7 min read

Best In Class Standouts 2026 Rising Junior Boys

Best In Class Standouts 2026 Rising Junior Boys

The Class of 2026 kicked off the summer with our first Best In Class Event. The "Standouts" from our past 3 Rising Junior events have gone on to commit to incredible college programs. Let's take a look at this years batch of stars. 

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Attack

#43 Lucas Garcia | Brunswick School | Primetime 

Garcia is as college ready as they come. The Brunswick School attackman is positionless and has played both attack and midfield over his years. HIs speed and burst catches eyes, but he displays a powerful shot and puts enormous pressure on defenses. He lets the game come to him and his work ethic off and character the field will only reassure college recruiters as a top tier recruit.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.10 seconds
Flying 20: 2.10 seconds (#2 Overall at the Event)
Broad Jump: 8' 6.5"
Vertical Jump: 29"

 

#155 james towers | avon old farms | eclipse

James made his mark from the very first drill. His high IQ was evident with how often he found himself in the right spots. He showed he could turn the corner with both hands from X off the dodge, and made great feeds and decisions with the ball in his stick. Without the ball, he was quick to put himself in spots that gained advantages and executed in the 2 man game below GLE. He racked up points for Christian Cuccinello's squad, whom stated that James "facilitated the offense, made others around him better, but didn't press." He had a fantastic 2 day camp as the top player on Team 3.

 

#128 Colby rossettie | santa Fe Christian schools | west coast starz

Rossettie demonstrated an offensive skillset and prowess at camp that was unique. He had bounce in his step, was very deceptive, and showed his arsenal of finishing from range and in tight. He is wiry and strong, with great balance and ability to handle contact. He can continue to develop his off ball spacing but when he does, he will only free himself up for more scoring opportunities. Highly coachable and receptive to ideas.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.21
Flying 20: 2.32
Broad Jump: 7' 8"
Vertical Jump: 25"

 

Midfield

#21 Kamden Clack | buford | Team 91 Georgia 

Clack made his mark at BIC. Several coaches commented he made a strong case for top player at camp. His versatility awed the staff - he created from the high alleys and showed great footwork off the invert. He separated himself with his feeding ability and decision making. He threw it forward, hit looks inside, and hit skips over the top. The ability to play within himself while making his presence felt on the game gave the vibe of a player who's going to be very busy come September. When it's all said and done, we think Clack has the makings of a top 15-20 player overall in the class.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.09 seconds
Flying 20: 2.07 seconds (#1 Overall Score)
Broad Jump: 9'0"
Vertical Jump: 31.5"

 

#46 Rick Giordano | Brunswick | Primetime

Giordano is smaller and size but makes a big time argument for the title of the best shooter in the class. He is 2 handed, will hammer step downs righty and come back to his left. One of his best attributes is his short doing & hitch arsenal. He attacks approaches like the best of them and keeps defenders guessing when he will release his shot. He made his mark at BIC as a top offensive producer. 

**Anecdotally, we called Rick's Naptown semifinal game for Primetime 2025's (he plays on the 2025 team) and in a field of 20+ commits, Rick might have gotten off the most shots. Not just off dodges, but also by smartly putting himself in the right spots off ball and taking advantage - a skill many have yet to develop.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.20
Flying 20: 2.29
Broad Jump: 7' 6.5"
Vertical Jump: 28.5"

 
#14 Max Bushaw | southlake carroll | Maddog National

Bushaw is an athletic midfielder that is slick, smooth skilled. He had a great showing in his last BIC event and this year was no different. He has the ability to score the ball off the dodge and time and room and effectively uses bounces and redodges. He's a playmaker that is shaping up to be a high level recruit out of Texas.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.12
Flying 20: 2.13
Broad Jump: 8' 7"
Vertical Jump: 28.5"

#89 Bennett Matthews | Bedford HS | NH tomahawks

Potentially the best pure athlete at the event. He's 2 handed and can play both ways - a "true dub" - a term legendary Coach Mike Pressler used at BIC. He has slick feeding ability, demonstrating some prowess throwing BTB's in small sided play. He beat his man with ease to both hands and created offense for his teammates. He shows a scoring ability to fire the ball past the goalie. On the defensive end, he has all the athletic tools and made plays through effort and athleticism.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.14
Flying 20: 2.18
Broad Jump: 8' 3"
Vertical Jump: 27"
 

 

SSDM

#28 Harrison cullum | Highland park high school | MadDog National Black 

Cullum recently converted from close defense to short stick defensive midfielder. Throughout the event, he proved to be lockdown on the ball. He has great size and athleticism in addition to excellent feel for leverage on the ball. He thrives at the point of contact. A next step for Harrison will be continuing to get natural with the short stick in his hands in transition and clearing. 

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.14
Flying 20: 2.18
Broad Jump: 9'
Vertical Jump: 32.5"

#108 Ben Okupsi | The Lawrenceville School | LI Express Channy

Ben is a good athlete but a better lacrosse player. He was solid on the ball both days and also showed the ability to consistently make the right plays in the middle of the field and in transition. His coaches noted "Ben was an excellent DMID - I didn't notice him get beat. He is very capable of pushing offense in transition." 

