Top Threat Championship: 2028 Standouts Gearing Up for September

The Top Threat Championship, held in Basking Ridge, New Jersey from July 10-12, is one of the premier summer events on the lacrosse calendar. 55 clubs from the 2028 classification took the field with college coaches packed in to get one of the final game-setting looks at one of the deepest and most highly touted classes in the sport's history. Here is a detailed look at seven standouts from the Top Threat Championship that college coaches should get familiar with if they have not already.    Nobody makes as many jaw-dropping plays as Carson Bahl. Looks like she is just having fun in the backyard sometimes with the kind of plays she makes. The 6'0" Ohio native has one of the most complete games in the country. A towering player whose footwork consistently catches defenders off guard, she can take the isolation and beat her defender 1v1 consistently. Bahl is also an exceptional feeder, always looking for the drop-off pass as a result of the defensive attention she demands. She does things on the lacrosse field that look otherworldly, especially coming from a player who stands half a foot taller than most on the field. She had a nasty lefty roll back through traffic, finishing with her non-dominant hand for the goal. She followed it up with a lefty runner through traffic against Eagle Stix. Bahl is going to make an impact on day one at a top program in the country. No question about it.     Mackenzie Maggs continues to get better. Each time seeing her play, whether for Wyomissing, on the club circuit with Philly Blast, or at showcases, she seems to have developed a new move or refined another part of her game. This past weekend at the Top Threat, it was her dodges, and more specifically her ability to get her hands free and quickly fire out of them. She does it so quickly that the slide defender has no chance of closing and altering the shot. Her footwork is excellent, and she is comfortable going either way with both hands. Her split dodge is as good as any in her class, and she was using it effectively all weekend. In one instance, she got by her defender topside and fired from the twelve-meter fan. She ran the same move again, but with the slide crashing, she found an open Price Orcutt at the crease instead. Maggs continues to get better, and a respectable Division I offer come September should follow.     [player_tooltip player_id='75143' first='Clare' last='Killen'] displayed the ability to shut down the opposing team's number one option all weekend at the Top Threat. She is especially strong defending the X, and she does not need to overcommit or chase attackers behind the cage. She hovers with her stick up, using her height to take away passing lanes and deny the feed. But as soon as her assignment gets near GLE and makes her move, Killen is right there to shut it down. In one instance this weekend, she just missed the knockdown on the entry pass from "X," slid back to the cutting player, and got her stick on the shot to alter it at the last second. She plays big defensively and is a true defensive disruptor.     One of the best dodgers at the Top Threat, Cora McGlothin is a dangerous and dominant midfielder who can dodge from anywhere. Her first step is explosive, and she forces the slide in essentially any matchup she gets into. McGlothin does not force looks after beating her matchup. She is an unselfish player whose head is always up looking for the drop-off pass to the open teammate when she draws the slide, but she is certainly not afraid to let it fly when she gets a favorable look. She had a laser from the right side that found the top-right corner after getting topside, one of those shots that the goalie had no chance on. She also stood out around the draw circle. While not the primary draw taker, she does a nice job of winning body position around the circle to secure possession on contested balls. Aside from the flashy dodge package, McGlothin is one of those players who does the unnoticed little things that were essential to Crush (Maryland)'s success.     Marley Reed is a fun player to watch, especially without the ball in her stick. She can slip by defenders and get herself into scoring position, or explode at full speed on a cut to the cage. One of the most dangerous off-ball players at the Top Threat Championship, she had back-to-back goals on Saturday morning in an 8-6 win over Crush (Maryland). Both came as a result of her ability to explode through the offensive set and leave her assignment in the dust. She has a quick-touch release that leaves her stick in the same motion as the catch, and she is ready to fire the second she gets it. Reed is a dangerous weapon on the offensive end, and the Georgia native should draw major interest in just over a month.     Colleen Sheehy is a do-it-all, workhorse midfielder from the Village of Pelham, New York. A shutdown defender in transition and during extended offensive sets, Sheehy has the length and reach to make plays all over the field. She had an interception near midfield this past weekend and single-handedly outran her teammates and chasing defenders for an unassisted goal. She has that one-handed hold in transition that, paired with her reach, makes the ball virtually uncheckable for any defender closing in from behind. Sheehy also takes the draw, another area where she excels. Her height and athleticism make her a matchup nightmare on the initial draw, but Sheehy also has that New York scrappiness to dig up ground balls around the circle that were not secured cleanly on the first attempt.     This is the second time seeing Elle Prevatt play this summer, and she has looked more impressive each time. There is no doubt that Prevatt is a future impact player at the Division I level. A tall goalie who takes up a lot of room vertically, Prevatt is as athletic as any goalie seen this summer. Her reactions allow her to make point-blank saves off shot fakes that many others simply cannot. She forces shooters to take that extra split second or question their shot, which often leads to awkward attempts at the cage that Prevatt gathers with ease. One of her best attributes is her IQ — few decision-makers at this level are better. She knows when to slow it down and find a teammate near the crease, or when to push the pace when her team has numbers. She plays on one of the best club programs in the country, and is one of the top goalies in her class as a result. For Division I programs, this is certainly a name to keep a close eye on as September approaches.

The Top Threat Championship, held in Basking Ridge, New Jersey from July 10-12, is one of the premier summer events on the lacrosse calendar. 55 clubs from the 2028 classification took the field with college coaches packed in to get one of the final game-setting looks at one of the deepest and most highly touted classes in the sport's history. Here is a detailed look at seven standouts from the Top Threat Championship that college coaches should get familiar with if they have not already.