How did the school you chose separate itself from the others you considered?
UNC has always been my dream school, so when they reached out on September 1st I was ecstatic. In addition to being my home state school, UNC has the perfect mix of incredible academics and athletics. I had a special connection with Coach Breschi and the coaching staff. When Coach called, he was very enthusiastic and excited about me becoming a Tar Heel.
How would you describe your recruiting process overall?
I knew going in that I did not want to drag out the process but it was still a pretty crazy process. Prior to September 1st, I had reached out to various schools I was interested in to keep them informed of my playing, highlight films and progress. Team 24/7 helped a lot teaching me how and when to reach out to schools throughout the process and I played well leading up to September 1st of my Junior year. Once midnight on September 1st hit, it was really fun and exciting getting calls, texts and emails from coaches at schools I always dreamed of attending. The first couple days were a lot of fun, but then it got serious and stressful pretty quickly, but in the end it was all worth it. COVID prevented us from taking visits to schools so it was a lot of Zoom calls which made the process go a lot faster than normal.
What was your favorite part of the recruiting process?
The moment 12:01 am on September 1st hit -- that was an experience I will never forget (and that first minute after midnight being the longest minute of my life). Hearing from coaches right away was a memory I will have forever.
What opportunities and information assisted you during your recruiting process?
Ryan's advice about the process "being your own" and to take it at your own pace was encouraging and stuck with me. Also, as a faceoff middie, Greg Gurenlian and the Faceoff Academy helped a great deal in my recruiting efforts. I am very fortunate to have such amazing people and programs like Team 24/7 and FOA supporting me.
Did you feel like you had support from the Team 24/7 Staff during your process? If so, how?
Coach Ryan, Coach Bobby, Coach Farmer, and the rest of the coaches and Team 24/7 staff were vital in my entire recruiting process, from start to finish. In addition to Team 24/7 helping me reach out to schools and prepare for September 1st, their relationships with college lacrosse coaching staffs are second to none so I knew that I always had someone advocating for me with coaches. If you want to play lacrosse at the next level, you need to be with Team 24/7.
What individual or showcase events, if any, did you find the most beneficial during your process?
The two biggest showcase events that I believe helped me the most were the NXT Fall Showcase and the FOA National Championship. As a faceoff middie, those two events were huge for me. I also think that going to prospect days at schools that you are really interested in is important.
What would you tell younger players or parents to help them prepare for the recruiting process?
Know what you are really looking for in a school before September 1st. There are a lot of different factors to weigh in picking a school, and you want to have your list narrowed down before the contact day so that you can focus on those schools that are the right fit for you. Also, play your absolute heart out and be coachable - there is a lot of talent out there, so you need to differentiate yourself to coaches with those extra qualities that they can't necessarily teach.
