On Tuesday, it appeared that Gillin was given the assignment of defending EA standout attackmen Parker Smith Parker Smith 5'7" | 175 lbs | M/A | Right Hand Episcopal Academy | 2026 #83 Nation PA all over the field. Gillin did a fantastic job of limiting Smith’s touches. He also harassed Smith and other EA ball carriers with his active stick and physicality. When the ball hit the turf, Gillin pounced on it and then pushed the EA fast break or executed a smooth rollback, and then dropped a pass off to a teammate. Gillin also proved to be a high IQ team defender whose slides and double teams were on point. This Cornell commit is just scratching the surface of his potential.   

Cornell landed an absolute gem in this athletic pole with the speed, stick skills, and high IQ to run at both close defense and LSM. This past Saturday, Gillin was a menacing on-ball presence. Gillin frequently created turnovers with his slaps and pokes. But more importantly, Gillin’s smooth lateral movements, agility, and refined instincts enabled him to stay in front of ball carriers for long stretches. Gillin simply wore out opposing offensive players with his relentless pressure until they moved the ball to a teammate. His quick reflexes and aggressive stick work produced several nice ground ball pickups, too.    

Teddy Gillin was a major contributor for a Haverford group that finished #1 in PA last season & captured the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association championship. He was named to my HM All-State Team at the conclusion of the 2025 varsity season. Teddy made varsity as a freshman, started playing as a sophomore & became a staple on defense as a junior. An incredibly shrewd defender, he is technically sound both on & off the ball, capable of covering multiple spots within an advanced scheme. Gillin’s stick skills are outstanding, & his feel for safeguarding the goal shows when the game speeds up. He shines when he sees the dodger’s laces on the back of the helmet—an old-school cue for a blindside double. Teddy plays with a selfless, system-first mindset, excelling behind the cage, running his rails, communicating early, & switching uninterrupted without attachment to matchups. Those traits routinely lead to knockdowns, nuggets, & quick ground balls that ignite the Fords’ supreme full-field transition game. That impact was on full display during the 2025 PAISAA championship run, where Gillin logged heavy minutes down low, flexed up top when needed, & played a central role in a defensive approach built on structure over strict assignments. He is an experienced presence on the man-down unit, limiting opponents’ extra-man opportunities. Gillin enters his senior season with much to gain as a defender capable of staying on the field, controlling tempo, & anchoring a championship-level unit. Verbally committed to the admissions process at Cornell.

My favorite defender on this list, the young Ford impressed as a sophomore on one of the better teams in the country against high-level competition. He’s listed at 6-foot, but he’s deceptively rangy and uses those long arms to be disruptive in the passing lanes. For that reason, he’s an asset on man-down with an active stick, and he’s smooth off the ground. so he’s an asset on man-down with an active. On top of that, he’s a physical presence and knows the right time to lay the body and when to rely on position and footwork. Away from the ball, Gillin is always making heads-up plays, too. It sounds like he’s deciding between three Top 20 programs, and a commitment is expected soon.