Recruiting

[LaxNJ71]

I wonder if these 2025 kids flipping to Clemson, 3 so far, will cause some current Clemson players to enter portal? It's pretty clear which basket the coaching staff is placing their eggs.....there will be a bunch of seniors cheering on this freshman class from the sideline come the spring of 2026

Who is the 3rd flip?
The transfer portal has closed for this season. It won’t open again until the winter.

[Fischer]

I wonder if these 2025 kids flipping to Clemson, 3 so far, will cause some current Clemson players to enter portal? It's pretty clear which basket the coaching staff is placing their eggs.....there will be a bunch of seniors cheering on this freshman class from the sideline come the spring of 2026

Who is the 3rd flip?
The transfer portal has closed for this season. It won’t open again until the winter.

They’re not in the portal They haven’t signed yet Just verbal

[Hello]

Regarding the Ivy index, it is my understanding that every potential ivy league student is given an academic index that caps out at 240. It is two times unweighted GPA (highest being 4.0 plus 4.0 counted as 80) and then one times highest SAT (best being 1600--considered 160) so perfect unweighted GPA and perfect test score is 240. There are charts that equate ACT to SAT. The average index for a top Ivy is 220 and the overall index for athletes across the board is 10 points lower. So if you have a 210 you may be in good shape at a top school but maybe not if there is a five star who has a 195. Teams are given averages within the athletic departments to add up overall. I think some of the lower level Ivy schools have indexes closer to 200. So GPA does matter. Rigor is figured in as well but not sure how it gets you over the hump if your GPA is less than 3.0.

[laxguy516]

KO - UMass commit flipped to Clemson a couple months ago. I believe a HS teammate of AS at Mount Sinai.

[Kleizaster]

I wonder if these 2025 kids flipping to Clemson, 3 so far, will cause some current Clemson players to enter portal? It's pretty clear which basket the coaching staff is placing their eggs.....there will be a bunch of seniors cheering on this freshman class from the sideline come the spring of 2026

I can see it being a problem next year, not this year. All these kids are still hyped up and excited to be a part of the clemson project and all the attention that's coming with it. Reality will hit when Clemson has another good recruiting class

[Relax77]

I can see it being a problem next year, not this year. All these kids are still hyped up and excited to be a part of the clemson project and all the attention that's coming with it. Reality will hit when Clemson has another good recruiting class

Good problem to have. UNC has the same issue. Rather have that than teams like Maryland saying we struck out this year. But I’m sure some of those girls aren’t happy about what happened this week.

[laxguy516]

I don’t think UNC is handing the reigns over to the 2025 recruiting class. However, Clemson clearly is. Yes, UNC 2025s and 2026’s will go in knowing they will see limited playing time, but most likely expected. I don’t think u can say the Clemson upper classmen expected to be replaced by freshman their junior and seniors seasons. Maryland, needs to have a stellar 2026 recruiting class or else the balance of power is shifting south with Florida, Clemson and UNC

[LaxNJ71]

I wonder if these 2025 kids flipping to Clemson, 3 so far, will cause some current Clemson players to enter portal? It's pretty clear which basket the coaching staff is placing their eggs.....there will be a bunch of seniors cheering on this freshman class from the sideline come the spring of 2026

Who is the 3rd flip?
The transfer portal has closed for this season. It won’t open again until the winter.

They’re not in the portal They haven’t signed yet Just verbal

Was responding to the comment about “current Clemson players to enter portal?”

[laxguy516]

Meaning enter portal after Spring of ‘25 season. Before the incoming freshman class for 25-26

[Kleizaster]

To switch things up a bit away from the drama, let's take do a mini season review and take a look at the 2026 class, who are in a dead period after being recruited through may and june. 2024 class has gotten much stronger because most of the top players in the class all had stellar seasons. Similar story with 2025. Penzeck scored 94 goals, 43 assists, 129 draw controls and 37 turnovers in a very competitive
conference up in Maryland. She's the anchor of this Clemson class. AS had 38 goals and 47 assists in a tougher league in NY..but Kayla Gilmore who is very underrated in this class, had 59 goals in the same league as a middle.

