Men’s Lacrosse Inks 2026 Signing Class
11/12/2025 1:30:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State men’s lacrosse head coach Nick Myers announced Wednesday the student-athletes from the class of 2026 who will continue their athletic and academic careers at Ohio State.
“Signing day is always an exciting day for our program and we are really happy to officially welcome these young men and their families into the Buckeye Brotherhood,” Myers said. “This class is composed of not only exceptionally talented players up and down the field, but also outstanding performers in the classroom and community. We can’t wait to see what these men accomplish in Columbus for the next four years.”
The class is rated the ninth best in Division I by Inside Lacrosse and features seven four-star players and six players ranked in Inside Lacrosse’s Top 100. Eleven states and the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne are represented in the class.
Learn more about the 2026 signing class:
Noah Gehlert | Midfield | Upper Arlington H.S./Western Reserve | Upper Arlington, Ohio
Noah Gehlert is a two-time First Team All-State recipient, a two-time First Team All-Region and two-time Region Position Player of the Year. He was named State Position Player of the Year and First Team All-OCC in 2024. He plays club for Resolute Ohio Black.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because it has always been my dream school. I grew up 10 minutes away going to Buckeye games in every sport. My great grandfather, grandfather, mom and dad all played sports at Ohio State. I also believe in the culture and standards that Coach Myers, Crane, Tuma, and Purpura have set. I want to buy into the program to become the best that I and the team can be.”
Tyler McCottry | Defense | Loyola Blakefield H.S. | Woodstock, Md.
Tyler McCottry is a 2025 New Balance All-American and All-Tournament selection. In 2025, he earned an honorable mention for All-State. He plays club for FCA and has for 10 years. McCottry intends to major in aviation.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State for three main reasons: the coaching staff, players and my major.”
James Finch | Attack | St. Thomas Aquinas H.S. | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
James Finch is a three-time USA Lacrosse All-American, three-time Sun Sentinel Player of the Year and three-time Miami Herald Player of the Year at St. Thomas Aquinas. The four star was named the all-time leading scorer in goals, assists, and total points for the Raiders. He is a member of the top five ranked 2026 Crabs team, where he is the team leader in assists. Finch is also a New Balance All American Invitee, three-time Nike Lacrosse All American Invitee, three-time Best in Class Invitee and two-time One Percent All Star.
Why Ohio State: “I chose The Ohio State University because of the one-of-a-kind culture, the coaching staff, and for the amazing opportunities it will provide me in the future.”
Kam Clack | Attack | Buford H.S. | Buford, Ga.
Kam Clack is a 2025 USA Lacrosse All-American and leading scorer at Buford High School for the last two seasons. He was named First-Team All-State twice, as well as Gwinnett County Prep Sports Player of the Year and Gwinnett County Boys Attack Player of the Year for the Wolves and is a four-start recruit by Inside Lacrosse.
Why Ohio State: “I wanted to be part of the aviation program and win a national championship.”
Hunter Thompson | Attack | Holderness H.S. | Akwesasne, N.Y.
Hunter Thompson is a 2024 All-Nepsac Honorable Mention honoree. Rated a four-star recruit by Inside Lacrosse, Thompson was a member of the Haudenosaunee World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championships team in 2025, helping the team to a fourth-place finish. He is a Top 100 Player in the country (Inside Lacrosse).
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because it’s been the school I’ve wanted to go to since I was about 12, and also I love the culture the school brings for sports within the school.”
Zekie Terry | Attack | IMG Academy | Tulsa, Okla.
Zekie Terry is a two-time state champion and two-time all-conference player. He is a team captain for the Ascenders. He plays club for Advanced Oklahoma, where he holds the records in all-time points and ground balls and has the third-most points in a season. He achieved these records as a sophomore.
Why Ohio State: “I want to play and be coached by people that want to win almost as bad as I do.”
Joe Florada | Defense | Salisbury School | Syracuse, N.Y.
Joe Florada is a four-star recruit and a three-year starter at Salisbury School, a top ten high school team in the nation. He plays club for Sweetlax Upstate and has won a Nap Town Championship with the team.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because of the culture. When I visited, there was just something that felt different compared to other schools.The people make the place.”
Cooper Heilig | Defense | La Salle College H.S.| Moorestown, N.J.
