Class of 2026 ACC Recruiting Rundown: Duke

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual subscription! We all know that Duke recruiting at an elite level is nothing new. It's been a constant if anything, even if the Blue Devils are still chasing the program's first NCAA title since 2014. Even so, it's rare that one team can gobble up 10 percent of the Top 100 juniors in the country. And while both Duke and two-time defending champ Notre Dame can stake that claim, the argument could be made that the Blue Devils filled their needs better than the Irish. Recruiting rankings change significantly over two years, so it'll be a tight race - not to mention that it's all about how programs scheme and develop to maximize that talent. When talking about Duke's '26 class, the third week of September feels like an appropriate starting point, given how much success the program had coming out of a jam-packed visit weekend. According to multiple sources, most of the class not only visited on the same weekend but made Duke their last scheduled visit. There's always been a ton of overlap between the prospects that Duke and Notre Dame pursue. For the most part, however, that wasn't the case during this recruiting cycle. The primary exception was No. 2 recruit <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/james-gillis/">James Gillis</a> out of Chaminade (N.Y.), a Long Island powerhouse that has acted as a massive pipeline to South Bend, though the Blue Devils have had their fair share of Flyers, too.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOpxVxuAQM4 </div></figure>   On the Monday of what turned out to be a ridiculous week for the Blue Devils, Gillis was the first of three five-stars to announce for Duke on September 16. He's equally dangerous at both attack and midfield, so it will be interesting to see what offensive coordinator Matt Danowski does with Gillis' dynamic skill set. However, Top 25 senior Brady Scioletti could be destined to slide into that lefty attack spot at some point early in his career, among the reasons why it seems likely that Gillis will at least begin his career running out of the box (or play midfield for the entirety of his four years in Durham). A few hours after the Gillis domino fell, top-ranked attackman and No. 3 junior <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/tedy-frisoli/">Tedy Frisoli</a> announced his intentions of playing at Duke, where the St. Sebastian's (Mass.) product will join club and high school teammate <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/george-kelly/">George Kelly</a> in the Blue Devils' class. Additionally, he'll follow in the footsteps of two of his older brothers, as Will recently finished up his fifth and final year as a Duke longpole after playing with the eldest Frisoli, Jack, in '22 and '23 after wrapping up his undergraduate career at Harvard. Duke's top-ranked 2025 recruit, <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/michael-ortlieb/">Michael Ortlieb</a>, is an accomplished quarterback-type from Malvern Prep (Pa.) who could be groomed to become the Blue Devils' X attackman early in his career. While Frisoli has plenty of QB tendencies and thrives when setting up from below the goal line, it's easy to envision him fitting in well alongside Ortlieb, given that Frisoli is incredibly dynamic and comfortable creating offense from a variety of spots on the field.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynqEKdicHWE&t=2s </div></figure>   From there, Duke went to New Hampshire for No. 8 junior <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/bennett-matthews/">Bennett Matthews</a>, a top midfield recruit with huge upside who announced his decision in the afternoon. There was a lot of talk linking Matthews to the Blue Devils heading into September 1, and sure enough, he chose the Devils over Maryland and Virginia, among others. A tremendous athlete who endeared himself to many recruiters with an off-the-charts spring and summer, Matthews looks the part of a Duke midfielder already in terms of his size, athleticism, and ability to shoot the ball. He's incredibly young for a '26 prospect, which only adds to his excitement about what he could become. The Blue Devils also picked up a commitment from <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/hunt-henry/">Hunt Henry</a>, a Highland Park midfielder who stands 6-foot-3 and can bring it from the outside with either hand. The son of a Duke lacrosse alum, the younger Henry put out some good tape with the Texas Nationals after a fruitful spring with the Scots while playing for former Duke head coach Mike Pressler. Later in the week, it was time for a native of the Houston area at the midfield, as Cy-Fair midfielder and No. 31 junior <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/alek-askeroglu/">Alek Askeroglu</a> hopped on board. One of the more explosive and well-built athletes in the class despite his 5'8 frame, Askeroglu jumps off the page with his ability to create separation and shoot on the run. John Danowski and his staff also continued to strengthen its Pennsylvania and New Jersey pipeline. After all, eight of Duke's nine Class of 2025 recruits call one of the two talent-laden states home. The crown jewel of Philly's 2026 class and Prep Lacrosse's highest-ranked four-star, La Salle midfielder <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/dylan-malone-2/">Dylan Malone</a> ended up missing the summer after suffering a torn ACL, but had 31 goals and 18 assists to his name before the injury sidelined him. Big, unbelievably two-handed, and athletic, Malone spent the spring making plays that seniors would make. As long as he bounces back well from that injury, he'll earn five-star and Top 10 status in no time.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICLPwUoWZec&t=96s </div></figure>   Although it's not technically Philly, the Blue Devils dipped into South Jersey's Shawnee High School for No. 20 junior <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/thomas-mcaneney/">Thomas McAneney</a>. The 6'1 lefty attackman plays club for Team Ten, coached by Duke alums Jordan Wolf and Billy Connors. McAneney proved to be one of the more productive and well-rounded attackman in the class, as he's incredibly intelligent, proficient in the two-man game, and can do several things at a high level. Quite frankly, he has the type of skill set that could fit in any system, as he understands how to play with the guys around him and how to attack recoveries. He'll be joined by club and high school teammate <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/brett-lundberg/">Brett Lundberg</a>, our No. 67 junior and a top defensive midfield prospect who is plenty capable of racking up points, evidenced by his totals of 29 goals and 18 assists as a junior. A phenomenal athlete who is currently tearing it up on the gridiron this fall, Lundberg garnered a ton of attention after he put together a brilliant summer. Lundberg will add to a stable of athletes in Durham and round out a defensive class that was quickly bolstered by the September 1 commitment from Kelly, the fourth-ranked close guy in the class. Kelly is also a standout football player who excels at running back, so he's got the foot speed and gritty disposition on top of the necessary defensive principles to play the position in the ACC.   A day later, the Blue Devils also picked up a commitment from Askeroglu's Mad Dog teammate, Seattle Prep (Wash.) LSM <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/win-chandler/">Win Chandler</a>, the No. 77 junior and an imposing athlete at 6'4 and 195 pounds. Highly competive and rangy, Chandler has shown the ability to play both spots within a defense, though he's better suited to play in space at the next level and wreak havoc between the lines. Elsewhere in the middle of the field, the Blue Devils will also welcome Top 100 recruit and face-off specialist <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/player/connor-wambach/">Connor Wambach</a>, who announced his commitment the day before Gillis & Co. made their decisions official. A native of Pittsford (N.Y.) who plays his high school ball at Salisbury (Conn.), Wambach, of course, is the younger brother of standout UNC face-off man Brady Wambach. With Duke not taking a face-off specialist in the '25 class, the younger Wambach could be a nice contrast to current freshman Ben McCarthy's style. Strong and technical at the X and able to create offense off the draw, Wambach also earned Top 100 status after the summer, checking in as the No. 6 face-off recruit in the '26 class.

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual subscription!

We all know that Duke recruiting at an elite level is nothing new.

It's been a constant if anything, even if the Blue Devils are still chasing the program's first NCAA title since 2014.

Even so, it's rare that one team can gobble up 10 percent of the Top 100 juniors in the country. And while both Duke and two-time defending champ Notre Dame can stake that claim, the argument could be made that the Blue Devils filled their needs better than the Irish. Recruiting rankings change significantly over two years, so it'll be a tight race - not to mention that it's all about how programs scheme and develop to maximize that talent.

When talking about Duke's '26 class, the third week of September feels like an appropriate starting point, given how much success the program had coming out of a jam-packed visit weekend. According to multiple sources, most of the class not only visited on the same weekend but made Duke their last scheduled visit.

There's always been a ton of overlap between the prospects that Duke and Notre Dame pursue. For the most part, however, that wasn't the case during this recruiting cycle. The primary exception was No. 2 recruit James Gillis out of Chaminade (N.Y.), a Long Island powerhouse that has acted as a massive pipeline to South Bend, though the Blue Devils have had their fair share of Flyers, too.