Recruiting Rundown: Winter Flips, Two-Sport Commits, Utah's '26s

<p>The news of North Carolina football head coach adding three highly rated lacrosse recruits has sent shockwaves through the recruiting world in recent weeks, signaling brighter days ahead for the Tar Heels' lacrosse program, which has lost several dual-sport athletes to other football programs in recent years. Similar to Notre Dame under Marcus Freeman, the relationship between the football and lacrosse programs could be a game-changer of sorts for a non-revenue sport that operates with just 12.6 scholarships, even with NIL in play. <br><br>In this Recruiting Rundown, we'll summarize Carolina's recent two-sport additions, Utah's newest football/lacrosse commit, recent flips to Yale, Dartmouth, and Richmond, as well as the Utes' latest 2026 commits. First, let's dive into three flips that may have flown under the radar during the off-season news cycle. <br><br>First, let's look at the three flips that may have been overlooked during the off-season news cycle. </p>    <p class="text-gray-700">For the third straight recruiting cycle, we have a flip involving Hopkins and Yale, a trend that began with Hunter Chauvette's last-minute change of heart and continued with Matt Surin flipping from Hopkins to Yale in the '24 class. Originally, Blekicki had committed to the Blue Jays as a '26 with plans to do a PG year. Now, he'll start his college career right away upon graduation, reuniting with Taft PG and Pingry graduate Asher Ziv, the program's all-time leading scorer. <br><br>An incredibly skilled and accomplished attackman, Blekicki has racked up 102 goals and 41 assists through two varsity seasons as a starter. A returning First Team All-State pick in Non-Public A, he thrives attacking from X, using superb body control and change of direction to expose defenders. He finishes in a variety of ways once he gets topside and has excellent hands and stick skills. He's relentless on the ride, taking pride in riding the ball back for extra possessions and finishing unsettled opportunities. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Originally committing to Air Force in mid-October as the 15th member of its '26 class, Cristo later opted to reclassify to '27 (following a PG year) and will now head to Dartmouth, where he'll join several fellow West Coast Starz products. On the '26 circuit, the energetic lefty has excelled thanks to his elite quickness, high IQ, and two-handed ability. He's as explosive as anyone coming out of a rollback and is a major threat when inverting, capable of putting defenders on skates, knifing through defenses when dodging from up top, or finishing with a smooth, accurate shot on the run. Though undersized, Cristo is fearless with the ball in his stick, using his exceptional skill set to make an impact on every possession — whether or not he ends up on the stat sheet. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">A hard-nosed, throwback middie who makes his presence felt on both ends of the field, Gilmore recently flipped his commitment from BU to Richmond, keeping him in-state for his college career. Named Second Team All-WCAC last spring, he played multiple roles for PVI — and excelled in all of them — thanks to his relentless motor and two-way playmaking ability. He's a huge asset on the wings of face-offs and in contested groundball battles, using his grit and speed to outwork opponents and cover ground in a flash. Defensively, he's a menace, initiating constant contact while moving his feet and making life difficult for dodgers. But his game isn't limited to defense: he can take his man to the rack and create offense beyond just transition opportunities. Gilmore plays with an edge and energy that should make him an ideal fit for Dan Chemotti's program. </p>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Impact of Chapel Bill</h2>   <p>Bill Belichick's arrival as North Carolina's head football coach is already making waves in lacrosse, with the legendary coach and lacrosse enthusiast adding three dual-sport athletes — including two 50 seniors — to his recruiting classes in short order. <br><br>In late January, No. 2 recruit Gary Merrill announced that he'll also be joining Bill Belichick's program in addition to Joe Breschi's lacrosse program, opting not to sign for lacrosse during the signing period in November — a year removed from becoming the final Top 50 recruit to commit. Now, the Tar Heels' lacrosse staff benefits from a full scholarship opening up, as the football program will cover Merrill's tuition after offering him a few minutes into his visit last month. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tyxanders/status/1884766308098560256 </div></figure>   <p>Merrill had a brilliant senior year for the Friars' football team, setting a program record with a whopping 51 touchdowns in just 13 games while accounting for over 3,717 yards. On the lacrosse field, he posted a modest 19 goals and 12 assists as a junior in Keith Wieczorek's storied program, averaging 2.2 points per game. However, he's expected to take a big step forward in his second year as a starter. <br><br>With 4-star quarterback Bryce Baker also signed in UNC's 2025 class, Merrill faces stiff competition at QB and has expressed openness to a position change. In an interview with 247Sports' UNC affiliate this week, he discussed the possibility.