MAX Field Hockey’s Top 10 Domestic Recruiting Classes for the High School Class of 2026

 

 

Fresh off the release of our Final Class of 2026 Top 100 Player Rankings, MAX Field Hockey is proud to officially unveil the Top 10 Domestic Recruiting Classes for the High School Class of 2026. These rankings exclusively highlight the homegrown athletes we have closely evaluated, tracked, and ranked throughout their high school careers. Princeton University claims the coveted #1 spot in the nation, looking to reload after their spectacular run as the 2025 NCAA National Runners-up.
 
Conference power dynamics are fully on display this year, with the ACC dominating the national landscape by capturing six of the top ten spots, highlighted by 2025 NCAA Semifinalist North Carolina at #2 and regional contender Virginia at #4. The Big 10 follows strong with three programs making the countdown, headlined by the reigning back-to-back 2025 NCAA National Champions, Northwestern University, coming in at #5.
 
Geographically, Pennsylvania continues to be a juggernaut for field hockey talent, feeding 13 total commits across eight different top classes, closely followed by an emerging Texas pipeline responsible for eight elite recruits. At the high school level, powerhouse programs like The Hill School (PA) and St. John’s School (TX) lead the charge, each sending three elite players into these top-10 classes. On the club circuit, the WC Eagles and Texas Pride stand out as the premier talent developers of this cycle. The WC Eagles have placed an incredible 11 ranked players across seven different top-10 classes, while Texas Pride heavily influences the list with seven powerhouse athletes heading to five top programs.

 

 

#1 – Princeton University (Ivy League)

  • TOP 10: Lilly Cimaroli (Illinois- New Trier High School/Windy City)
  • TOP 10: Reese Milone (Pennsylvania- Academy of Notre Dame de Namur/WC Eagles)
  • Top 50: Josie Bianco (Maryland- John Carroll School/Warhawks) *just missed Top 10
  • Top 50: Lilly McMahon (New Jersey- Oak Knoll School/New Heights) *just missed Top 10
  • Top 50: Savannah Faulkner (Kentucky- Christian Academy of Louisville/IFHCK)
  • Top 50: Elizabeth Trant (Virginia- Poquoson High School/Focus)

 

 

#2 – University of North Carolina (ACC)

  • TOP 10: Sofia Ferri (Pennsylvania- The Hill School/WC Eagles)
  • TOP 10: Molly Nussbaumer (North Carolina- Cardinal Gibbons High School/Bull City)
  • TOP 10: Morgan O’Donnell (Pennsylvania- Avon Grove High School/WC Eagles)
  • NR: Devon Anderson (New York- Greenwich Country Day School/AGH)
  • NR: Emersyn O’Leary (Delaware- Saint Marks/WC Eagles)

 

 

#3 – University of Maryland (Big 10)

  • TOP 10: Ella Beach (Illinois- Glenbrook North High School/Windy City)
  • TOP 10: Aida Ierubino (Pennsylvania- Central Bucks West High School/Main Line Mayhem)
  • Top 50: Kendall Gilmore (Massachusetts- Uxbridge High School/NorthEast Elite)
  • Top 50: Lily Mitchell (Maryland- Leonardtown High School/SOMD Eliminators)

 

 

#4 – University of Virginia (ACC)

  • TOP 10: Caitlin Connell (Pennsylvania- Villa Maria Academy/Main Line Mayhem)
  • Top 50: Katy Chapman (Missouri- John Burroughs School/Aim)
  • Top 50: Gracey Crawford (Texas- St. John’s School/Texas Pride)
  • Top 50: Emerson Ross (Maryland- Notre Dame Prep/WC Eagles)
  • Next 50: Kate Logsdon (Missouri- John Burroughs School/Aim)

 

 

#5 – Northwestern University (Big 10)

  • Top 50: Anna Arnold (Maryland- St. John’s College High School/Metro HC)
  • Top 50: Montgomery Ferguson (Texas- St. John’s School/Texas Pride)
  • Top 50: Bree Moffett (Delaware- Smyrna High School/Delaware Sharks)
  • Top 50: Kiera Sack (Pennsylvania- Academy of Notre Dame de Namur/WC Eagles)
  • Next 50: Eleanor Evarts (Texas- St. Stephen’s Episcopal School/Lonestar)
  • Next 50: Caroline Kotz (Illinois- Loyola Academy/Windy City)

 

 

#6 – Duke University (ACC)

  • TOP 10: Abby Gerdeman (Pennsylvania- The Hill School/WC Eagles)
  • Top 50: Adriana Ensani (North Carolina- Cardinal Gibbons High School/Bull City)
  • Top 50: Catherine Rosser (Texas- Kinkaid School/Texas Pride)
  • Next 50: Callie McCarron (North Carolina- Cary Academy/Bull City)

 

 

#7 – Wake Forest University (ACC)

  • Top 50: Amelia Blood (Massachusetts- Uxbridge High School/NorthEast Elite)
  • Top 50: Cecilia Cowart (New Jersey- Montclair High School/Centercourt)
  • Top 50: Morgan Lala (Kentucky- Christian Academy of Louisville/IFHCK)
  • Top 50: Sela Provenzano (Texas- Episcopal High School/Texas Pride)
  • NR: Vera Kelly (Kentucky- Sacred Heart Academy/IFHCK)
  • NR: Margot Leary (Missouri- Villa Duchesne/Gateway)

 

 

#8 – Stanford University (ACC)

  • Top 50: Grace Essalih (Texas- The Kinkaid School/Texas Pride)
  • Top 50: Jackie O’Donnell (Texas- The Kinkaid School/Texas Pride)
  • Top 50: Opal Sparling (Pennsylvania- The Hill School/WC Eagles)

 

 

#9 – The Ohio State University (Big 10)

  • Top 50: Avery Alleva (Virginia- Independence High School/Hammers)
  • Top 50: Karys Craver (Pennsylvania- Warwick High School/WC Eagles)
  • Top 50: Lea DeWan (Pennsylvania- Methacton High School/X-Calibur)
  • Next 50: Briella Elias (New Jersey- Shore Regional High School/New Heights)
  • Next 50: Hannah Gober (Pennsylvania- Northwestern Lehigh High School/High Styx)
  • NR: Emerson Swartz (Pennsylvania- Wyoming Seminary/Electric Surge)

 

 

#10 – Boston College (ACC)

  • Top 50: Maren Boyle (Massachusetts- Phillips Academy Andover/True Grit)
  • Top 50: Lucy Parker (Massachusetts- Phillips Academy Andover/NorthEast Elite)
  • Next 50: Arianna Fragomeni (New Jersey- Mountain Lakes High School/WC Eagles)
  • Next 50: Regan Welsh (Pennsylvania- Downingtown West High School/WC Eagles)
  • NR: Josephine VanHoutan (Texas- St. John’s School/Texas Pride)