The class of 2020 is officially on the clock again.
As of midnight on Sept. 1, college coaches will be allowed to contact the class of 2020 for the first time since the NCAA enacted legislation that prevents any contact before Sept. 1 of their junior year. More than 50 2020s already committed prior to the rule change, including nine from Team 91 Crush, with many more to come.
Here’s a breakdown of the best 2020 team in the country with feedback from coach Joe Spallina.
Committed Players
Xavier Arline, attack, Shoreham-Wading River – North Carolina – Highlights
Justin Brown, midfield, Half Hollow Hills West – Michigan
Koby Ginder, FO/M, Brunswick School (Conn.) – Princeton
Trevor Kessel, LSM, St. Dominic’s – Michigan
Nick LiCalzi, D/LSM, South Side – Navy
Brett Martin, midfield, Half Hollow Hills East – Johns Hopkins
Brennan O’Neill, attack, St. Anthony’s – Penn State
Jack Schirtzer, defense, Shoreham-Wading River – Ohio State
Jack Stewart, midfield, Huntington – Air Force
Uncommitted Players
No. 0 Daniel LePino, goalie, St. Anthony’s – Highlights
Born and raised in Texas, the lefty has successfully made the transition to New York lacrosse, settling in at Catholic powerhouse St. Anthony’s. He’s very athletic and plays his angles well, and there’s plenty to indicate that his best days are ahead of him.
No. 3 Tommy Dolciotto, midfield, Syosset
The recent addition of a shot clock in the college game will do wonders for Dolciotto, who’s a tough, two-way midfielder who can do a little bit of everything. He can dodge well and has a big-time shot, but he’s also comfortable on the defensive end, plays wings on faceoffs and handles man-down defense. The Swiss Army knife-type prospect brings a lot to the table.
No. 10 Trevor Marsala, defense, Mount Sinai
Marsala takes good angles, is strong off the ground and brings a certain toughness to the position. He’s not flashy, but he’s cerebral with a high IQ and is a quietly efficient stay-at-home defenseman.
No. 14 Jayson Tingue, goalie, Bay Shore – Highlights
Tingue was outstanding in the cage this summer, putting a consistently excellent slate. He’s a great communicator with a magnetic personality that allows him to lead the defense and is great at turning the page after allowing a goal. He has incredibly speedy hands and rare are the times that he gets beat clean.
No. 15 Kevin Sweeney, FO/M, Mount Sinai – Highlights
Sweeney is another player coming off of a very strong summer, teaming up with Koby Ginder to form a stout duo at the faceoff X. Sweeney continues to grow physically, which has helped him battle on 50/50 balls. He’s very good off the ground and gets after ground balls.
No. 17 Chris Bardak, LSM, St. Anthony’s
An extremely athletic LSM, Bardak is great off the ground, does really well in transition and excels in man-down defense. You can ask him to cover big or small, quick or powerful, and he’ll get the job done. He has great high-end speed, and there’s a lot to indicate that he’s due for a growth spurt soon, which will make him even tougher to go against.
No. 21 Dane Reda, midfield, Mattituck
Reda is coming off his first summer with Crush, one where his game visibly grew from playing with teammates with a similar IQ to him. He gets the job done at both ends, and he’s another midfielder who benefits from the new rules. He’s comfortable dodging with either hand, and brought a lot to the table.
Midfielder Aidan Danenza
No. 23 Aidan Danenza, midfield, St. Anthony’s
EDIT: Committed to Duke after Sept. 1
“He’s going to be a big-time Division I player. I don’t think any midfielder checks as many boxes he does and I haven’t seen another player from his class to be the quarterback as a midfielder.” – Spallina.
Danenza has a rare ability to dodge to feed out of the midfield with his tremendous vision, and it’s not advised to let him unleash his rocket of a shot. He might be the most sought-after midfielder in the class because of his ability to do it all. He plays man-up, wings and defense, and he’s comfortably over six feet tall now with a frame to add muscle.
No. 28 Nick Caccamo, defense, Harborfields – Highlights
EDIT: Committed to Yale after Sept. 1
Perhaps no Crush player improved his stock more this summer than Caccamo. He has the versatility and the experience to cover big, powerful attackmen or smaller, shiftier scorers. Don’t look for flashy checks from him, but he’ll erase his guy by taking good angles and being positionally sound. As a bonus, he’s terrific off the ground and in transition.
Defenseman Caden Hawkinson
No. 77 Caden Hawkinson, defense, Cold Spring Harbor – Highlights
EDIT: Committed to Michigan after Sept. 1
Versatility and stick skills are Hawkinson’s calling cards, and they’re a big reason why he had such a strong summer.
“He has some of the best stick skills I’ve seen from a defenseman,” Spallina said. “He plays box, which shows up with his stick skills, and he’s very good at defending the two-man game.”
Hawkinson can play either close defense or LSM, has good athleticism and gets up and down the field with ease.
No. 99 Tyler Cordes, midfield, Connetquot
EDIT: Committed to Navy after Sept. 1
A jack-of-all-trades who can do anything you ask of him, Cordes brings an unrivaled work ethic to the table to go with his skill set.
“Any college coach that gets him will not have to ask him one time in four years to work hard. He has a great engine and goes 100 percent all the time,” Spallina said. “He embodies everything that I’m about with my players. He’s tough, and he can go blue collar, but he also has the skill to be the best player on the field. He’s been our most consistent midfielder for the past two years.”
Cordes also brings positional versatility by being able to play attack.
Midfielder Tyler Cordes (photo courtesy of Alain Tingue)