<br><br>"I might go in as a quarterback, but I wouldn't care if I changed positions," Merrill told Inside Carolina. "I'm just really excited to be on the team. They [now] see me as an 'athlete.' And the special teams coordinator reached out to me, so maybe I'll be on special teams... I would assume something like slot receiver or maybe D-back. I haven't played any of those positions, but lacrosse translates to those positions." <br><br>Just days after Merrill's announcement, Calvert Hall (Md.) longstick midfielder and longtime lacrosse commit Jermaine Anderson revealed his own two-sport plans. The news came as more of a surprise but also made sense, considering Anderson's athleticism and background. <br><br></p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tyxanders/status/1885789089577713809 </div></figure>   <p>Listed at a 6-foot-2, 195 pounds as an outside linebacker for the Cardinals in 2024, Anderson is a ballhawk with excellent instincts, a high motor, and the ability to cover ground sideline to sideline. However, he'll likely shift back to the secondary (where he played earlier in his career), as bulking up to play linebacker could hinder his ability on the lacrosse field. <br><br>With Carolina only taking two close defensemen in the Class of 2024, Anderson has a strong chance to earn early minutes at LSM. If five-star St. Anthony's (N.Y.) standout Parker McDonald remains at longstick middie, the two could form a dangerous 1-2 punch. <br><br>Less than 24 hours after Anderson announced, Iona Prep (N.Y.) junior midfielder and running back Crew Davis followed suit, joining Carolina's 2026 recruiting class for both football and lacrosse. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tyxanders/status/1886175774195015695 </div></figure>   <p>Of the three, Davis's commitments stands out the most, as he'll arrive as the highest-rated football recruit of the group. His stock soared after a standout junior football season, earning additional offers from UNLV, Buffalo, and Fordham after Army became the first to offer in October — a program that once looked like a potential two-sport destination for Davis. <br><br>On the lacrosse field, Davis projects as a defensive midfielder at the next level, having excelled with 2Way this past summer after a prosperous spring on both ends. <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/09/top-uncommitted-2026s-defensive-midfielders/">Back in September, he was highlighted as one of the best available SSDM recruits</a>. <br><br>The dual-sport commitments didn't stop there. On Tuesday morning, Ponte Vedra (Fla.) defenseman and defensive lineman Ryker Kemp — already committed to Drew McMinn and the Utes' lacrosse program since fall 2023 — announced he'll also play football at Utah. <br></p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tyxanders/status/1889314411694662063 </div></figure>   <p>Kemp dominated in his senior year with the Sharks, amassing 16 sacks, 45 tackles, and 10 quarterback hurries. He also forced and caused a fumble, in addition to using his massive frame to block three field goals. <br><br>A lefty defender in lacrosse, he shined with the US U-18 squad at the Brogden Cup in October, showing no sign of rust with a stick in his hands despite being in the middle of football season. A physical on-ball enforcer, Kemp imposes his will with sheer strength and throws punishing slap checks that leave an impression. It'll be interesting to see how his lacrosse career unfolds, given the demands of playing football at a top Big 12 program. <br><br><br></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Utah, Give Me Two!</h2>   <p>After Utah's 18-12 season-opening win over Ohio State, Prep Lacrosse contributor Dan Arestia highlighted the impressive geographical diversity of the Utes' roster.<br></p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/danarestia/status/1886410969628217513 </div></figure>   <p>That extends to Utah's 2026 class, which features players from 12 different states across its 13-man group. The Utes have commitments from California (x2), Michigan, Oregon, New Jersey, Colorado, Utah, Florida, Maryland, Texas, Virginia, Arizona, and Connecticut. <br><br>Here's a closer look at Utah's two most recent '26 commits from January: </p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Hailing from Rumson (N.J.), Bazant began his career at Christian Brothers before transferring and reclassifying at Episcopal School in Alexandria. At 6'0 and 180 pounds, Bazant is tall and lanky with intriguing upside. He has a lot of tools and will only improve with two more years in the competitive IAC. Likely a college middie and potential invert option, Bazant has great hands and quick wrists, snapping shots from the wing with a variety of release points. When I watched Episcopal on film last spring, he impressed me with his poise finishing in tight spaces, his off-ball movement, and his ability to get back to his left hand as a dodger. I'll be curious to see how his role and skill set evolve during his junior season. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">A two-time captain and First Team All-FCIAC attackman at Fairfield Warde, Mulligan brings an impressive resume to Fairfield Prep, where he'll play for Graham Niemi and the defending state champs. A big-time pickup for the Utes, Mulligan excelled both at X and above the cage, leading his team with 33 goals and 22 assists. Mulligan is a smooth operator who thrives no matter where he attacks from. He has a confident dodging style, slickness for days, and the ability to free his hands at will. He's a high-percentage shooter, but he's dynamic in that he can also beat defenders off the end line, finishing with question marks or inside rolls on a regular basis. Now at Fairfield Prep, Mulligan will face a significantly more challenging schedule, but he seems poised to step into a sizable role immediately and should fit in nicely alongside the returners on offense. </p>    <p></p>

The news of North Carolina football head coach adding three highly rated lacrosse recruits has sent shockwaves through the recruiting world in recent weeks, signaling brighter days ahead for the Tar Heels' lacrosse program, which has lost several dual-sport athletes to other football programs in recent years. Similar to Notre Dame under Marcus Freeman, the relationship between the football and lacrosse programs could be a game-changer of sorts for a non-revenue sport that operates with just 12.6 scholarships, even with NIL in play.

In this Recruiting Rundown, we'll summarize Carolina's recent two-sport additions, Utah's newest football/lacrosse commit, recent flips to Yale, Dartmouth, and Richmond, as well as the Utes' latest 2026 commits. First, let's dive into three flips that may have flown under the radar during the off-season news cycle.

First, let's look at the three flips that may have been overlooked during the off-season news cycle.