2026 names to look out for include Ava Fossati, who has a bit of Charlotte North in her. stings corners routinely from a distance and runs over players in the midfield. transferring to McDonogh next year. best in this class in my opinion, top 5 at the very least and Rylee Rath, who's also very good

[laxguy516]

Fosatti the 4th best player on the YJ team she plays for. Buffardi, Backer, Barnes all more complete players than her. Ewing kid for MD Black is legit, Reese’s daughter for heroes very good.

[laxdadpat]

That's 4 really nice players. Fosatti and Buffardi look like super high level athletes from their highlight films, they stand out. Fossati looks like a nightmare to guard. Buffardi plays her size perfectly and goes to goal like a freight train. The players get more impressive every year.

[hmmm]

To switch things up a bit away from the drama, let's take do a mini season review and take a look at the 2026 class, who are in a dead period after being recruited through may and june. 2024 class has gotten much stronger because most of the top players in the class all had stellar seasons. Similar story with 2025. Penzeck scored 94 goals, 43 assists, 129 draw controls and 37 turnovers in a very competitive
conference up in Maryland. She's the anchor of this Clemson class. AS had 38 goals and 47 assists in a tougher league in NY..but Kayla Gilmore who is very underrated in this class, had 59 goals in the same league as a middle.

2026 names to look out for include Ava Fossati, who has a bit of Charlotte North in her. stings corners routinely from a distance and runs over players in the midfield. transferring to McDonogh next year. best in this class in my opinion, top 5 at the very least and Rylee Rath, who's also very good

While I think Penzeck is a fantastic player, characterizing the league she plays in as "very competitive" is a bit of a reach. If she put up those numbers in the IAAM that would be one thing. Most top players that play in public school in MD have great stats. The good public school teams play 2-3 competitive games a year and the rest are 20-2 blowouts.

[Fischer]

I know a lot of 2026 players as well Barnes imo is the best player of that group Buffardi is complete package Fossati is not the best and it comes down to you also get the father and I’ll leave that right there

[GratefulRed]

Y’all have been helpful before, so thanks for responses to other posts.

My daughter attends a super selective magnet high school (think TJ in VA type school - ranked in the top 40 HS in USA bu USNews). It’s hard as hell. I swear her freshman coursework was harder than my (Ivy) courseload. The school take pride in offering very difficult classes and hard grading (no curves, etc.).

Point being: her unweighted GPA is not going to be great. the school counselors say that colleges will care more about rigor and weighted GPA. Yet your post (and others) suggest unweighted GPA matters more for elite academic/lax schools for recurring.

So the question is: for recruiting purposes (high academic, Ivy aspirations, but casting a wide wide net) will coaches look at the rigor of the school or just prefer a great GPA at a “regular” high school?

We’ve debated transferring her to a “regular” high school where As will be easy to come by (not just for lax here but for having a more normal HS life).

Max will provide sound advice and Hello’s blueprint is impressive. At the risk of sounding like that dad, I'll propose the case for keeping your daughter on the current path (*assuming the rigorous hs academics are not doing her more harm than good). Attending a high academic school and playing D1 lax is not regular nor normal. Whatever stress she is feeling now will be heavier after getting recruited. If this is her goal, push boundaries now (within reason), build critical skills (maybe some scar tissue) and find the right academic fit for the long term. She will have a great recruiting story to tell with measurables beyond raw GPA. Sounds like your daughter is in a good position to be successful--best of luck.

[intheknow247]

Fosatti the 4th best player on the YJ team she plays for. Buffardi, Backer, Barnes all more complete players than her. Ewing kid for MD Black is legit, Reese’s daughter for heroes very good.

FACTS

[Djkhalid]

Fosatti the 4th best player on the YJ team she plays for. Buffardi, Backer, Barnes all more complete players than her. Ewing kid for MD Black is legit, Reese’s daughter for heroes very good.

Ewing is good but Rassas is better and IMO one of the Top 3 kids in class. I agree with Buffardi at the top too. Fossatti has some things to learn instead of just shooting.

[NutmegCrunch]

First 2026 commit was yesterday, Olivia Cochran, a goalie, to Navy.

I know Army and Navy can communicate starting July 1st but it still seems so early!

[LaxPM]

Kaitlyn Hill from Hero's also committed to Navy yesterday.

[Djkhalid]

First 2026 commit was yesterday, Olivia Cochran, a goalie, to Navy.

I know Army and Navy can communicate starting July 1st but it still seems so early!

When your top school calls and you know that’s where you always wanted to be.