MN Lacrosse Showcase
I had the privilege of attending the newly formed MN Lacrosse Showcase last week. It was a fantastic event that gave the MN Lacrosse community a chance to showcase their skills in front of college coaches. When you think about the recruiting landscape of lacrosse, the Mid Atlantic gets most of the attention (rightfully so), but, with the rise in Southern and West Coast talent, it does seem like the upper midwest gets overlooked.
The point being, it was great for MN players to have this opportunity right in their own backyard and great for the college coaches to see the talent level we have here. Scott Stark and Joe Peruzzi organized and executed a top notch event that included:
120 players registered
24 colleges represented (7 DI, 8 DII, 9 DIII)
58 Different High School Represented (across 8 States and even one player from Calgary!)
Most of the MN club programs were represented as well
These are incredible numbers for an event like this in Year 1. It truly felt like the “lines in the sand” were covered for at least one day and the entire MN (and upper midwest) lacrosse community could come together to give the talent in our region a quality experience and legitimate look.
In talking with Coach Stark, I think the biggest thing I took away from our conversation was his comment saying,
“Minnesota is no longer a ‘non-traditional’ area for lacrosse. There is quality talent here and plenty of it”
It is no secret that Maryville has been a college program that has been interested in recruiting Minnesota talent, but, when you look at the coaches that attend the event, it became clear that there is interest outside of the midwest as well.
As I watched the event, I was pleased with the compete level on a hot summer day, especially at the end of the summer circuit. All of these players have been through a high school season that went right into the summer travel grind. Some of these kids have been on the road more days than they have been home over the last 5-6 weeks. However, that did not take away from the level of play.
The #1 thing that stood out to me was the goaltending. There were so many solid keepers at this event, I was so impressed. All of the goalies made a save or a play that forced me to look down at my notes, circle their name and write something down. Being a goalie in lacrosse is one of the hardest things to do in general, but, in a showcase event with very little team defensive structure and more free flowing play, the goalies get hung out to dry quite a bit. That did not stop these guys from standing tall and making huge saves.
While all the goalies stood out to me, it was Sid Mayland, 2028 (Hutchinson), that I was most impressed with. He was getting peppered in the game that I saw and was just routinely making save after save. It was only after the game was over I realized he was only a sophomore. Extremely technical and poised for being one of the younger players there, I am excited to see where his game goes as an upperclassman.
Rylan Hoy, 2027, Attack (Rochester) was one of the, if not the, best individual talents (both athletically and skill wise) at the showcase. His ability to turn the corner, get his hands free and place a shot was extremely impressive. It sounds like he is heading east to Prep School so we will unfortunately not get to see him compete in MN High School lacrosse this upcoming spring, but, I am excited to see where his game goes moving forward.
Will Harris, 2027 - FO/M - (Farmington) stood out at the face off X. Yes, I get the opportunity to see this guy every day in the spring so this was no shock to me, but, once again was dominant across the board. I especially appreciate his abilities after he wins the Face-Off. He is not just a “FOGO” - He is a threat to score and push transition. He can stay on the field and make an impact.
Logan Dahm, 2026 - Defense - (Irondale) is a very athletic player that anticipates well and made a handful of great recovery plays away from the ball. Sometimes in a showcase event it can be hard to show off ball defense. Mainly because everyone is just showing up and playing without any specific scheme in place. He put himself in great position to help and really had a great understanding of team defense.
Carson Klonglan, 2026 - Midfield - (Ankeny) - really stood out as a SS defensive midfielder. Multiple instances of guys trying to take the matchup with him at SS and he locked them down and stayed disciplined in his positioning without fouling. Life as a SSDM can be one without much glory, but, this kid bought into the role and locked in.
A few other honorable mentions that stood out to me:
#4 - Colton Butts, 2027 - Attack (White Bear Lake) - smaller but quick attackman with a great first step. He could turn the corner but was a great feeder as well. Really nice stick and got his teammates involved
#15 - Jack Vodovnik, 2026 - Goalie (Bloomington Kennedy) - steady, technical goalie that tracked the ball well. What stood out to me was his clearing. Had some great outlets where he got the ball out quickly and hit a breaking midfielder in stride to get into transition
#16 - Grant Hennen, 2027 - Goalie (Hill Murray) - Big frame, athletic, technical. Grant looked like a college ready prospect from a physical standpoint. Great hands and movement in the cage.
#42 - Parker Youngquist, 2026 - Midfield (Buffalo) - a slippery/quick middy that could change direction and weave his way through traffic to win a matchup. Could create his own shot but was very willing to feed and set other guys up.
#59 Tony Minks, 2026 - Goalie (Farmington) - one of the better goalies and fighting off tough shots with his body. Even when things broke down on the defensive end, he stood tall and would get a piece of the shot.
#78 - Mitchell Volk, 2027 - Defense- (Orono) - Long Frame, great feet and physical. He stood out (in a good way) with his size and ability to move.
#86 - Grant Selchow, 2026 - Midfield (Northfield) - big, sturdy midfielder that can run and get downhill. Was able to create his own shot, but I loved that he was looking to distribute first. Was drawing slides and hitting open guys
#88 - Logan Dahlman, 2027 - Midfield (Esko) - beast of a midfielder. Strength and physicality that stood out. His willingness to lower his shoulder and bull through his defender to create his shot was impressive.
#89 - Charlie Ysteboe, 2026 - Attack (Sheyenne HS) - quick shifty player that had a nice bag of moves - won his matchup and created offense but also cut with purpose off ball to get open for his teammates.
#96 - Harrison Duffee, 2027 - Defense (Hill Murray) - Crafty Pole that was always involved in the play. Loved mixing it up and sliding hard to body. I was also impressed with a few impressive plays he made off the ground to get his team into transition
#106 - Aiden Sargent, 2026 - Midfield (Stillwater) - one of the most vocal guys on the field. Seemed to have a high understanding of team offense and was directing his teammates. Liked seeing that, especially at an individual recruiting event