The Nike Elite 120 showcased some excellent lacrosse players on Saturday and Sunday, January 19 and 20, at the Indoor Sports Pavilion in Randolph, New Jersey.
Participation was by invitation only, and the product on the field certainly reflected this fact, as the action both days was impressive. Players began the weekend with combine testing before competing in games for the duration.
While every player on the field held their own, here are five from the 2016 class (accelerated recruiting timeline, anyone?) that stood out.
NIKE ELITE 120 FEATURED FIVE 2016 DIVISION:
Olivia Alvarez (Moorestown, NJ/South Jersey Select)
OVERALL: Alvarez displayed good offensive awareness, with the ability to both finish powerfully or find the open player. She has an impressive field presence that demands the attention of a defense, and has an enormous upside.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Commanding field presence. Powerful finisher. Intelligent player. Good awareness on offense.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 5.78
5-10-5 shuttle: 5.20
300-yard shuttle: 57.97
Kerrigan Miller (Bayport-Bluepoint, NY/Yellow Jackets)
OVERALL: The Long Island product showed excellent athleticism all weekend. Particularly noteworthy was her footwork on the defensive side of the ball, where she displayed excellent position and was able to beat opposing players to spots using her lateral quickness to her advantage.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Shifty and athletic. Good open-field speed. Great position defender. Fluid athlete. Changes direction smoothly and quickly.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 4.99
5-10-5 shuttle: 5.29
300-yard shuttle: 57.09
Sara Szynal (Summit, NJ/Steps Elite)
OVERALL: The Summit, New Jersey native was outstanding throughout the two-day showcase. She displayed a great shooting ability and was a force in the transition game, utilizing good speed on clears and off draws. What also stood out was her awareness. She was constantly directly traffic on offense and getting players to good spots on the field.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Directs offense. High lacrosse IQ. Fantastic finisher. Plays smart. Impressive intangibles. Good on draws.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 5.86
5-10-5 shuttle: 5.09
300-yard shuttle: 53.00
Lexi Tan (SPSG, MD/Skywalkers)
OVERALL: Tan was impressive on the offensive end, attacking the defense and finding open players regularly. Her passing was precise, and she showed an excellent ability to anticipate cutters and pass the ball to an area. She also kept possessions alive with excellent hustle in the riding game.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Great feeder. Plays with head up. Rides relentlessly and uses smart angles to cut off opponent. Offensive QB. Creates well.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 5.96
5-10-5 shuttle: 5.45
300-yard shuttle: 56.62
Emily Velez (Milton, GA/X-team):
OVERALL: The Georgia product looked very comfortable on the field and notably behind the goal, utilizing her speed to keep defenders at bay. She dodges with her head up and looks to feed to cutters in the middle. Velez was patient with the ball in her stick, and looked at ease for open players.
FROM THE NOTEBOOK: Good vision. Feeder. Dodges with eye on cutters. Patient.
COMBINE RESULTS: 40-yard dash: 5.68
5-10-5 shuttle: 5.20
300-yard shuttle: 55.13
Others who made an impression:
Charlotte Allard (CT Revolution): Allard showed tremendous anticipation and had a quick stick defensively, intercepting passes on multiple occasions. She was also impressive on ground balls, and showed a powerful shot.
Brianna Cirino (Springford, PA/Phantastix): Cirino displayed excellent finishing skills with strong shots. She played aggressively and her effort was notable in all phases of the game.
Katie Hoeg (Mattiuck, NY/Yellow Jackets): Hoeg is a tall player and uses her size well. She made good plays in the transition game, utilizing her speed and reach very well.
Julie Krupnick (Moutain Lakes, NJ/Steps Elite): Krupnick has a tremendous stick in the cage, and made many athletic saves across her body. Her positioning in the cage was also very solid, and she covered ground in the crease very well.