IMLCA Players Summit ’25s: Hilltop, Hotbeds & Uncommitted Talent

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Serving as the last national club event until the summer, the IMLCA Players Summit took place for the third consecutive year, riding the heels of the annual Coaches Summit. As a result, hundreds of college coaches across all three divisions were on-site, so it's an event that's virtually matched from an exposure standpoint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For non-DI coaches, it was either the first time that programs evaluated the Class of 2025, or in other cases, their third or fourth weekend getting eyes on the class. It couldn't have been more convenient, as fields were on the premises of the Omni Championsgate and only a five-minute walk from the hotel, while 2026's competed a short drive away at Northeast Regional Park. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I spent the morning watching the junior class before evaluating the sophomores and came away with notes on a few '25 games. Keep in mind that it was a smaller sample size than what I'm used to — it's always my preference to watch multiple games of a team before writing anybody up from an event — so I'll be doing a deep dive into the film in the coming weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Notable 4-Star Commits Shine for Hilltop&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I made it a point to watch Hilltop early on since I'd already seen a lot of the clubs in attendance earlier in the fall. New to the club scene, Hilltop essentially operates as an All-Star team, rolling out rosters that vary from event to event but are comprised of players who primarily play for other clubs. This roster had a heavy serving of 3d Upstate flavor and other squads in that neck of the woods, along with multiple players from the Annapolis Hawks and Philly-based Team Ten, among others. A dozen Division I programs had commits suiting up for Hilltop and, as you might expect from a team that has a Hoya logo on its uniforms, Georgetown led the way with a trio of junior verbals building early chemistry together.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anthony Rodriguez was the straw that stirred the drink offensively, suiting up for his Loomis Chaffee (Conn.) coach, Bill Ball, and turning in yet another impressive fall performance. Rodriguez, who hails from Spencerport (N.Y.) outside of Rochester, is wildly skilled and dynamic with the ball in his stick, playing within himself at all times and able to create offense in a multitude of different ways. He's got a quick first step, superb body control, and a violent release, mixing up his release points on his way to a two-goal, one-assist showing. At one point, he set up a goal for No. 22 junior <strong>Jake Bickel </strong>(Malvern Prep, Pa.), perhaps a sign of what's to come when they reunite at the next level.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":16235,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Anthony Rodriguez","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11\u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"142","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Loomis Chaffee","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"3d Upstate, Hilltop ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Anthony Rodriguez was the straw that stirred the drink offensively, suiting up for his Loomis Chaffee (Conn.) coach, Bill Ball, and turning in yet another impressive fall performance. Rodriguez, who hails from Spencerport (N.Y.) outside of Rochester, is wildly skilled and dynamic with the ball in his stick, playing within himself at all times and able to create offense in a multitude of different ways. He's got a quick first step, superb body control, and a violent release, mixing up his release points on his way to a two-goal, one-assist showing. At one point, he set up a goal for No. 21 junior \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://preplacrosse.com/player/jake-bickel/\u0022\u003eJake Bickel\u003c/a\u003e \u003c/strong\u003e(Malvern Prep, Pa.), a sign of what's likely to come when they team up at the next level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":16238,"_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Matthew Beachley","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'11\u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"142","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"DeMatha","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"Annapolis Hawks ","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Penn State commit Matthew Beachley also thrived in a victory over Team 91 South, following up a super productive summer with the Hawks. It's clear that he keeps getting better, and I love his effort level: he scored his first goal on a pretty rebound roughly a minute in and was relentless in the riding game throughout. He's fundamentally sound in pretty much everything he does, soaks checks when dodging, and comes off picks hard on his way to the rack, recording three points in the win alongside Rodriguez at attack.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":2,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-657b9fd8e74be"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jake Meyer (Syracuse) and Dillon Licht (Army) were two offensive recruits that I felt like I was higher on than many of the evaluators I spoke with heading into 9/1. They caught my eye on Saturday, even if each had modest performances from a production standpoint, impressing with their ability to gain separation, draw slides and make the appropriate play. Licht is on the smaller side but plays bigger than he is and has the skill to compensate for his frame, while Meyer has tremendous hands, burying a BTB for what seems like the millionth time this fall. On D, Evan MacFarland (Georgetown) once again made me regret leaving him out of the Top 50. He's a bonafide eraser down low, moving deftly down low and causing disruption with his tenacity and precise checks.