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As you might imagine with someone of Casey Gilchrist‘s reputation as a prospect, the Team 91 2028 Venom and Massapequa LSM wasn’t short on suitors on Sept. 9.
Everyone wanted the standout lefty as soon as college coaches could start communicating with prospects in the class of 2028. Only one went in as his top school, though. When Gilchrist got his opportunity to visit longtime favorite Duke, he didn’t need much time to realize that he wanted to be a Blue Devil.
“Ever since the start of the recruiting process, Duke was always my No. 1 school,” Gilchrist said. “It was always a goal to be there and to get that call. The experience there was amazing. I felt it in my gut that this was the place for me. I couldn’t imagine myself being anywhere but at Duke.”
Gilchrist committed to the Blue Devils, becoming the second Venom player to issue a verbal commitment. Fellow lefty defensive stalwart Tommy Geron (Manhasset) was the first commit when he chose Navy in July. Gilchrist is the first Team 91 player to head to Durham since 2021s Andrew McAdorey, a Duke All-American and PLL All-Star, and Jake Wilson, a multi-year starter for the Blue Devils.
“When I first stepped on campus and met the coaches, I just felt, ‘I gotta be here,'” Gilchrist said. “All of the Duke coaches are from Long Island and that had a really big impact on me. It was easy to talk to the coaches and I felt like it would be a great place to play for them.”
Gilchrist is Next at Duke
Gilchrist carved out as a reputation as one of the elite prospects in the ’28 class. He was a unanimous five-star recruit with the National Lacrosse Federation, Inside Lacrosse and Prep Lacrosse. His verbal commitment is a huge coup for Duke as the Blue Devils land the class’ top lefty defensive player. This summer, many college coaches likened him to former Notre Dame All-American Will Donovan. While he’s not the biggest defender, his aggressiveness, playmaking ability and versatility make him a unique prospect. Gilchrist earned all-state honors at close defense as a sophomore for the state champion Chiefs, a nod to his ability to impact the game from all over the field.
“Obviously, being a lefty helps, but I think that I have a motor that no other kid really has,” Gilchrist said. “I’m always going after guys and I always want to be in the play. I pride myself on playing defense first at LSM. When I get reps at close defense, it helps me be better with both my on-ball defense and off-ball defense.”
Blue Devils Land a Game Changer
Gilchrist has been at the forefront of the Venom’s success since he joined the team three years ago. Having someone with his ability to dominate the middle of the field at LSM has been invaluable. He was a driving force behind the Venom’s path to a title at the NLF National Championships this summer. It’s not hard to envision him being the next great 91 alum at Duke.
“Duke landed one of the premier players in the grade, regardless of position,” Venom coach and Team 91 director Jimmy Mulé said. “Casey is as good as it gets at the LSM position and he’s also shown that he can play down low when needed. He is such a tenacious and aggressive playmaker. Nobody wants to dodge him because they know that he’s going to take the ball away. He excels off the carpet. More importantly, he’s an awesome kid and the Blue Devils got a total winner that is going to help them elevate their program. Team 91 alums have a strong tradition of doing great things at Duke, and I’m very confident that Casey will continue that lineage of success for Duke.”
The commitment to one of the country’s premier programs is a fitting highlight of Gilchrist’s 91 career. He played elsewhere for a bit, but saw an opportunity to join the Venom and take his game to the next level.
“I’ve loved every minute of playing with the Venom,” Gilchrist said. “I knew that I wanted to play for the Venom and I worked really hard for it because I knew that it was a ticket to success. I love the coaches and the team, and I don’t think it gets much better than playing with them. They’ve helped me get so much better. I practice against the best players in the world for my grade every day.”
Now he’s ready to take on the best players in the ACC.