Cooper Heilig is a three-time Philadelphia Catholic League Champion for the La Salle College H.S. Explorers. An all-league player helped his team become a Pennsylvania state finalist in 2024. He is also a member of the football team, leading the team in tackles this season. Heilig was also a USA Lacrosse U16 team member.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because it felt like the perfect fit with the culture, the coaching staff and the chance to compete at the highest level while getting a great education. It felt like home. The people, the energy, and the program all fit who I am.”
Declan Heilig | Midfield | La Salle College H.S. | Moorestown, N.J.
Declan Heilig is a three-time Philadelphia Catholic League Champion for the La Salle College H.S. Explorers. He helped the Explorers become state finalists as an all-league player in 2024. In four years playing for Team 91 Maryland, he has led the team in scoring every year.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because of the blend of a great culture within the lacrosse program, oriented towards brotherhood, accountability, discipline, and leadership. The academics, the coaching staff, the culture of the program, and the feel of campus all contributed to my decision to make Ohio State my home for the years to come.”
Gabe James | Goalie | Dallas Jesuit H.S. | Plano, Texas
Gabe James is an Adrenaline All-American and two-time defensive MVP. He was named All-District in 2025. He has over 300 career saves and boasts a 58% save percentage. The four star plays club for Mad Dog National where he earned a Nilly Championship in 2025. James also plays varsity football as a linebacker with over 150 career tackles and First-Team All-District in 2024.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because of the excellent mix of academics, athletics and the brotherhood.”
Ellis Strong | Midfield | St. John’s College H.S. | Ellicott City, Md.
Ellis Strong is a three-star recruit out of Maryland. He is an All-DMV Second-Team and a 2024 WCAC All-Conference honoree. He has played varsity for the Cadets all four years of high school and has played club for Next Level Spartans for 13 years.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because it offers the perfect combination between elite lacrosse and outstanding education. They play at a level like no other which immediately caught my attention, and the opportunities after graduation made the decision to commit easy. From the moment I stepped on campus the brotherhood, competitive spirit and enormous faculties drew me even closer. What they have to offer on and off the field made me feel like this is a place I need to be. Not only for lacrosse, but for my education and especially my future.”
Amaan Cambrelen | Midfield | Legend H.S. | Aurora, Colo.
Amaan Cambrelen is a 2025 Nike All-American and Academic All-American. The three-time All-Conference honoree is captain of the Legend Titans this season and has played the last five years for Mad Dog National. Cambrelen is an Adrenaline and New Balance All-American and was a member of the Haudenosaunee World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championships team this past summer. The three star recruit is a three-time PCL Champion.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because it truly felt like the perfect fit for who I am, both as an athlete and as a person. The diversity on the team immediately stood out to me, being surrounded by people who come from different backgrounds but share similar stories and goals makes it feel like a family. The culture at Ohio State is all about growth, unity, and purpose, it’s not just about becoming better players, but better people all working toward something bigger than ourselves.”
Gavin Gaertner | Face-Off | Mount Paran Christian School | Knoxville, Tenn.
Gavin Gaertner is a four-star recruit, a USA Lacrosse and New Balance All-American and a three-time All-State recipient. He holds the records for career and season face-off wins, ground balls, and the records for single-game face-offs and ground balls for the Mount Paran Christian Eagles. He is also a varsity wrestler. Gaertner plays club for 3D Georgia and earned Inside Lacrosse’s No. 7 Face-Off ranking in the Class of 2026.
Why Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because I wanted to find a place where they welcomed hard work, and there’s no place quite like it along with team compete level being next to none. I am pursuing professional lacrosse, and I believe that Ohio State is the best school to get me there.”
Everett Hand | Defense/LSM | Trinity Pawling School | Harwich, Mass.
Everett Hand is a club nationals and Naptown champion with Hilltop Lax. The USA Club Player to Watch also earned a Nilly Draft Invitational invite. Hand is also a School Athletic Journalist and a middle school basketball coach.
Why Ohio State: “I chose The Ohio State because as soon as I stepped foot on campus, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. When I saw the culture firsthand and how much love and gratitude everyone has for each other, it seemed like everyone genuinely cared about each other’s success and that was something I wanted to be a part of.”
Zeke Merchant | Midfield | Western Reserve Academy | Roselle, Ill.
Zeke Merchant is a 2023 Illinois state champion and 2024 First Team All-MSLA honoree. He has played eight seasons with True Lacrosse.
Why Ohio State: “It’s the most welcoming school hands down. I love everything about it.”
