DIII Recruiting: Salisbury Jumps Out To Fast Start With '26s

In recent years, recruiting activity at the Division III level tends to ramp up in the weeks that follow the annual IMLCA Players Summit, a December event down in Florida that serves as the first real evaluations of junior class for the lion's share of DII and DIII programs. A perennial national title contender and 13-time champion, Salisbury has been more aggressive than usual during the winter months, with the Sea Gulls picking up five commitments so far in this cycle. For reference, around a quarter of the Division I programs had four or fewer verbals in the '26 class as of this week. In the 2025 cycle, it took until July for Jim Berkman's Gulls to have five guys on board. Similar to a year ago, Salisbury has had tremendous success with players from Annapolis. What's been more striking, however, has been how much the Gulls have focused on landing talent from Long Island, picking up a pair of '26s from the hotbed, a key development given the fact that Salisbury's 2025 roster doesn't feature a single player from LI and has just two New York natives. Today, we're looking at all five of the Sea Gulls' commits, analyzing a talented group with players that represent a plethora of heralded club teams:    <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/07/excelsior-games-2025-and-2026-standouts-part-1/">Written up by Long Island scout Jared Valluzzi</a> after the Excelsior Games, Anobile caught my eye late in the circuit at the LI Summer Showdown. As undersized as he may be right now, Anobile is quick, tough, and fearless, dodging hard to the rack or finishing shots from his spot on the lefty wing. There are times when he's able to use his low center of gravity to his advantage, ducking underneath taller defensemen's stick checks or sneakily cutting after almost going unnoticed. Also a wrestler for North Shore, Anobile takes a beating and keeps chugging, plus he's opportunistic without the ball. As a sophomore, he posted over 40 points on a relatively even split between goals and assists.     Conner's name has been out there for a while now, a result of him proving himself early with the Hawks and at a handful of showcase events. Now at BL after spending time at Spalding and Severna Park, he's expected to contend for the Lakers' vacant starting job, though Navy-bound senior Garrett Held is considered the front-runner. Conner, a natural shot-stopper, is excellent in tight and has the propensity to make key stops on low shots or gobble up body saves off his wide frame. Going forward, I'd like to see him become more consistent in and out of the cage, as he can be a bit streaky in cage and jumpy in the clearing game. If Conner puts it all together, he could have a rather fruitful college career.     Sealey became the first '26 to hop on board with the Sea Gulls, committing to SU just a few days before Christmas. More than capable of playing at the Division I level, he's a big, strong lefty who can sling it with both hands and finish under duress in close. He's got a great first step and can beat shortsticks with relative ease, making a plethora of impressive plays when re-dodging on the summer circuit. This fall, it was apparent that Sealey was playing with even more confidence and assertiveness, even looking more dynamic.     Relative to his peers on this list, there's not as much film available on Vitale, a gritty and raw athlete who also plays varsity football for one of the better programs on Long Island. With that said, it's hard to get a proper sense of his game. Based on what I've seen thus far, I could envision Vitale turning into a formidable defensive midfielder at the next level, though it might be too early to tell. He's got more than enough range but needs to tweak his shot mechanics to be able to score the ball more consistently, so I'll be interested to see where his game is a year or two from now as he continues to polish his skills.     Another big body at midfield for Severna Park and the Hawks, Whitacre has a well-rounded skill set and considerable potential. He possesses a smooth outside shot on the run (particularly with a three-quarters release) and is super accurate as a shooter, both with his feet set and on the move. Whitacre does tend to finish with his stick to the outside too frequently on low-angle shots, so his production will increase once he starts to become more comfortable with his off-hand. On top of his offensive ability, he can hold his own defensively and make an impact in the clearing game due to his athleticism.

In recent years, recruiting activity at the Division III level tends to ramp up in the weeks that follow the annual IMLCA Players Summit, a December event down in Florida that serves as the first real evaluations of junior class for the lion's share of DII and DIII programs.

A perennial national title contender and 13-time champion, Salisbury has been more aggressive than usual during the winter months, with the Sea Gulls picking up five commitments so far in this cycle. For reference, around a quarter of the Division I programs had four or fewer verbals in the '26 class as of this week. In the 2025 cycle, it took until July for Jim Berkman's Gulls to have five guys on board.

Similar to a year ago, Salisbury has had tremendous success with players from Annapolis. What's been more striking, however, has been how much the Gulls have focused on landing talent from Long Island, picking up a pair of '26s from the hotbed, a key development given the fact that Salisbury's 2025 roster doesn't feature a single player from LI and has just two New York natives.

Today, we're looking at all five of the Sea Gulls' commits, analyzing a talented group with players that represent a plethora of heralded club teams: