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Getting committed is always every top recruit’s goal. There’s so much hype and hoopla surrounding a player’s recruitment summer before service academies can reach out on July 1 and everybody else can initiate contact on Sept. 1. There’s even more fanfare when players start to commit, particularly at the insanely fast rate that juniors verbal in the fall.
But that’s just the start of it all. There’s something to be said for the players who continue to put in the work to elevate their game to new heights. Twenty players in the class of 2026 earned five-star honors in the 2024 pre-9.1 rankings. Those rankings aren’t set in stone forever, but for the first time in the NLF rankings history, more players earn five-star honors entering their senior year.
Two attackmen, one defenseman and one goalie join the ’26 five-star club. Check them out here.
John Balsamo, attack, Chaminade (N.Y.) / Long Island Express – Virginia
Balsamo was already rated higher in the NLF rankings than any other ranking site after an exceptional recruiting summer last year. You’d be hard-pressed to find any 2026 that raised his stock more over the past year. Statistically, he’s as balanced as it gets. Balsamo put up a 38-goal, 37-assist, 75-point junior campaign for Chaminade, which finished in the top 10 in every national poll.
It comes as no surprise that Balsamo’s game reached new heights when he became a more versatile offensive weapon. He used to only initiate from X, but he’s very comfortable dodging downhill as a midfielder or also probing the wings. The 5-11, 165-pounder is automatic as a shooter from the wing and is also comfortable shooting with his left hand. Balsamo has exceptional vision and a very high IQ. As a passer, he does an outstanding job of not just finding open teammates, but also putting the ball exactly where they want it.
Caleb McDowell, defense, Scotch Plains-Fanwood (N.J.) / Leading Edge – Yale
It doesn’t take long to identify McDowell as a premier defenseman whenever you watch Leading Edge play. At about 6-3, 190 pounds with a basketball background, he’s got the frame and body movement to erase No. 1 attackmen with ease. The only junior defenseman in New Jersey to be named an All-American this spring, McDowell was exceptional for the Raiders. This summer, he was even better for Leading Edge, routinely taking away top attackmen.
McDowell, who will suit up for Team Jamaica at the U20 World Championships, glides around the field. It doesn’t look like he’s moving that fast until you realize that nobody’s getting by him. The sky’s the limit for McDowell, especially as someone who’s still relatively new to the sport, compared to his peers. Yale has a cornerstone defenseman on its hands.
Brady Mollot, attack, Archbishop Spalding (Md.) – Maryland
Mollot might be the best pure feeder in the class. An elite X attackman, he offsets his lack of prototypical size with unbelievable vision, IQ and toughness to boot. He handed out a whopping 43 assists to go with 34 goals as a junior for the Cavaliers, who spent much of the season as the top team in the country in multiple polls. Mollot does such a good job of pressing defenses and drawing extra attention to open up his teammates on the back side.
He’s only 5-9, 165, but plays bigger than he is. Mollot is willing to take a hit to make a play. Mollot’s definitely gotten quicker in the past year. He’s got another level of burst to go along with his sky-high IQ. He’s a great fit in Maryland’s offense.
Kieran Walsh, goalie, Chaminade (N.Y.) / Long Island Express – Notre Dame
Walsh was the first 2026 goalie off the board with a long-expected verbal to his dream school. That came despite a strong push from another top-five program. He is making a compelling case to be considered the top goalie in the class. Walsh was lights-out as reportedly the first junior starting goalie in recent Chaminade history.
He made 157 saves at a 61 percent clip for the Flyers, including double-digit stops in wins over nationally-ranked foes McDonogh (Md.), Don Bosco Prep (N.J.), Salesianum (Del.) and St. Anthony’s (N.Y.). He’s gotten noticeably bigger, too, now checking in at 6-5, 210 pounds. Walsh bring a level of poise and calm to the cage, rarely looking rattled at any time.
