Merklinger has been one of the best players for the Pirates this season in his first year playing meaningful varsity minutes, leading his team in goals (40), assists (31), and points (71) and helping them land the top seed in their bracket with a 13-7 record. In Seton Hall Prep’s 16-3 win vs. Notre Dame in the Non-Public quarterfinals, the Georgetown commit led the way with a pair of goals and five assists (tied for career-high in assists) and did a great job of playing unselfishly and efficiently. Being that he draws so much attention as one of the top options for the SHP offense, he uses that to his advantage to create for others. The Pirates will want to see his production stay high as they head into the semifinals vs. St. Augustine.

Merklinger is a nightmare for opposing defenses. He is a marksman with a powerful shot and great stick skills to evade pressure and create for himself and others. He seems to never stop moving and is always looking for ways to set up the offense for good looks at the cage. He is a crafty dodger with a good mix of speed and agility to force help from the defense. The Georgetown commit finished with a pair of goals vs. Haverford, and then another two goals plus two assists vs. Loomis Chaffee. His show-stopping goal that had everyone’s eyes lit up was when he snagged a contested ground ball, toe-dragged a defender, and then went low to high and stung the corner for a momentum-shifting goal vs. Loomis Chaffee.

Merklinger is a marksman with time and room to shoot and works hard to get the ball in his stick. The Seton Hall Prep product has good agility and footwork mixed with a quick first step, making it tough for defenders to keep up with him. He can beat you with either hand and has an array of dodges he utilizes to create space from his defender or initiate offense. He can also beat you without the ball, showing his ability to use V-cuts and backdoor cuts to help his teammates find him. He finished with a hat trick in his quarterfinals matchup vs. Brotherly Love and then put a stamp on the weekend with a four-goal performance coming in the championship. He is a good leader for this BBL offense and does a great job of dodging to initiate offense and then dumping it off once a slide comes to get the defense out of position. He will be fun to watch for the next two years at the high school level and should garner a lot of attention during the recruiting process this fall.

Jack Merklinger Jack Merklinger 5'10" | 165 lbs | A/M | Right Hand Seton Hall Prep | 2027 #88 Nation NJ put on a show during Day Two of the NAL Summer Invitational, racking up three goals and two assists in a dominant outing against Mad Dog National Gold. Operating from attack, Merklinger scored in a variety of ways—sneaking the pipes, dodging poles, and capitalizing on every opportunity. On the extra-man unit, he played the top-middle spot and impressed with his ability to thread skip passes through tight windows to the backside. A do-it-all offensive threat, Merklinger played midfield at Seton Hall Prep, where he looked just as comfortable dodging from up top and reading slides. He’s also proven effective on the crease in EMO sets, showing adaptability across multiple roles. No matter where he lines up, Merklinger’s scoring touch stands out—he shoots with power and precision, both on the run and with time and space. Lacrosse runs in the family—his older brother, Max, was a standout at attack at Richmond—and Jack looks poised to carry that torch with his high IQ, multi-position versatility, and game-changing offensive skillset.