Army Starts Hot, Keeps Building Impressive 2028 Class

With service academies able to begin actively recruiting on July 1, Army took full advantage of the early window, landing several major additions who eventually cracked the National Top 100 or ranked near the top of their respective regional lists. Their success on the recruiting trail is by no means a new storyline, but it's certainly noteworthy. Now, let's look at some of the players who make this class special, with a bit more emphasis on those they landed before the 9/9 window opened for the rest of the Division I programs. For more insight into Army's class, refer to the player profiles for a deeper look at each recruit.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Army</h2>   There's always a flurry of activity on July 1, and the Black Knights landed some big ones, headlined by Culver's [player_tooltip player_id='165871' first='Brigg' last='McKay'] — Prep Lacrosse's No. 53 recruit and one of the very best close defenders in the '28 class. A bona fide eraser out of Texas, he continues a tradition of blue-chip defensemen committing to Army, which has landed plenty of back-end studs at both close defense and goalie in recent recruiting cycles.   The Black Knights also made a statement by dipping into Navy's backyard for Spalding and Annapolis Hawks standouts [player_tooltip player_id='170720' first='Gavin' last='Carpenter'] (attack) and [player_tooltip player_id='169935' first='Vincent' last='Berger'] (LSM/D), ranked No. 43 and No. 47 in the Mid-Atlantic, respectively. Army also ventured into Philly for one of the Inter-Ac's most productive point-producers in Germantown Academy (Pa.) attackman [player_tooltip player_id='124033' first='Landon' last='Amorim'], who checked in at No. 60 in the region.   All in a day's work, right? With two more years to hone their skills against loaded schedules during the spring, that quartet of juniors could have a chance to compete for early playing time at West Point, though cracking that depth chart is no easy task given how well Army has recruited and developed talent in recent years.   The rest of July and the opening days of August proved to be fruitful as well. Newark Academy (N.J.) and Leading Edge face-off specialist [player_tooltip player_id='172196' first='Zuva' last='Chakabva'], Prep Lacrosse's No. 77 recruit nationally and No. 4 at the position, was bound to attract interest from Big Ten, ACC, and Ivy League programs, making his commitment another head-turner as the club circuit started to wind down. He's athletic, technical, and proven against the best the circuit has to offer. The Black Knights added another specialist that week, returning to the Annapolis Hawks roster left-handed goalie [player_tooltip player_id='172095' first='Brody' last='Fuller'], who is on pace to be a four-year starter at St. Mary's.   A week later, Army landed another player who fits the bill for a program that's produced a slew of top-flight shortsticks in Millbrook (N.Y.) and Prime Time standout [player_tooltip player_id='166655' first='Rocco' last='Sorriento'], a hard-nosed lefty who excels in several areas of the game. Holderness (N.H.) attack/middie [player_tooltip player_id='167836' first='Zach' last='Taylor'] — a savvy, skilled offensive weapon ranked No. 82 in the Northeast — helped round out the July and August verbals, along with Yorktown (N.Y.) midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='215655' first='Aidan' last='Concannon'] and Lake Braddock (Va.) LSM [player_tooltip player_id='172407' first='Ryan' last='McDermott']. McDermott gives head coach Joe Alberici and defensive coordinator Kyle Georgalas another versatile playmaker on defense, while Concannon is an athletic midfielder who can contribute at both ends and in transition.   <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2026/10/go-west-how-air-force-denver-and-utah-have-fared-with-2028s/">As mentioned in Thursday's write-up on Air Force</a>, it's difficult to predict how service academies will fare when the September window opens and prospects begin hearing from schools beyond the Falcons, Midshipmen, and Black Knights. I'm a big fan of the talent Army has added since the second week of September, though its earlier commitments set the tone for the class and could be better positioned to make an early impact.   A talented, speedy left-handed offensive threat ranked No. 29 in the South, Sweetlax and Tampa Jesuit (Fla.) attack/middie [player_tooltip player_id='166663' first='Logan' last='Eriksen'] announced his commitment on Sept. 10. A week later, Army landed another big one from Lawrenceville (N.J.) in Express North midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='178974' first='Grant' last='Paul'], the Mid-Atlantic's No. 48 prospect. [player_tooltip player_id='174624' first='Eli' last='Berry'] is more of an unknown coming out of O'Neill HS in New York (though he's lived all over), but his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame, athleticism, and skill level make him a sneaky pickup for the Black Knights.   One of Army's more interesting additions since September has been St. Anthony's (N.Y.) and Team 91 LI goalie [player_tooltip player_id='172185' first='Colton' last='O'Connell'], the Northeast's No. 77 recruit and the second netminder to join the class. He should only improve with more starting experience at one of the nation's premier high school programs. Army also landed a proven 5-foot-8 midfielder in Mountain Lakes (N.J.) standout [player_tooltip player_id='165991' first='Owen' last='Higgins'], the Mid-Atlantic's No. 82 prospect, as well as Don Bosco (N.J.) midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='215650' first='Joey' last='Moore'], yet another addition from Prime Time.   As always, I'll be curious to see who heads directly to West Point and who takes the prep school route first. My hunch is that at least one goalie will do the latter, among others.   Overall, this is a group that fits Army's hard-nosed brand of lacrosse, provides balance and depth across the field, and gives the coaching staff plenty of reason to be excited about the class.

With service academies able to begin actively recruiting on July 1, Army took full advantage of the early window, landing several major additions who eventually cracked the National Top 100 or ranked near the top of their respective regional lists. Their success on the recruiting trail is by no means a new storyline, but it's certainly noteworthy.

Now, let's look at some of the players who make this class special, with a bit more emphasis on those they landed before the 9/9 window opened for the rest of the Division I programs. For more insight into Army's class, refer to the player profiles for a deeper look at each recruit.