The inaugural Best In Class D3 event kicked off with a fantastic start. The staff featured top Division III coaches, including head coaches Bill Mason (Bowdoin), Steve Koudelka (Lynchburg), Eric Koch (Denison), Mikey Thompson (Christopher Newport), and Gene McCabe (W&L).
Players received high-level positional training, followed by elite small-sided drills run by college coaches. They also participated in whiteboard sessions before competing in two full games. Here are a few athletes who stood out:
Heske has really good hands and great vision. He looks for the one more and skips and has the stick-work to back it up. Plays well off-ball and has a polished lefty shot. Skinny rangy player, but plays bigger than he is.
Athanason is a good all around athlete. He possesses a great overhand shooting stroke, putting the ball in great spots. The lefty knows how to get to his strong hand for a shot as a strong, slasher type dodger.
Liam is a slick player with a good handle. He's a good inside finisher who can attack a late approach and has a quick first step. Smart player that likes to play from X and consistently forces tough approaches for defenders.
Cade stood out as an athletic and strong player with two way potential. He pairs toughness with deception when he carries the ball with a strong change of direction. Very comfortable shooting with both hands scoring in a variety of ways.
Rajamani looks the part. He has a good frame and is tall and rangy. Beyond that, he has a good shot, stick-work and hands. He projects as an impact two way player with a great motor. Rajamani turns the corner well off the dodge and can consistently can clear it by himself.
Hoang's dodging stood out, and he had good shake and change of direction. He's capable of drawing slides consistently and makes good decisions after drawing the side. Showed the ability to shoot to score on the run.
Another athletic righty midfielder, Arkin has a quick first step and good shooting stroke. He's skilled at attacking late approaches off the dribble, and can also draw a slide as the party starter.
Ziskind stood out as a defender that moves well and has a polished skillset. The most impressive part of his game may have been his clearing ability. He was very present in the clear, making good decisions with the ball and is overall just very involved in the game. The ball always seems to end up in his stick.
Hayden has a smaller build but plays with good strength and discipline. He keeps a quiet stick that is always out, has great footwork and cover ability and has good off-ball IQ. Supports the backside well, can handle pressure and use both hands. Very present in the clear.
Dressel was strong off the ground and in the clear. He's a fast and strong athlete who plays defense in a fundamental stance throwing controlled pokes. He showed good presence on the backside of the defense and is a good cover defender.
John is a very smart player in the clear, see's the ball well and doesn't guess. He popped in game 1 where he made 8+ saves cleanly and was quarterbacking the clear. The whole staff was impressed and he separated himself as the top goalie at the event. On July 6th, Parkin announced his commitment to Trinity College.
Byam isn't just a faceoff man. He showed his offensive skillset with an off-hand jump shot goal. He's a tremendous athlete with strength and straight line speed. He plays with confidence on offense, has a great motor and can play in a variety of roles.
Like Colin, George popped off the page with his athleticism, speed and offensive ability. He uses change of pace well when carrying the ball. Great motor, capable offensive player and has confidence. These two were a must watch battle!
If you want access to webinars from college coaches, drills, film breakdowns, recruiting advice and more, Iād encourage you to check out the full session inside our Coaches Community.