Early 2028 Service Academy Commitments: Navy

NNavy has been active on the recruiting trail, landing nine verbal commitments from the class of 2028 in the first two months of recruiting for the service academies. This included a trio of day-one commits on July 1: Isabella Russo, Kinzie Bunting, and Payge Merritt. With recruiting set to open on September 1 for all other Division I programs, Navy has ramped up the pressure early, and many schools will be playing catch-up with the Midshipmen, who have had a remarkable start to their 2028 recruiting cycle. Here is a detailed look at those nine early commits:    Mia Ferranti wasted no time making her decision, committing to the United States Naval Academy on July 7. A Connecticut product, Navy once again looked to Gold Coast Lacrosse Club when they tabbed Ferranti, following in the footsteps of 2025 graduate Kylee Henderson. In Ferranti, Navy is getting an explosive ball carrier and dodger whose speed changes the pace of games. An accomplished sprinter on the track team, her speed is immediately noticeable and translates directly into her style of lacrosse. She will be a valuable asset on a Navy team whose identity has been built around pushing the pace (they ranked third in shots per game among all Division I programs last season), and it is exactly the system Ferranti is built to thrive in. Look for Ferranti to have an immediate impact in Annapolis.     It is no surprise to see Olivia McCann off the board early, announcing her commitment to Navy on August 1. An athletic, versatile midfielder, she is another plug-and-play option who excels all over the field. McCann loves to get downhill offensively, and her nasty toe-drag dodge has become her go-to move to blow past closing defenders up top. She sells it exceptionally well. She plays club lacrosse for Prime Time, recently named the top 2028 club in the country by US Club Lacrosse, and has been an integral part of that success. McCann has tremendous upside and should fight for meaningful playing time early in Annapolis.     Isabella Russo was one of the first 2028s in the country off the board, announcing her commitment to the United States Naval Academy on July 1, the first official day of recruiting for the service academies. The epitome of a two-way midfielder, her versatility on the field is immediately noticeable. The 5'6" lefty can play anywhere at a high level, whether as a creator offensively, a gritty one-on-one defender, or in the draw circle. Russo becomes yet another Top Guns product to verbally commit to Navy, joining a pipeline that already includes Analisa LaMonica from the class of 2025, Paige Kellershon from the class of 2026, and 2028 teammate Emily Fitzgerald, who committed just weeks later.     The Midshipmen look to have secured their goalkeeper of the future in Emily Fitzgerald, who announced her commitment to Navy on July 17. A Long Island, New York product who plays high school lacrosse at Massapequa and represents LI Top Guns on the club circuit, Fitzgerald is an explosive goalkeeper with quick, snappy hands. She is fundamentally sound in the cage, moving her feet to stay squared on shooters. Her head is always up on the clear, looking to catch a midfielder or riding attacker off guard on the change of possession. Fitzgerald is yet another Long Island Top Guns product headed to Navy in what has become an established pipeline, and she will join club teammate Isabella Russo in Annapolis in a few short seasons.     Navy is getting one of the class's most underrated prospects in Berkley Weihrauch, a 5'7" do-it-all midfielder from North Carolina. She can take the draw, dodge from up top or off the elbows, match up one-on-one, and start transitions. She excels anywhere on the field, largely due to an athleticism that shines through in her play. She has a dangerous outside rip she is not afraid to let fly, one that forces defenses to play her tight and limit space on the perimeter. But Weihrauch is just as dangerous splitting the defense and finding a lane downhill. One of the most recent service academy commits, she gave her verbal commitment to the Midshipmen just days ago, on August 24. The ceiling is high, and Weihrauch looks to be a future mainstay in college lacrosse.     Like future teammate Isabella Russo, Kinzie Bunting was another July 1 commit for Navy. Bunting hails from Jupiter, Florida, and is a tall, athletic player who fits the do-it-all mold that has defined this Navy recruiting class. She can play midfield and take the draw, play attack and create from down low, or match up one-on-one defensively. Her size and ambidexterity make her a positionless player who excels all over the field. Navy has been stockpiling athletic, versatile prospects all summer, and Bunting is another who fits the bill perfectly. Whether Navy deploys her as a utility player or hones in on a specific role, look for her to make an early impact in Annapolis either way.     The Midshipmen are securing a gem of a defender in Chloe Sherman, a Connecticut product who announced her Naval Academy commitment on August 17. Sherman is a fundamentally sound defender, not afraid to match up out wide against bigger, stronger players or shifty attackers looking to create in space. She stands out particularly as a clearing defender, a confident ball carrier her coaches trust to lead the break and initiate the transition. She often gets the green light to push the pace and crash the crease in transition, and always has her head up for the drop-off pass when she draws the slide. She is a high-IQ player with a great feel for the game. Look for Sherman to be a future standout at Navy. The ceiling is high.     A tall, athletic two-way midfielder, Payge Merritt is another Navy prospect who fits the mold. She hails from Pennfield, New York, playing her high school lacrosse at Pennfield while representing Aces Elite on the club circuit. Strong on both ends of the field, she can match up one-on-one defensively or create with the ball and away from it. She reads defenders well, getting to the cage with well-timed slip cuts and backdoor cuts. A player with a ton of release points, she can quick-stick, throw a behind-the-back, or simply overpower with strength as an inside, off-ball finisher. She is a gritty one-on-one defender with great speed who does not lose a step securing ground balls off the turf. Merritt was one of three day-one commits for the Midshipmen on July 1. Look for her to be a dominant force in the midfield unit alongside some of the very classmates she is set to join in Annapolis in a few short seasons.     On August 31, less than 24 hours before recruiting opened for the rest of Division I programs, the Midshipmen made yet another splash, landing their ninth verbal commitment from the Class of 2028 in Maryland's own [player_tooltip player_id='85804' first='Lilly' last='Downs']. A hometown product who fits the Navy mold of tall, athletic, do-it-all midfielders, the Midshipmen are getting one of the class's best in Downs. A true two-handed player, you would not know which is her strong hand watching her play. She is a natural righty who does a ton of damage with her left. She is a scrappy defender with good fundamentals and footwork, not one to throw wild, unnecessary checks but instead using body positioning and footwork to work her assignment away from the eight-meter arc. Look for Downs to have an effective and impactful career in Annapolis.

NNavy has been active on the recruiting trail, landing nine verbal commitments from the class of 2028 in the first two months of recruiting for the service academies. This included a trio of day-one commits on July 1: Isabella Russo, Kinzie Bunting, and Payge Merritt. With recruiting set to open on September 1 for all other Division I programs, Navy has ramped up the pressure early, and many schools will be playing catch-up with the Midshipmen, who have had a remarkable start to their 2028 recruiting cycle. Here is a detailed look at those nine early commits: