Follow the NLF on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
Year after year, the West Coast Starz prove what they’re all about.
Trust The Process, and the process is that the Starz will continue to set the standard for Western recruiting. Every year, the club puts out the most Division I commits in the country. That’s not an accident.
Pick a Western state and chances are very good that its top players play for the Starz. That’s the way it’s always been, and the Starz aren’t going anywhere.
The 2025 class proved that in force. Matty Higgins (Boys’ Latin, Md.) was the headliner of the group and gave Maryland a dynamic X attackman when he committed to the Terps. Goalie Matt McKane (Marin Academy, Calif.) has his sights set on continuing two-time defending national champion Notre Dame‘s amazing goalie lineage. Defenseman Jack Barton (Sacred Heart Prep, Calif.) will follow his brother, Paul, to North Carolina.
Deadly Duos
Johns Hopkins landed a pair of Starz in elite passing midfielder Ollie Nolting (Cherry Creek, Colo.) and top-end SSDM Joey Levenberg (Torrey Pines, Calif.). Maryland grabbed a second Star when De La Salle (Calif.) midfielder Danny Schaeffer committed. Final Four participant Denver snagged a pair of Starz in the form of midfielder Colin Komenda (Rockhurst Jesuit, Mo.) and attackman Jimmy Douglas (Mater Dei, Calif.).
Army also scooped up a Starz duo as John Prior (Torrey Pines, Calif.) and Kellye Riordan (Culver, Ind.) decided to become Black Knights. Goalie Keoni Johnson (St. Ignatius Prep, Calif.) and defenseman Charlie McGinnis (Brophy Prep, Ariz.) will play at Hofstra. Dartmouth paired attackman Stu Gates (St. Ignatius Prep, Calif.) and defenseman George Hawley (Fairfield Prep, Conn.) in its class.
Commitments All Around the Country
LSM Jack Cudzil (Mater Dei, Calif.) will head to Philly to play at Penn. Attackman Camp Lacorazza (McDonogh, Md.) joins him in the Ivy League at Brown. Rutgers landed attackman Anthony Grassi (Eastlake, Wash.). Midfielder Erik Volfson (Brophy Prep, Ariz.) won’t be far away at Lafayette. LSM Lance Biagioli (Cathedral Catholic, Calif.) will ship to Boston to play for the Terriers at BU. Midfielder Thatcher Kilian (Jesuit, Ore. / Richmond), defenseman Carson Miks (Monte Vista, Calif. / Marquette), defenseman Taub Baldyga (Brophy Prep, Ariz. / Mercer), attackman/midfielder Jackson Schaffer (La Costa Canyon, Calif. / Air Force), and LSM Luke Falkner (Blue Valley Southwest, Ks.) round out the ’25 group of commitments to date.
West Coast Starz Top Uncommitted 2025s
Deuce Bechtold, attack/midfield, Jesuit (Ore.)
Bechtold pieced together an excellent fall for the Starz. He’s garnered a good deal of Division I interest, and his slickness and two-handedness are two good reasons why.
Eddie McElroy, goalie, Bishop’s (Calif.)
An imposing presence in the cage who blossomed as a junior en route to collecting All-American and first-team All-San Diego honors. He racked up a ton of saves for Bishop’s this spring and has vastly improved his clearing game.
Garrett Ip, midfield, Corona Del Mar (Calif.)
There are a lot of similarities between Ip and his older brother, Logan, who just finished his sophomore campaign at Harvard. A two-handed middie who’s very efficient, Ip gets a lot of love for how reliable and trustworthy he is. He’s the one entrusted with making the right play every time, and he can beat defenses as both a scorer and feeder.
Matt Scheible, LSM, Groton (Mass.)
Scheible doesn’t have great size, but he more than makes up for it with his aggressive, tenacious playing style. The lefty is great off the ground and has a nonstop motor, and he’s got the offensive chops to boot. Scheible dished out eight assists and scored twice en route to picking up All-ISL honors for Groton.
West Coast Starz Top 2026s
Joe Ligas, defense, Whitney (Calif.)
One of the top defensemen in the class, the Sacramento native is a mean, nasty lefty with the versatility to play both LSM and close defense. He can take the ball away, but he’s more of a quietly effective cover guy who pretty much never gets beat. Ligas has a high IQ and also understands off-ball defense at an advanced level for his age. His hockey background shines through in both his stickwork and toughness.
Landon Johnson, midfield, Eastlake (Wash.)
One of the most fun offensive recruits to watch, Johnson’s got the skillset to break down defenses and score pretty goals. A slick, two-handed midfielder with the shiftiness to make any defender miss in space, he’s a tough cover for anyone. Get the slide ready quickly when he’s got the ball in his stick.
Tanner Olrich, midfield, St. Ignatius (Calif.)
Olrich is going to be a hot commodity this fall with how he’s able to impact the game in so many different ways. A high-level athlete who gets up and down the field with ease, the 6-1, 175-pounder plays offense and defense, takes wings and has a cannon for a shot.
Tristan Diaz, SSDM, Granite Hills (Calif.)
Diaz will likely entrench himself among the top SSDMs in the country this summer. A 6-1, 180-pounder, he’s also a Division I football prospect as a slot receiver and defensive back for a Granite Hills team that’s won states for the past two years. He brings that DB’s mentality to his coverage on the lacrosse field, relishing the opportunity to hit someone and make his impact felt on the wings.
Foster Huang, faceoff midfield, Torrey Pines (Calif.)
Huang gets rave reviews for his toughness, athleticism and ability to make plays with the ball in his stick. A high-academic type, he can push the pace after the faceoff wins. He’s tenacious on the ground and he works well with his wing men in 3v3 situations.
