Liberty University Club Sports Athletics
Incoming recruits include defender Mason Cobb (left), goalie Carter Vaughan, and attack/midfielder Sean LaBeff.
A dozen recruits will make immediate, lasting impact on Liberty Lacrosse
6/17/2026 8:31:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
With approximately 30 players expected to return, the Flames will feature better depth going into this fall’s tryouts than in recent years.
Six midfielders and attackmen, three defenders, two goalies, and one faceoff specialist provide positional balance on one of the strongest and deepest recruiting classes Liberty University men's lacrosse team has ever had.
One year after capturing the first national title in program history and graduating one of their largest classes, the Flames are coming off a 7-7 season, narrowly missing an automatic bid to the MCLA Division I National Championships by losing in the ALC Tournament final to eventual national runner-up Virginia Tech, 13-12.
"We have right around the same, maybe a little bit larger recruiting class than last year," Liberty Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said. "Adding to a relatively young team from last year, this group is equally as talented and has a chance to be as impactful as last year's class. The future of Liberty Lacrosse and the depth we have and size of recruiting class we have been able to bring in bodes well for us in the coming years."
He said the Flames won't need to give significant playing time to as many freshmen as they did last year, when they were left scrambling to reload.
"Hopefully, we will have the majority of our lineup back," McQuillan said. "Even with the turnover from graduation and a lot of spots to fill, we are in a position right now where we definitely have a pretty concrete roster going into tryouts, with fewer needs to address than in years' past."
"There are definitely guys within this class that are going to be pretty impactful," he added. "As long as we stay healthy, the expectation that these guys should have is not to play super significant roles as freshmen. The expectation should be to come in, get comfortable with our systems, develop and adapt to the culture, and time on the field will come naturally."
The two goalie recruits — Mateo Lopez from Key West, Fla., and Carter Vaughan from Mableton, Ga. — will give Flames Assistant Coach Justin Kilian four to work with next season, joining junior Sam Hoffman and sophomore Jacob Haas.
"With Ian (Carvajal), Sam, and Jacob all having injuries last season, it will give us a little more breathing room with four goalies on the roster," McQuillan said.
Haas is from Wooster, Ohio, the hometown of two other incoming recruits — attack/midfielder Brooks Laughlin and middie Grady Hahn. A third Ohioan, defender/long stick middie Gabe Kerschbaum, hails from Xenia.
Besides Laughlin, Eli Mesina from Manchester, Mo., Sean LaBeff from Norfolk, Va., and Nolan Cruz from Cherry Hill, N.J., have the capability of playing either on attack or at midfield, while Elijah Lamb from Virginia Beach is primarily a midfielder.
Complementing Kerschbaum on defense are Mason Cobb from Mooresville, N.C., and Trevor Wons from Loveland, Colo., who also plays LSM.
"This will be the last big year of (outgoing Associate Head Coach Mike Zumpano's) recruitment," McQuillan said. "All of the guys on the defensive side of the ball were recruited by Mike."
Jeremy Marley from Hagerstown, Md., is the lone faceoff specialist recruit who will train under Assistant Coach Jessi Glauser to battle with junior middie Will Morris and sophomore FOS Cheston Kim for the vacant spot after middie Shane Supek (who won 155 out of 265 faceoffs last season) graduated.
McQuillan said the Flames coaches recruit based on potential as much as proven talent.
"One of big things we try to emphasize is what (recruited players) could be," he said, noting the development from strength & conditioning coaches Glauser and Kilian as well as Assistant Coach Brandon Butler, the offensive coordinator, and others will result in tremendous progression throughout their Liberty careers. "If the perception is we've added (a player) to our team because (he is) the best version of himself and (he has) arrived, we need to dismiss that. Keaton Mohs ('25) was a fantastic player when he showed up as a freshman and from Day 1 he played a pretty key part, but to see the difference between then and when he became MCLA Player of the Year as a graduate is staggering."
Before 2026-27 season tryouts, which are scheduled for Sept. 8-9, Liberty will hold a select recruiting showcase by invitation only on Aug. 29. Next month, its coaching staff will get a look at potential prospects at the Flames Futures Summer Lacrosse Camps set for July 11-14 for U15 players and July 16-19 for U19 players.
"All these (incoming recruits) have either come to a recruiting showcase, come to summer camp, or done an official visit so they know what to expect coming in," McQuillan said, noting many of the commitments are from players who had offers from NCAA programs.
He said renovations to the East Campus Field House upgraded locker room space last summer and this year the Liberty Lacrosse Fields will be getting new field turf with a different layout.