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Long Island and Baltimore's Battle of the Hotbeds&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When clubs from those two tradition-rich areas are up against each other, there's a good chance that I'll be there. Simply put, they bring out the best in each other. On paper, 91 Maryland is as loaded as any '25 squad in the country, even without Top 10 talents in middie Luke Bair (North Carolina) and goalie Aidan Seibel (Maryland) like they were on Saturday. Still, sparks flew as 91 pulled away with the win thanks to fourth-quarter tallies by Maryland commit Eli Schaller, who scored off a set play after a timeout, and top-ranked recruit Brendan Millon (Virginia), who had a nice cut and finish to seal the 6-5 win.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Netminders Zach Rosenberg (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla. / 91 Maryland) and Jack Durnan (Chaminade, N.Y. / LI Express) were excellent, keeping their respective squads in the game by making stop after stop. Rosenberg is one of the better goalies still on the board, standing out with his athleticism and ability to corral stops cleanly in the first half. Coming out of the Flyers' goalie pipeline (and headed to the Chaminade pipeline that is Holy Cross, as of three weeks ago), Durnan filled up the net with his 6'2, 200-pound frame and made saves by any means necessary, getting a piece more often than not. <br><br>Millon led the way with a pair of goals and Schaller had a tally and a helper, while Hopkins commit Connor Kuttin (Chaminade, N.Y.) posted two goals and an assist for Express. Kuttin has a lot more substance than flash to his game and was assertive when his team needed it, turning the corner hard and finishing appropriately. Fellow 4-star Danny Kolin (Manhasset, N.Y.) chipped in a goal and an assist out of the midfield and continued to play with confidence. The Navy commit had a nice knockdown in the middle of the field while riding the ball back and was a heady playmaker throughout in a low-scoring battle. <br><br><strong>Three More Uncommitted '25s to Watch</strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Brendan Leonard","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0\u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"142","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Charlotte Christian","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Team 91 South ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Having heard positive reviews of Leonard and 91 South's uncommitted juniors from earlier in the fall, the 6-foot scorer backed it up with a hat trick and was opportunistic and efficient in a losing effort to Hilltop, putting in work on the ride as well. Smooth and intelligent, he did an excellent job of putting himself in the right spots to be successful and kept his feet moving when the ball wasn't in his stick, scoring his second goal on a defensive miscue when the slide never came and then finished a BTB to cap things off.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-657c6cf75a875"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jake Polizzi","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10\u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"149","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Webster Thomas ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"3d Upstate, Hilltop","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"One of the best things you can say about a defensive midfielder is that they embrace their role, and Polizzi does exactly that, and at an exceptional level. He was an absolute menace off the wings, gobbling up groundballs and using his speed and athleticism to dart upfield. He was a huge asset in the middle of the field, with one gorgeous GB in traffic standing out in particular. An All-League honorable mention selection in the spring, it's surprising that Polizzi is still on the board, but he'll make a great addition to a Division I roster.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-657c6cf75a946"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Brady Wesloski","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0\u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"146","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Boys' Latin","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Team 91 Maryland","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"It didn't take long to develop an appreciation for Wesloski's game. On a field with over 20 college commits, he both did the little things and made the big plays to raise his stock, as more than one college coach made remarks about his play. He had a nice caused turnover early and was on-point with his slides, keeping his head on a swivel, barking out orders and calmly picking the ball up thanks to clean stick work.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-657c6cf75aa2e"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":"","_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-657c6cf75aa53"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":"","_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-657c6cf75aa70"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":"","_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-657c6cf75aa95"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->