Up Against the Clock, Upstart SMU Flips Multiple ’27s (FREE)

Everything has happened rather quickly, in part because it had to.

After being rumored for months, Southern Methodist University officially announced on October 15 that it was starting a Division I lacrosse program for the 2028 season, then tabbed longtime Princeton offensive coordinator Jim Mitchell as the program's first head coach on October 28.

Last week, the Mustangs announced the signing of 13 graduate transfers for the 2028 season, including a handful of national champions and All-Americans among a group that will play out the 2027 season with their respective schools before heading to Dallas for the following school year.

Of course, programs can lean heavily on established contributors through the riches of the transfer portal — even if some are essentially one-year mercenaries, as we learned in the post-COVID era — but high school recruiting remains the lifeblood of any college program.

If you're going to start a program, you want players who will be there for four or five years to help establish a culture and develop. However, the announcement and hiring timeline didn't exactly leave Jim Mitchell much time to build a 2027 class, given that seniors can start to sign next week.

The Mustangs made a splash with their first Class of 2027 commitment on October 4: Rhett King Rhett King 6'2" | 170 lbs | G | Left Hand Loomis Chaffee School | 2027 CT , a Utah-bred goalie at Loomis Chaffee (Conn.) who had been verbally committed to Denver since October 2024 as a member of the '26 class. Since then, he's leveled up considerably, putting himself on track to jump into the next rankings update with a terrific first season against a higher level of competition in the Founder's League. Winning a conference title with the Pelicans, King was previously written up following a brilliant performance in the title game, where I had him close to double-digit saves in the second half alone.

We wrote in his May 21 evaluation: "King brings an aggressive, high-energy style to the goaltender position that allows him to tilt the field for his team. On Wednesday, he looked completely dialed in, tracking everything thrown his way. He was exceptional down low and turned offside high shots into popcorn. As impressive as he was inside the crease, what truly separates King is his impact outside of it. He's remarkably poised with the ball, turning big saves into quick, accurate outlet passes that spark transition opportunities. When the moment calls for it, he'll push the pace himself — carrying upfield, crossing midfield, and even looking to score."

Quite frankly, he was an ideal foundational piece as the program's first official high school recruit. Rather than potentially spending two years behind All-American goalie Grayson Manning at Denver, he'll have an opportunity to compete for a starting job after 2028, when a trio of Ivy League goalies — most notably Cornell captain Matt Tully — will be ahead of him for a year.

The following day, the Mustangs received a commitment announcement from MICDS (Mo.) midfielder Justin Bishop Justin Bishop 5'9" | M | Right Hand Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School | 2027 MO , one of the more intriguing prospects in the class and an elite midfield athlete. A speedster with a well-built 5-foot-9 frame, the former Utah commit had another brilliant summer with Hilltop following a second consecutive season with All-America honors for the St. Louis powerhouse, and was particularly dominant at Naptown once again.

In his July 2025 piece, "2027 Offensive Standouts Who Prove Size Isn't Everything," Mike Campanile highlighted Bishop's performance for Hilltop Lax at the Naptown National Challenge:

" Justin Bishop Justin Bishop 5'9" | M | Right Hand Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School | 2027 MO made a strong impression for Hilltop Lax at the Naptown National Challenge. He showcased his quickness and sharp ability to change direction. The Missouri native consistently broke down defenders in one-on-one situations. His foot speed and agility made it difficult for anyone to get a stick on him. Bishop was not just effective with the ball. He also demonstrated his ability to impact the game off the ball, whether by cutting into space or setting smart and physical picks. Against the Annapolis Hawks, he set an excellent slam pick near the goal line that opened up space for a teammate to score easily—a subtle but high-level play. Bishop plays with pace and purpose. His ability to influence the game both on and off the ball makes him a player to keep an eye on in the future."

Originally a raw athlete who burst onto the scene during his recruiting summer, Bishop continued to make significant strides in his development and is someone worth betting on to keep refining his skills and reaching his considerable potential. With SMU bringing in several impact transfers, he'll have the opportunity to continue developing without necessarily being expected to make an immediate impact.

The third addition to the class was SMU's first ranked recruit, longtime Denver verbal James Riches James Riches 5'9" | 155 lbs | M | Right Hand Valor Christian | 2027 #77 Nation CO , an electric two-way midfielder for Valor Christian, Colorado Kings and Mad Dog, who flipped to the Mustangs after checking in at No. 77 in the '27 rankings following his recruiting summer.

With his unmistakable shoulder-length hair and ultra-competitive nature, Riches was a player whose game endeared him to college coaches, though he's somewhat of an undefined tweener who could project on either side of the ball. Either way, if SMU can unleash him in transition and maximize his strengths, he'll be an incredibly fun player to watch and a valuable asset to the program. His sky-high lacrosse IQ and playmaking ability give him plenty of potential to make an impact, as long as he bulks up at the next level to prepare for his time in the ACC.

From Carey Smith's August 2025 piece that highlighted '27s who should stay close to their phones come September: "Riches is an electric offensive prospect with next level speed, a non-stop motor and filthy stick skills. His explosive first step and ability to cut on a dime made Riches impossible to defend 1v1. Riches played with extreme pace but was never out of control. Once Riches had blown past the initial defender, he kicked it into high gear and got to the cage in a flash."

Over the weekend, two more '27s announced their change in plans to attend SMU: longtime Lehigh face-off commit Trystean Warburton Trystean Warburton 5'10" | FO Episcopal School of Dallas | 2027 TX (Episcopal Dallas) gave the Mustangs their first local high school recruit, and former Holy Cross commit Gavin Bulger Gavin Bulger 6'0" | M Westminster School | 2027 CT (Westminster, Conn.) provided more skill and pop at the midfield.

According to multiple sources, SMU will have two more announcements from Top 100 recruits on Tuesday evening, so be on the lookout for that as the Mustangs finalize their class.