Uncommitted Goalie Standouts in the Class of 2026

A reliable goalie is the foundation of any good defensive unit, and as a result, they are hot commodities on the recruiting circuit. However, several of the top goalie prospects in the class of 2026 are still undecided as to where they will take their talents at the next level. While there are plenty of elite goalkeepers in this graduating class, there are a few in particular that stood out to me over the fall season.    Bacallao is the definition of a field general. He is extremely vocal and takes command of the defense, constantly communicating with his teammates as the offense moves the ball. Bacallao is a brick wall in net. His large frame occupies most of the net, and he has surprisingly quick hands that seem to snatch every shot with ease. Not only is he solid in net, but he can move well out of is as well. Bacallao has excellent field vision and knows how to find the open man on a clear.     Peoples is the complete package as a do-it-all type of goalie, and by “do it all” I mean that he excels in every facet of the game. He has great vision, whether that be tracking the ball off a shot or reading the offenses movements and communicating what he sees with his defensive unit. Peoples makes all the easy saves, and he makes the difficult ones look easy. He's also a natural athlete with explosive lateral quickness and the confidence to blow by defenders when he has the ball in his hands, and this shines through when he decides to carry the ball up field on clears. Due to his versatility, he makes it incredibly tricky for the opposing defense on clears as Peoples knows how to draw a defender to himself in order to pass the ball to an open teammate, which helps his team to push the ball quickly downfield in transition.     Comstock displays a great combination of size and speed while playing in goal. His tall stature naturally helps him to safeguard a good chunk of the net, but his aggressiveness is what makes him stand out. He has superb vision and effortlessly tracks the ball into his stick to collect a save. Comstock plays aggressively and attacks hard shots instead of sitting back and waiting for them to reach him. He communicates well with his defenseman and is quick to call out open cutters. Not only this, but his keen field vision along with his smart passing choices make him an important asset on clears.     Martell exudes confidence while he is standing in net. He makes his presence known when he is on the field, and his constant communication helps keep his defense in order as the offense tries to exploit any weaknesses. He has a lightning-fast reaction off the shot, and he's willing to use anything from his feet to his head in order to make a save. Martell also has great intuition and lacrosse IQ, both of which shine through when he calls out offensive players' tendencies and schemes in real-time. He's very reliable on clears, and he's capable of taking the ball all the way down the field himself if the defensive allows him.     Ruhm is an extremely gritty goalie, and he brings the intensity every time he steps in cage. He separates himself from the crowd for a few reasons. Most notably, Ruhm is not afraid to get dirty when he needs to make a tricky save in the dirt, and when the situation calls for it, he's even willing to leave the cage and apply pressure on an encroaching attackman or fight for a nearby groundball. He is also exceptional at positioning himself in net to increase his coverage of the goal and lower the scoring percentage of a would-be shooter. Ruhm is a stable presence in net and leads the defense both vocally and through his gritty playstyle.     Doel is as solid as they come for a goalie. He dominates the fundamental aspects of a goalkeeper by always keeping his eyes up, always being in the right position in cage and always communicating with his teammates. Doel has good vision and quick hands that make him consistent and reliable in net. Along with all this, he's also an accurate passer with exceptional decision making. In other words, Doel has the talent to make tough saves, and once he does, he won't waste a fresh possession by forcing passes.

A reliable goalie is the foundation of any good defensive unit, and as a result, they are hot commodities on the recruiting circuit. However, several of the top goalie prospects in the class of 2026 are still undecided as to where they will take their talents at the next level. While there are plenty of elite goalkeepers in this graduating class, there are a few in particular that stood out to me over the fall season.