Brennan O'Neill in High School vs. College

Good morning,

I’m Jake and this is Recruit Report presented by Apex Lacrosse Events.

I’m your friend who tells you everything you need to know about lacrosse.

Apex is already accepting applications for their Fall National Showcase, October 12 & 13, spots for this event fill out every year so be sure to apply!

Now, let’s get into it!

High School Brennan vs. College Brennan

It’s safe to say Brennan is probably the biggest lacrosse recruit in recent memory, if not ever. 

It started in 2016 when he committed to Penn State as an 8th grader. It continued when he was officially name the #1 recruit in his class, and switched his commitment to Duke. 

Fast forward nearly a decade later, and he’s now the most coveted player in the PLL draft. Long story short, it’s been quite a ride for Brennan, and it’s fun to look at how his game has progressed. 

In his high school highlight reel, it’s clear to see that he was most comfortable a lefty wing shooter. He thrived off-ball, allowing his teammates to feed him where he could cash in from a step down.

But there were also glimpses of more elements of his game, which we would see in years to come. 

When he got to Duke, he once again thrived at the lefty wing position, putting up 45 goals alongside elite feeder Michael Sowers as a freshman. 

In the following years, he added even more depth to his game. He’s able to consistently beat his man off the dodge, and prove that he can also play at the midfield. This was most evident at the world games, when he dropped 5 goals to help Team USA win a world championship. 

Now he has one more postseason to win a national championship, and cement his legacy as one of the best if not THE best Duke player ever. 

Then he’ll join professional lacrosse, where it will be very interesting to see how he progresses even further. What do you think he should add to his game next?

I Have Two Words For You…

If you’re lucky enough to have more lacrosse season left, I have two words for you: finish strong. 

You only get so many lacrosse seasons, and it’s time you do everything in your power to make these last few weeks count. Here’s a few tips to help you out: 

1. Put a premium on sleep: I’m not a doctor, but I think we can all agree sleep is the most important aspect of our recovery. Try as hard as possible to get the right amount of sleep. That means doing things like turning your phone off an hour before bed. 

2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: I used to carry a 1 gallon jug of water with me around school on gamedays. Did I look a little strange? Yes. Did I ever cramp in a game? No! You don’t have to take this extreme measure, but you should be constantly drinking enough water as temperatures heat up. The last thing you want is to be cramped in the fourth quarter of your playoff game. 

3. Confidence: Any top lacrosse player will tell you the game is just as mental as it is physical. Whether it’s journaling, meditation, visualization, or simply talking to a friend, you should spend time every week working on the mental aspect of your game.

Featured Recruit: Gabe Moore (Class of 2026)

Last week I featured Ethan Moore on the Recruit Report, but I didn’t realize he had a twin brother!

Gabe Moore is an excellent offensive player himself, who happens to play very similar to his brother. Just like Ethan, Gabe is very two-handed, and not afraid to take you at X or dodge from up top.

That means coaches can play him at both positions, making him a super valuable asset to any team.

This summer will be the last opportunity for both brothers to prove themselves before the recruiting window opens up, and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out!

As always, nominate yourself or another player to be featured: [email protected]

Talk soon,

Jake

P.S. remember to fill out an application for the Garden State Showcase.