The first thing you notice about Jackson Gillis is his size in net, as he covers a lot of ground between the pipes and is the commander of his defensive unit. He showcases a high lacrosse IQ by making good decisions with the ball and is not afraid to come out of the cage to make plays for his team. He totaled five saves vs Seton Hall Prep and 6 saves vs Lawrenceville, both of which are equipped with marksmen, but the Notre Dame commit stood tall and stayed confident in his ability. He makes some really tough saves look routine and is very athletic, getting down on low shots and tracking the ball well out of the stick to get a solid read on the shot.

By securing a verbal from Gillis, the Notre Dame coaching staff proved once again that they can recruit Philadelphia as well as any program in the country. Gillis owns imposing size, amazing reflexes, and an active stick. His ability to track shooters leads to a high percentage of clean saves. Those clean stops allow Gillis to swiftly deliver a clearing pass to a streaking teammate. For his size, Gillis is extremely nimble. So, he has no problem stopping low shots or locating and then pouncing on rebounds. Gillis is an outstanding communicator too. As a bonus to all his goalie skills, what the Fighting Irish staff and fans will really love about Gillis is the poise and confidence he projects from between the pipes.   

The projected starter between the pipes for the Haverford School next spring is one of the top goalies in Pennsylvania, regardless of graduation class. Gillis owns intimidating size, cat-like reflexes, and tremendous poise. That trifecta of assets is something college coaches obsess over for net minders. As a bonus to those items, Gillis possesses elite stick skills and is a nimble athlete. Gillis does a fantastic job of tracking shooters, so the number of clean saves he makes per game is remarkable. Once Gillis has snared a shot, he is quick to find an open outlet and trigger a transition opportunity. Gillis has also displayed fantastic anticipations skills, which allow him to snuff out scoring opportunities on the doorstep.

Jackson Gillis Jackson Gillis 6'4" | 185 lbs | G | Right Hand Haverford | 2027 #44 Nation PA is an up-&-coming goalie who fills it up in the cage taking up most of the 6×6 with his height. Jackson maximizes his surface area with his natural size, athleticism, & fundamental stance between the pipes. He holds the line with patience exercising the ability to transform into a human brick wall. Gillis gobbles up low shots with ease, especially for a bigger goalie. He is composed as the leader of the defense & confident in the clear. Jackson has lightning-quick reflexes & elite hand speed. He punches over the top, capable of stealing some with a flashy save. Gillis keeps his hips square to the shooter & can coral rebounds, making plays outside of the crease. Look for his stock to rise on a young, talented, & proven Haverford roster over the next 2 years!

Gillis emerged as the clear-cut No. 1 goalie at the 2027 Best in Class event, earning consensus praise from evaluators and coaches alike. Standing at 6-foot-4, Gillis combines elite size with surprising athleticism. His frame alone makes life difficult for shooters—he fills up the cage in his stance, leaving few obvious openings to target. Typically, the scouting report on a tall goalie would be to shoot low, but that strategy rarely works against Gillis. He consistently eats up low shots with ease with his excellent technique. His off-stick saves were particularly impressive, including several clean stops on off stick hip that are difficult for most goalies to handle.

Beyond shot-stopping, Gillis also impressed in transition. His lightning-fast hands allow him to get the ball out quickly and accurately on clears. He throws crisp, on-point outlet passes that jumpstart fast breaks and create early offense for his team. Whether making a save or starting a clear, Gillis showed a complete command of the position—cementing his status as one of the premier goalies in the 2027 class.

Gillis was incredibly tough to beat on Sunday, corralling 15 saves while allowing just ten goals in three halves of play. Possessing a massive 6-foot-4 frame, he eats up a ton of the cage and makes shooters really work. What stands out about Gillis is how great his hands are and how well he prevents rebound opportunities, catching it cleanly and controlling the ball. Like most keepers that size, he’s good for plenty of saves with his body, but he’s much more of a stopper than a blocker, which is awesome to see at this stage in his development. Looking ahead to the spring at Haverford, it’s likely that he’ll back up highly capable Williams-bound Colin Decker for a year before taking over starting duties in 2026, if I had to guess.