"To players that come to a recruiting showcase it is evident we are pretty spoiled, or blessed, by the resources Liberty is able to provide," McQuillan said.
By Ted Allen/Staff WriterGallery: (6-16-2026) Men's lacrosse recruits
One year after capturing the first national title in program history and graduating one of their largest classes, the Flames are coming off a 7-7 season, narrowly missing an automatic bid to the MCLA Division I National Championships by losing in the ALC Tournament final to eventual national runner-up Virginia Tech, 13-12.
"We have right around the same, maybe a little bit larger recruiting class than last year," Liberty Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said. "Adding to a relatively young team from last year, this group is equally as talented and has a chance to be as impactful as last year's class. The future of Liberty Lacrosse and the depth we have and size of recruiting class we have been able to bring in bodes well for us in the coming years."
He said the Flames won't need to give significant playing time to as many freshmen as they did last year, when they were left scrambling to reload.
"Hopefully, we will have the majority of our lineup back," McQuillan said. "Even with the turnover from graduation and a lot of spots to fill, we are in a position right now where we definitely have a pretty concrete roster going into tryouts, with fewer needs to address than in years' past."
"There are definitely guys within this class that are going to be pretty impactful," he added. "As long as we stay healthy, the expectation that these guys should have is not to play super significant roles as freshmen. The expectation should be to come in, get comfortable with our systems, develop and adapt to the culture, and time on the field will come naturally."
The two goalie recruits — Mateo Lopez from Key West, Fla., and Carter Vaughan from Mableton, Ga. — will give Flames Assistant Coach Justin Kilian four to work with next season, joining junior Sam Hoffman and sophomore Jacob Haas.
"With Ian (Carvajal), Sam, and Jacob all having injuries last season, it will give us a little more breathing room with four goalies on the roster," McQuillan said.
Haas is from Wooster, Ohio, the hometown of two other incoming recruits — attack/midfielder Brooks Laughlin and middie Grady Hahn. A third Ohioan, defender/long stick middie Gabe Kerschbaum, hails from Xenia.
Besides Laughlin, Eli Mesina from Manchester, Mo., Sean LaBeff from Norfolk, Va., and Nolan Cruz from Cherry Hill, N.J., have the capability of playing either on attack or at midfield, while Elijah Lamb from Virginia Beach is primarily a midfielder.
Complementing Kerschbaum on defense are Mason Cobb from Mooresville, N.C., and Trevor Wons from Loveland, Colo., who also plays LSM.
"This will be the last big year of (outgoing Associate Head Coach Mike Zumpano's) recruitment," McQuillan said. "All of the guys on the defensive side of the ball were recruited by Mike."
Jeremy Marley from Hagerstown, Md., is the lone faceoff specialist recruit who will train under Assistant Coach Jessi Glauser to battle with junior middie Will Morris and sophomore FOS Cheston Kim for the vacant spot after middie Shane Supek (who won 155 out of 265 faceoffs last season) graduated.
McQuillan said the Flames coaches recruit based on potential as much as proven talent.
"One of big things we try to emphasize is what (recruited players) could be," he said, noting the development from strength & conditioning coaches Glauser and Kilian as well as Assistant Coach Brandon Butler, the offensive coordinator, and others will result in tremendous progression throughout their Liberty careers. "If the perception is we've added (a player) to our team because (he is) the best version of himself and (he has) arrived, we need to dismiss that. Keaton Mohs ('25) was a fantastic player when he showed up as a freshman and from Day 1 he played a pretty key part, but to see the difference between then and when he became MCLA Player of the Year as a graduate is staggering."
Before 2026-27 season tryouts, which are scheduled for Sept. 8-9, Liberty will hold a select recruiting showcase by invitation only on Aug. 29. Next month, its coaching staff will get a look at potential prospects at the Flames Futures Summer Lacrosse Camps set for July 11-14 for U15 players and July 16-19 for U19 players.
"All these (incoming recruits) have either come to a recruiting showcase, come to summer camp, or done an official visit so they know what to expect coming in," McQuillan said, noting many of the commitments are from players who had offers from NCAA programs.
He said renovations to the East Campus Field House upgraded locker room space last summer and this year the Liberty Lacrosse Fields will be getting new field turf with a different layout.
"To players that come to a recruiting showcase it is evident we are pretty spoiled, or blessed, by the resources Liberty is able to provide," McQuillan said.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
G
/ Men's Lacrosse
FS
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's LacrosseThursday, May 07
Friday, April 17
Wednesday, April 08
Friday, March 27