Maryland’s Reese No. 1 in 2026 Nike Lacrosse/ILWomen Freshman Rankings

(Photo Courtesy of Maryland Athletics)

ILWomen is proud to announce the Nike Lacrosse/ILWomen Freshman Rankings.

This list of 100 represents the final ranking for the high school Class of 2026 as they arrive on college campuses.

Cayden Reese (Maryvale, Md.) keeps her crown as the top-ranked player in the class, as she has been throughout the entire recruiting cycle. She leads a stellar class headed to College Park, where she will play for her mom, Cathy Reese. Reese’s future college teammate (and longtime club teammate) Kit Laake is No. 3 in the Freshman Rankings.

Reese’s accolades have been impressive for years. She led Maryvale to the Q-Collar Girls National No. 1 Ranking with 60 goals, 35 assists and 40 draw controls, earning Senior All-America Game recognition.

Kenzie Rassas, joining her sister Madison at Notre Dame, is No. 2 in the class.

The Terps have three Top 20 incoming freshmen with Suffern (N.Y.) defender Michaela Fay moving up from the watch list to No. 19. North Carolina has three Top 10 freshmen, six 5-Stars and is tied with Florida for having the most represented in the Top 100 with nine. Boston College and Michigan are next with seven Top 100 freshmen, while Maryland and Notre Dame both bring six to campus this fall.

The Freshman Rankings are made up of 100 student-athletes. They are ranked 1-50, with a 50-player watchlist. There are 40 5-Stars in the Class of 2026.

Nike Lacrosse/ILWomen Freshman Rankings

5-Stars

1. Cayden Reese, A, Maryvale (Md.), Hero’s | Maryland
2. Kenzie Rassas, M, Georgetown Visitation (D.C.), M&D | Notre Dame
3. Kit Laake, D, McDonogh (Md.), Hero’s | Maryland
4. Reagan O’Donovan, G, McDonogh (Md.), M&D | Penn State
5. Maria Bragg, M, Severna Park (Md.), M&D | Florida
6. Emma McCarthy, M, Paul VI (N.J.), South Jersey Select  | North Carolina
7. Cece Powell, A, Marcellus (N.Y.), Aces | North Carolina
8. Brinn Findora, M, Downingtown West (Pa.), NXT  | Clemson
9. Sophia Buffardi, M, Sayville(N.Y.), Yellow Jackets | North Carolina
10. Caitlin Barnes, M, Islip (N.Y.), Yellow Jackets | Boston College
11. Peyton Rothfuss, A, Penfield (N.Y.), Aces | Syracuse
12. Emma Speed, A, St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), Jesters | Florida
13. Maeve Magarity, G, Penn Charter (Pa.), HHH Philly  | Boston College
14. Morgan Farrell, D, Sayville (N.Y.), Yellow Jackets | Johns Hopkins
15. Kylie Waters, A, Milton (Ga.), Eagle Stix  | Clemson
16. Isabel Insley, A, Roland Park (Md.), TLC  | Princeton
17. Brooke McCoy, M, Episcopal School of Jacksonville (Fla.), Shine Select  | Duke
18. Ava Obloj, M, West Islip (N.Y.), Jesters | Florida
19. Michaela Fay, M, Suffern (N.Y.), Metro | Maryland
20. Olivia Abbott, M, Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.), STEPS California  | Stanford
21. Anna Christie, M, St. Anthony’s (N.Y.), Top Guns | Notre Dame
22. Abbie Rattay, M, Roxbury (N.J.), STEPS  | Michigan
23. Ava Newman, M, Noble & Greenough (Mass.), Mass Elite  | Notre Dame
24. Ava Findora, M, Downingtown West (Pa.), NXT  | Clemson
25. Ella Gould, M, Nyack (N.Y.), Prime Time | Michigan
26. Ava Fossati, M, McDonogh (Md.), Yellow Jackets | Boston College
27. Casey Cummings, A, Nyack (N.Y.), Prime Time | Syracuse
28. Sabrina Asadurian, D, Wantagh (N.Y.), Jesters | Stony Brook
29. Anna Von Kennel, M, Darien (Conn.), CT Grizzlies  | Florida
30. Lilly Schwing, D, St. Paul’s (Md.), Hero’s | Boston College
31. Ruby Cacioppo, G, Manhasset (N.Y.), Top Guns | Stanford
32. Leele Bigelow, M, Valor Christian (Colo.) , Team 180  | North Carolina
33. Ellie Kaplan, M, Twin Valley (Pa.), HHH Philly  | Michigan
34. Elizabeth Smith, M, Cicero North Syracuse (N.Y.), Aces | North Carolina
35. Alivian Parmer, M, Manheim (Pa.), Xtreme | North Carolina
36. Shaye Angelo, A, Honoeye Falls (N.Y.), Monster | Duke
37. Toby Bergstrom, D, Manheim (Pa.), NXT  | Maryland
38. Gabi Johnson, M, Alpharetta (Ga.), Eagle Stix  | Florida
39. Rylee Rath, M, Pleasant Valley (Pa.), BBL | Northwestern
40. Ella Davis, G, Archbishop Spalding (Md.), Integrity | Florida

Full Top 100 Freshman Rankings here.