Maryland '27 Rankings: Five IAC Juniors With Potential to Rise

Now that we've highlighted standouts from the <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/10/maryland-27-rankings-five-miaa-juniors-with-potential-to-rise">MIAA</a> and <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/10/maryland-27-rankings-six-wcac-juniors-with-potential-to-rise">WCAC</a> coming away from l<a href="https://preplacrosse.com/maryland/rankings/maryland-lacrosse-2027-class-rankings">ast week's Class of 2027 rankings release</a>, we're now shifting over to some of the rising talents from IAC squads that could be poised to move up in the next edition.    Having closed his summer in style with a strong showing at the New Balance All-America Games, Aleo announced his commitment to St. Joe's earlier this month. The Hawks are getting a dynamic and promising longpole who never fails to initiate contact and is a constant pest in 1v1 situations. Relentless with his high motor and competitive energy, he combines advanced footwork, an active stick, and strong defensive instincts. Both live and on film, his poise off the ground stands out — he consistently corrals ground balls cleanly on the first try before jumpstarting transition or finding an open teammate. When Aleo's between the lines, he's causing disruption, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him make a significant impact as a junior given how much the Bulldogs graduated on the back end.     Perhaps best known for his ability to dazzle and produce in showcase settings, Coluzzi transferred from Lawrenceville to Georgetown Prep mid-year, which limited his varsity contributions to flashes. Expect that to change this season, as he has the skill set and confidence to make an impact for a program with a promising outlook following its offseason coaching change. Small yet shifty and highly skilled, he's a creative goal-scorer who consistently beats his man off the endline and pressures defenses with his relentless style of play and change-of-direction moves. He's productive off the catch and can finish both fundamentally and with flair. Coluzzi's effort in the riding game also stands out, often leading to extra possessions for his team. A Navy commit since early October, he's one of seven USNA 2027 recruits who play their high school ball in Maryland or D.C., though he's originally from Long Island and calls Georgia home in the off-season.     Manfreda appears to be a steal for the Holy Cross program, having committed to the Crusaders last week. It's always been evident that he's been the extra work in as a shooter — Manfreda does a spectacular job of mixing up his release points and shot placement to keep goalies guessing. He's also superb without the ball, drifting and cutting to maximize his scoring potential, so he doesn't necessarily need the ball in order to be successful. Dangerous when sweeping to his right or charging hard down the alley, Manfreda gradually built up confidence as a sophomore for Prep and looks primed to take a big step forward as a junior under the Little Hoyas' new regime.     A tall, lanky lefty with superb vision, Silva is calm and composed with the ball, making smart decisions and not shying away from contact despite a lean frame. He's a talented shooter who can bury shots from the wing or get underneath defenses with his quick first step and change of direction. A natural attackman who doesn't skip a beat running out of the box, Silva thrives as a positionless type of offensive weapon. He can make his man miss and use deception wisely, and is a constant threat due to his vision and passing ability. What has always stood out is how Silva has a knack for making his teammates better, throwing a man open or drawing slides before making the 'one more' pass. A Villanova commit as of this week, I'd expect Silva to make a sizable impact on the Bears' offense in 2026 as part of an excellent junior class at Landon.     Eyes quickly find Steis and his big 6'4 frame when he's out there on the field, but he's far more than a big body and is just scratching the surface of what he's capable of, especially when it comes to using his size to his advantage. Though not a burner by any means, he has a tremendous knack for knowing what it takes to free up his hands and often attacks shortstick matchups. Steis can often be found hitching his man and getting back to the middle of the field, and he's shown flashes with his off-hand and still developing confidence with his left. Going forward, developing his consistency will be paramount, and I'll be curious to see where his game is a year from now. If I had to guess, he'll be off the board sooner rather than later.

Now that we've highlighted standouts from the MIAA and WCAC coming away from last week's Class of 2027 rankings release, we're now shifting over to some of the rising talents from IAC squads that could be poised to move up in the next edition.