenwick]

No suprise . Terps sign 2026 #1 recruit Cayden Reese.

https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... land/64005

[Relax77]

I’m also saying last year there were some weird deadlines as well and some all over the map. Richmond gave 3 days. Hopkins gave a month. Most schools gave a week or two. One school said take your time, then found out she had a visit that weekend and called back and said you have till Tuesday.

[Relax77]

USF gets killed for their roster numbers. They aren’t even close to other teams. Next year when the 25s get there they’ll have 41 kids. High Point and Mercer have 49 and 48. There’s 40 teams that will be over 38. Most aren’t Power 4. Facebook wlax recruiting numbers out a new column up on their site. Makes it easier to see roster numbers. If it’s accurate.

[laxlaxlax]

I’ve heard of a few places already using the exploding offers this year. I can see both sides - not great from the perspective of a recruit who feels under pressure to make a decision and no doubt increases their stress level around the process, but if a school has a limited number of slots then they handcuff themselves by offering and having to wait weeks for a decision, knowing that the kid is often going to get offers at other visits and in the meantime they lose out on other great kids.

I don’t think there is a perfect solution? Maybe they allow contact on September 1 and then no offers allowed until October 1, which gives kids time to do visits and programs to create their lists based on actual contact with the recruit rather than seeing them play at a random tournament.

If I were a recruit I would proactively take time in advance of September 1 to get onto each campus and just explore independently and really do research in advance, maybe hit up a couple of camps so you meet the coaches and probably some current players working the camps. Also network with friends/club contacts who are in college and can give a true opinion on coaches etc. I know you can’t get the full experience to with that but at least it allows you to really narrow down your list.

Coaches get really frustrated with kids who have a long list of schools and no clear direction e.g. visiting NU, UNC, Hopkins, Jacksonville and then two ivies, LOL. That shows they haven’t thought about what they truly want in a program - a big football school, weather, conference, academics etc.

[LaxDadMax]

Hearing classes will be 6-8 range for the most part. Perhaps an added pressure and thus the fast start out of the gates?

My take is they just want to get it over with as much as the players. No reason to wait if you can make players move faster.

I'm sure the coaches want to be done as soon as possible. I'm glad we didn't face this pressure last year. It was nice to be able to do some visits first. That said it was a LONG STRESSFUL 2-3 weeks!

I think you forget how fast September was compared to previous years. More recruits September than ever before. I’m sure this year will be more than last as well. I believe Sept 25s had 170 more commits than Sept 24s. October was near the same. So there was a rush last year to get kids in by Sept. I remember everyone discussing that last year as well.

From what i've seen the biggest difference in the past 2 years is that schools ranked 30-50 have been MUCH more aggressive. In the past, they would wait and see who fell through the cracks, now they are aggressively going after their targets.

[Relax77]

Hearing classes will be 6-8 range for the most part. Perhaps an added pressure and thus the fast start out of the gates?

My take is they just want to get it over with as much as the players. No reason to wait if you can make players move faster.

I'm sure the coaches want to be done as soon as possible. I'm glad we didn't face this pressure last year. It was nice to be able to do some visits first. That said it was a LONG STRESSFUL 2-3 weeks!

I think you forget how fast September was compared to previous years. More recruits September than ever before. I’m sure this year will be more than last as well. I believe Sept 25s had 170 more commits than Sept 24s. October was near the same. So there was a rush last year to get kids in by Sept. I remember everyone discussing that last year as well.

From what i've seen the biggest different in the past 2 year is that schools ranked 30-50 have been MUCH more aggressive. In the past, they would wait and see who fell through the cracks, now they are aggressively going after their targets.

Yep. Last year I remember W&M and UMass Lowell had like 6 committed in the first two weeks.

[Kleizaster]

No suprise . Terps sign 2026 #1 recruit Cayden Reese.

https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... land/64005

Was already reported and discussed a few days and pages ago in this thread

[LiveLaxLove]

Totally agree.. They could tier it with contact day and then onsite visit days start.
Could even allow prospect camps to occur in-between the dates to actually work with kids and talk with them more.
There has to be a better way.

Are you asking the leadership of the sport that's proven absolutely zero logic to any decision to make a smart move that helps recruits and coaches, and potentially grows the game?
Come on!!!!!
They can't even get the draw right.

[Kleizaster]

Penn State got a commit from a giant, 6ft tall attacker from Georgia. Has there ever been an attacker that tall in women's lacrosse? can't recall. Will almost certainly convert to a draw specialist/middie in college

[LiveLaxLove]

Penn State got a commit from a giant, 6ft tall attacker from Georgia. Has there ever been an attacker that tall in women's lacrosse? can't recall. Will almost certainly convert to a draw specialist/middie in college

USF has a tall girl, I think. Not sure what her name is.

[lovlax77]

Penn State got a commit from a giant, 6ft tall attacker from Georgia. Has there ever been an attacker that tall in women's lacrosse? can't recall. Will almost certainly convert to a draw specialist/middie in college

Maddie Jenner from Duke a few years ago was at least 6ft, maybe taller. One of the best draw specialists during that time.

[lacrossemwj]

What I think will be the bigger long-term implication of these recruiting changes will be much more differentiation in funding across players on the same team, outside the new teams which will be highly funded.

So in the mid-tier of schools who will stay around 12 schollies, when a school brings in 8 girls, instead of in the past where the breakout may be 50%, 40%, 30%, 30%, 25%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 15% the new breakout could be something like 100%, 100%, 25%, 15%, 10%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In terms of timing, I expect all of the full rides to be gone within a couple week, then see the process slow down a bit.

I remember a few weeks back there was a comment like "Most of the girls who commit in the first 2 or 3 weeks of September are either 1) legacies 2) aren't getting any athletic $$ or 3) Both." But now, the tune has changed to all the money will be gone in the first couple of weeks?

[laxdadpat]

There probably a dozen girls 6' and taller playing DI right now. Mostly all on the draw or attack. Can't think of any at defense. There is a huge number of girls 5'10" and taller coming into college recently with plenty more on the way.

[LaxDadMax]

What I think will be the bigger long-term implication of these recruiting changes will be much more differentiation in funding across players on the same team, outside the new teams which will be highly funded.

So in the mid-tier of schools who will stay around 12 schollies, when a school brings in 8 girls, instead of in the past where the breakout may be 50%, 40%, 30%, 30%, 25%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 15% the new breakout could be something like 100%, 100%, 25%, 15%, 10%, 0%, 0%, 0%

In terms of timing, I expect all of the full rides to be gone within a couple week, then see the process slow down a bit.

I remember a few weeks back there was a comment like "Most of the girls who commit in the first 2 or 3 weeks of September are either 1) legacies 2) aren't getting any athletic $$ or 3) Both." But now, the tune has changed to all the money will be gone in the first couple of weeks?

Definitely changing, at least at the elite level with more fully funded offers out there. I don't think all the money will be gone the first couple weeks, but I think all the full rides will be gone.

That said, a year ago, there were almost no full rides....

[Laximus]

Where’s the best place to see where girls have committed?

https://www.laxnumbers.com/recruits.php ... 5&gender=W

Just change the year to 2026 once that becomes available. you can also look at the ILwomen recruiting section although they are slower in updating commits

clublacrosse.org has a nice data base with some very nice features for sorting if you wanted to dig down into where you want to target your recruiting efforts.

[Laximus]

This is interesting for USF, especially after all the off field issues we've heard about the past year. atleast the recruits seem to think they've been resolved.

That New Facility is also working it's magic

Sure it’s a great facility but aren’t they already over the potential roster limit with their current roster and their 25’s? How confident is anyone to commit when they might get booted to hit 38? Am I not understanding the rules right?

USF won’t be subject to the 38 rule but everything else you said is right.

Why aren’t they held to that. Do all new programs get a pass?

Not power 5. Doesn’t pertain to them. A hem. Power 4 in wlax.

But it could. Non Power 5 can opt-in to the revenue sharing/roster limits. Based on what I'm seeing, I'm guessing USF is aiming for that. Also hearing from some family members that are big ACC donors, that USF is gunning to be added as full members (once Clemson and FSU leave). We'll see...

The big ACC football schools will not stick around when FSU & Clemson leave. IMHO the ACC is and will always be looked at as BB conference. No way Miami, UNC, VA, Pitt & VT are staying if they leave. The ACC will look like all the other conferences not named BIG10, SEC or BIG12 non BIG 12 when/if this happens. If I was an ACC fan I would be praying for Clemson & FSU to somehow stick around.

[Laximus]

Ummm it would appear they are suing to leave the conference. Where they end up going is a different conversation.

[Laximus]

No gator recruits yet Surprise to me since they had such a great season

Kids who commit this early usually already know where they want to go but are just waiting for the phone call. I'm sure Florida will get its fair share of good recruits. Never really been a concern with them.

Very accurate statement!

[610Lax]

Penn State got a commit from a giant, 6ft tall attacker from Georgia. Has there ever been an attacker that tall in women's lacrosse? can't recall. Will almost certainly convert to a draw specialist/middie in college

PSU has a Sr(Smigel) that transferred from Marquette 2 years ago that scored 23 goals her freshman year there and only played in 6 games in 2 years for Missy, as well as a current freshman ("24) from Conestoga HS(PA), Wisch, that are both 6'+ and play attack. Problem is, Missy's offense hasn't changed at all to utilize that size correctly. It's still predicated on 1 v 1 dodging and not enough on cutting and creating mismatches to use that height.

[NULax2]

Penn State got a commit from a giant, 6ft tall attacker from Georgia. Has there ever been an attacker that tall in women's lacrosse? can't recall. Will almost certainly convert to a draw specialist/middie in college

Easy, (NU/Stanford Coach) Danielle Spencer was 6'2"

https://nusports.com/sports/womens-lacr ... pencer/957