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.19
Flying 20: 2.27
Broad Jump: 8' 1"
Vertical Jump: 29"
 

LSM 

#81 Brandon Lyons-Kirby | Centennial secondary | Team BC, Fusion West, Adanacs

One of the main jobs of an LSM is to control the middle of the field and retain possession for your team. Brandon controlled the middle of the field. He was great of the ground and applied appropriate pressure to opponents between the line. He's mean, smart, and has a very good stick. 

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.19
Flying 20: 2.27
Broad Jump: 7' 7.5"
Vertical Jump: 29.5

#9 Jackson Bond | Highland park high school | MadDog National Black 

Bond is a lefty LSM with an excellent stick and great motor. He showed that he is capable of guarding top middies and dodgers well. I believe he is most natural at the LSM position above the cage. His playmaking ability truly thrives making plays off the ground, in passing lanes and in transition. When the ball is on the ground near bond, there is a good chance he's coming up with it. 

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.15
Flying 20: 2.20
Broad Jump: 8' 5"
Vertical Jump: 28.5"
 

 

Defense

#65 Jayden James | st. John's | Next level

Jayden absolutely crushed the combine, and this athleticism transfers over the the field as well. Jayden is an aggressive lefty defender with great size. He wreaks havoc and makes plays around the ball. Jayden has great presence on the field -- opponents and teammates feel him out there. There is no surprise as why James is considered a Top 10 recruit and he showed it at BIC.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.13
Flying 20: 2.15
Broad Jump: 9' 11.5"
Vertical Jump: 36.5

 
 
#151 jack tanton | calvert hall | fca

One of our coaches left the following notes on Jack: "Active stick, makes plays between the lines, good IQ, plays really hard." Jack probably isn't a guy that instantly pops off the page, but the more you watch him the more you appreciate his style of play. He is not the biggest, but he has an excellent motor and always seems to find himself in the play. Jack plays hard and gets the most out of his abilities. 

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.14
Flying 20: 2.18
Broad Jump: 8' 10.5"
Vertical Jump: 30.5"

 

Goalie

#139 Ford Smith | Briarwood christian | thunder blue

An elite ball stopper. Cool, calm, and composed when in the cage which allows him to play at a very high and consistent level. Moves around his arc with ease and is not afraid to challenge a shooter with a bait or arc change. Occasionally will flop on a low shot from the outside and give up and rebound or two, but all in all an elite goalie in this class.

 

#64 Gabriel James | dallas jesuit | Maddog National

An extremely athletic goalie who does a great job getting big on shots from the mid range and inside. Gave can get himself in a little trouble when he steps on a 45 degree angle and not lateral, but all in all Gabe played very well throughout the entire showcase and showed that he is a great goalie in this class. 

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.18
Flying 20: 2.26
Broad Jump: 9' 2.5"
Vertical Jump: 30.5"

 

#3 Liam Atkins | The Hill School | philadelphia freedom 2026 REd

Plays an extremely efficient style of goaltending and makes a ton of big stops in big moments. Doesn’t really move on fakes on the inside and waits for shooters to make their move, which led to a ton of momentum swinging stops on the crease. Clearing wise can help could be more efficient with the ball in his stick, but Atkins is off to a great start during his big summer.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.19
Flying 20: 2.28
Broad Jump: 8' 3.5"
Vertical Jump: 29.5"

 

FACE OFF

#156 Johan Van oast | st. ignatius college prep | advnc & WEst coast starz

Top tier plunger speed on the whistle. Technically sound and efficient on his first move. Quick to recognize a lost clamp and transition into a counter. Picked up some tough ground balls and make smart plays with the ball.

 

#11 Sean brennan | greensboro day | sweetlax triad elite

A strong and fast athlete with a fast plunger. Used multiple exits and dominated the whistle all week. Very impressive ground ball and stick skills post faceoff. Was the lone FO man on his team but his motor never slowed up from start to finish.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.19
Flying 20: 2.27
Broad Jump: 8' 5"
Vertical Jump: 25"

#48 ethan goldberg | roslyn | rebels

Excelled on the 50/50, quickly making the proper read after impact to either rip the ball out forward to transition into a counter. Good off the ground and very reliable decision maker with the ball in his stick.

Combine Stats
Flying 10: 1.21
Flying 20: 2.32
Broad Jump: 8' 7.5"
Vertical Jump: 26"

 

Impact Scores

Players received impact scores at this year's bic. Impact scores were given by team coaches to quantify overall impact across the two days. Players above were all 4's and 5's, with 5's being top impact players for their teams.

2026 4 Stars List

Combine Leaders

 

 

 

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WHO IS BEST IN CLASS FOR?

There are many tournaments, showcases, and team events to choose from with many great options that provide significant value in different ways. We are weaving the core principles we believe in, and our method of training, to help players see the value in development in order to make an impact at the school’s they desire to play for.

Rising Juniors: An Elite Recruiting Event
Rising Sophomores: Get Better and Burst Onto the Recruiting Scene
Rising Freshman: Prepare for Varsity and Get Your First Elite Training & Showcase Experience

 

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