Five 2026's Who Impressed at Project 9's Final Games

Earlier this week, Michael Campanile posted recaps from his Sunday night trip to Project 9's training session, highlighting several top performers and stock risers on the <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/10/seniors-at-project-9-stock-risers-and-top-performers-on-offense">offensive</a> and <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2025/10/seniors-at-project-9-stock-risers-and-top-performers-on-defense/?itm_source=parsely-api">defensive</a> side of the ball. I was on-site during Monday's final games - here's a look at five more players that caught my eye:    It's hard to overstate how much midfield talent and athleticism Duke has coming in next August, with Askeroglu being one of seven Blue Devil commits ranked inside the Top 35 overall of last summer's Top 100, which will be updated later this year. Earning co-MVP honors at midfield on Monday, he tallied three goals across two games, routinely beating his man as he's done time and time again over the years. Oozing with quick-twitch athleticism, Askeroglu has “shades of Andrew McAdorey,” according to one P9 coach, a comparison that's not farfetched at all . He's lethal when he puts his foot in the ground, applying relentless pressure with the ball in his stick. At one point, he buried a gorgeous step-back hammer from deep. Expect him to keep trending upward while facing tougher competition at The Woodlands for his senior season under Anthony DeMaio.     Named Goalie MVP at the event, Atkins further reinforced my belief that he's destined to be Georgetown's next starter once All-American junior Anderson Moore graduates. While his size isn't overly imposing, he does an outstanding job taking up space and playing his angles to leave shooters little room to operate. He reads shots exceptionally well, especially low offerings, and makes difficult saves look routine. Even when he allowed a few he wanted back, Atkins quickly regrouped and came up with key stops. I was equally impressed with his poise and activity outside the crease, as he brings an incredibly well-rounded game to the table.     Elevated to five-star status in August after taking his game to another level since his recruiting summer, Balsamo has received quite a bit of press here on Prep Lacrosse, and for good reason. At Project 9, he ran away with Attack MVP honors and often looked like the best player on the field, posting three goals on Monday (including a beautiful BTB tally). The Virginia commit is a total workhorse who grinds each possession, getting his as a dodger while showing fearlessness when working in traffic. With a lacrosse IQ that is off-the-charts, he has a knack for making the right play every time and is super unselfish and poised as well.     The latest Yale-to-Hopkins flip was awesome on Monday, continuing to showcase his sneaky off-ball instincts and savvy left-handed finishing. Simply put, he's among the best in the class at what he does — and he's smart and self-aware enough to lean into his strengths rather than force dodges. James excels at finding soft spots in defenses, putting himself in position to finish plays and pairing that awareness with an excellent handle and smooth shooting stroke. Playing alongside longtime club teammate and fellow Blue Jay commit Jake Johnston, he notched a hat trick in the opener and added another goal in the next game. I'm a big fan of his game and think it could translate well, especially given the offensive talent JHU has stacked in its '26 and '27 classes.     Parrett walked away from the event with Game MVP honors, and if it were possible, he just as easily could have been named the best defender at the event, too. An absolute demon off the ground, I lost count of how many groundballs Parrett corralled, though P9's final stats showed that he finished the day with seven groundballs, a goal, and a caused turnover. His stick work is impeccable: every groundball was on the first try, and every long pass was right on the money. The Army commit plays fundamentally sound defense, but with his elite hands and stick, he can put the ball on the ground with regularity and generally make life difficult for anybody who dodges him. The Black Knights have recruited at a very high level on the defensive end of the field in recent cycles, and Parrett looks the part of a player who could be ready to see significant minutes early and often.

Earlier this week, Michael Campanile posted recaps from his Sunday night trip to Project 9's training session, highlighting several top performers and stock risers on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. I was on-site during Monday's final games - here's a look at five more players that caught my eye: