Top Uncommitted '26s: Defenders Out West

Use code ‘PREP30′ at checkout to receive 30% off your annual or two-year subscription!    Class of 2026 defensemen may have committed at a speedy rate, however, there's no shortage of Class of 2026 capable of playing at top programs, even if the majority of D spots have filled up in the Big 10, ACC, and Ivy League. Now that we've covered a bunch of the top uncommitted defenders in the <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/top-uncommitted-26s-mid-atlantic-defenders/">Mid-Atlantic</a> and <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/10/top-uncommitted-26s-northeast-defenders/">Northeast</a> (with four of the 11 committing to Cornell, Villanova, Providence, and Air Force since publication), we're now heading out to the West to shine a light on six uncommitted defensive recruits worthy of attention.    Vance is a great complementary piece of a defensive unit. That said, watching his highlights won't do his game justice as much as watching him for a few games will. An excellent communicator, he plays great position D and is strong and aggressive, often initiating contact to hinder the opponents' dodges and knock them off their line. He's a good decision-maker on the clear and is precise with his long clearing passes. What I also like about Vance is that when I've seen him make a mistake, it hasn't taken long for him to redeem himself.     This talented Denver native finished the summer in style, earning Tournament MVP honors while helping lift the Southwest squad to a title at the New Balance All-American Underclass Games in the last few days of July. That says a lot, given just how long of a summer it had been up to that point. A pest of an on-ball defender with an active stick, Rule has an incredibly well-rounded game. He's fundamentally sound with his approaches and pick play, and can create havoc in a variety of ways. While he's a hair below six feet tall, he's fluid with his footwork and hands, allowing him to disrupt attackmen bigger than him. I didn't get to see a ton of Rule this summer after Showtime, but he brought his A-game each time I saw him.       Kiefer plays an aggressive style of defense, which is no surprise given that he's Jack's younger brother, a sophomore defender at Duke. He's all over the opponents' hands and makes his presence felt with hard checks, plus he doesn't hesitate to lay the lumber when appropriate. Kiefer does a great job of protecting the dirt, and he'll even follow you into the parking lot if need be, as long as it means that his team will come up with the ball. There's no doubt that Kiefer helped himself tremendously with the way he played in the back half of July at the NLF National Championships, LI Summer Showdown, and the New Balance Underclass Games, where he was also a member of the victorious Southwest squad.     Watching Sepeta, one of the first things that jumps out is how great of a sense he has of when and how to slide. He's so fundamentally sound in that area and plays with his stick out in front at all times, collapsing on ball carriers to force turnovers or causing them to move the ball away despite being in high-percentage scoring areas. A good-looking athlete, Sepeta moves well laterally and plays with physicality without getting himself into too much trouble. He does a great job of snuffing out groundballs in the open field and has clean stick work to make the play. Tyler is the son of Bishop's head coach and Adrenaline co-founder Steve Sepeta, so he's been around the game his entire life and has been well-coached. It feels like he's been growing like a weed and might continue to do so.     I keyed on the Pacific Southwest and Northwest squads a lot at the Nike Nationals, and while he wasn't among the players I highlighted in <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/07/26-western-standouts-at-the-national-all-star-games/">a piece on the Western standouts</a>, he certainly caught my eye as a defender worth keeping tabs on. Carrying a 6-foot athletic frame and pairing that with a high lacrosse IQ, Hellie sits in his defensive stance and makes plays with poise. He's often responsible for helping end possessions, and on top of that, he seems to have a really good command of the clearing game, where he rolls away from pressure and gets the ball to where it needs to go. At NHSLS this summer, I was also impressed with his work off the wings of face-offs, where he uses his speed and stick well.     Stockton plays with incredible energy on the defensive end — I would assume that his coaches never need to talk to him about his lack of effort, as he always brings a competitive edge to the table. It makes up for a lack of prototypical size for the position, and quite frankly, he plays bigger than he is and is an absolute pest with his stick. Stockton is always getting in the passing lanes to make clean interceptions or knocking balls down before darting upfield. Away from the ball, he seems to put himself in the right spots and communicate at a high level. Already a two-year starter for the Falcons, I'll be curious to see where he winds up at the next level.

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