CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Gerry Byrne, The Frisbie Family Head Coach For Harvard Men's Lacrosse, announced the addition of the Class of 2025 to the team today. The men's lacrosse program officially welcomes 11 first-years to the Crimson roster, including Jake Brownley, Elijah Cohen, Vince Cresci, Joe Dowling, Max Ewald, Owen Gaffney, Joey Graham, Liam Griffiths, Lucas Hilsenrath, Martin Nelson and Andrew Perry.  Miles Botkiss, Ray Dearth and Finn Leschly join the class as well after deferring admission from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
"Our first-year class of student-athletes represents some of the top high school and club players in the country, representing both coasts and north and south", said Byrne. "Their impact was recognized early in our exhibitions against High Point and Richmond and bodes well for this spring and the immediate future of Harvard Lacrosse."
 
Hailing from many of the top high school programs in the country, the Class of 2025 arrives in Cambridge from California, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania. Adding a strong group to the roster, six first-years were ranked as four-star recruits by Inside Lacrosse, including Miles Botkiss, Jake Brownley, Ray Dearth, Joe Dowling, Owen Gaffney and Andrew Perry. Additionally, Jake Brownley and Andrew Perry were selected to play in the Under Armor All-America game, while Miles Boktiss, Owen Gaffney and Max Ewald were named Adrenaline All-Americans.
 
"The class is full of high school All-Americans, Under Armour and Adrenaline honorees, including many top positional ranked players by Inside Lacrosse", added Byrne. "The first-years have transitioned well and I suspect to see many of them on the field for Harvard this spring as we return to the field of play."

Read below to learn more about the Class of 2025:
 
Miles Botkiss | Attack/Midfield | Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. | Torrey Pines
Four-year letterwinner at Torrey Pines … Served as captain … First Team All-CIF and All-Avocado selection … Named team MVP … Led team to back-to-back CIF championships in 2018-19 … Part of a team that was ranked No. 16 and No. 17 in the nation in 2018 and 2019, respectively …
Played club lacrosse for West Coast Starz and RC Lacrosse Club … Two-time member of the All-Academic Team … Member of TVIA (Teens Volunteering in Action), completing over 60 hours of community service.
 
Jake Brownley | Defense | Glenmoore, Pa. | Malvern Prep
Four-year letterwinner and starter at Malvern Prep … Served as captain in 2021 … Named to the 2021 All-State, All-Area and All-League First Teams … 2021 U.S. Lacrosse All-American … 2021 Nike Senior All-American … 2021 Under Armour All-American … Three-time Inter-AC League champion … Led Malvern Prep to two top-15 national finishes in 2018 and 2019 … Played club lacrosse for Mesa Lacrosse … Also a two-year letterwinner, starter and captain in football … Four-time distinguished honors recipient for a GPA higher than 4.0 … Bellesini National Honors Society member … Member of the Adelphia Society … Participated annually in service events.
 
Elijah Cohen | Midfield | Chappaqua, N.Y. | The Taft School
Five-year letterwinner at The Taft School and Horace Greeley … Served as captain in 2021 … 2021 Odden Award recipient … 2018 All-League and All-Section selection …. Led Taft to the 2021 GEICO Lacrosse Nationals Championship and 2020 National High School Lacrosse Showcase Championship titles … Played club lacrosse for Eclipse Lacrosse Club … Also a one-year letterwinner in wrestling … Honor Roll recipient.
 
Vince Cresci | Defense/Long Stick Mid | Kennett Square, Pa. | Kennett HS
Four-year letterwinner at Kennett … Three-time captain … Three-time All-League selection … Three-time Team Defensive MVP honoree … Led Kennett to the 2021 Chesmont Championship title and an undefeated regular season … 2021 PA State Runner-Up … Played club lacrosse for Freedom LC … Also a three-year letterwinner and senior captain in football and two-year letterwinner in indoor track …  Received the Raymond M. Moynihan Award for athletes who excel in the classroom as well as the field … Recipient of the Chester County Hall of Fame Richard B. Yoder High School Scholar-Athlete Award … National Honors Society member … Honor Roll recipient … Completed 100+ hours of service at local animal shelter.
 
Ray Dearth | Midfield | Ridgefield, Conn. | Ridgefield
Four-year letterwinner at Ridgefield … Served as captain senior year … 2019 All-FCIAC First Team selection … Named to the 2019 All-State Class L Second Team … Received 2018 All-FCIAC West honors … Named to the 2017 All-FCIAC Honorable Mention Team … Led team to 2018 Class L State Championship title and 2019 FCIAC regular season championship title … Played club lacrosse for Boneyard and Express North … Also played soccer at Ridgefield … Honor Roll recipient … Participated in Side Rides of Ridgefield.
 
Joe Dowling | Attack | Greenwich, Conn. | Deerfield Academy
Four-year letterwinner at Deerfield … Captained the 2021 undefeated national No. 1 ranked lacrosse team at Deerfield ... Team leader in points in 2019 and 2021 at Deerfield … Played club lacrosse for 3D New England 2021 AA Red … Also a four-year letterwinner in football … Helped fundraise for Shielding Our Defenders.
 
Max Ewald | Defense | Boston, Mass. | Buckingham Browne and Nichols School
Four-year letterwinner and starter at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School … Two-time captain … 2021 Boston Lax Net All-American … 2020 Adrenaline Challenge All-Star … Participated in the 202o National All-Star games (Pacific-Southwest) … Named a 2020 NLF Summer Kick-Off Standout … 2019 and 2020 Project 9 Invitee … 2019 STX DI Rising Standout … Named to the 2018 All-ISL Honorable Mention Team … Named to the 2019 NLF Honorable Mention Team … 2018 and 2019 Maverick Showtime invitee … 2018 FLG Showcase All-Star … 2018 UA Underclass All-American … Played club lacrosse for 3D New England and the West Coast Starz.
 
Owen Gaffney | Attack/Midfield | Los Angeles, Calif. | Loyola HS
Four-year letterwinner and starter at Loyola … Two-time captain … 2021 CIF Southern Section Player of the Year … 2021 USL All-American … 2021 Nike All-American … 2021 Adrenaline All-American … Led team to the 2018 and 2021 CIF SS Championship title … 2021 Mission League Offensive Player of the Year … Named to the 2021 Mission League First Team … 2019 Los Angeles Player of the Year … 2019 USL All-American … Named to the 2019 Mission League First Team … Received the 2019 and 2021 Team Offensive Player of the Year honors at Loyola … Named the 2018 CIF SS Championship game MVP … Named to the 2018 Mission League Second Team … Played club lacrosse for the West Coast Starz and Santa Monica Dragons … Graduated Cum Laude from Loyola … Four-year writer for the Loyalist, student newspaper … Rising Above Disabilities camp counselor … Served as a Loyola HS Big Brother.
 
Joey Graham | Attack | Washington, D.C. | Landon School
Four-year letterwinner at Landon … Served as captain … 2019 All-Conference and All-State Honorable Mention selection … Led 2019 team in points … Led 2017 team to an IAC league title and first-place finish in the country … Invited to try out for the Team USA U19 team … Played club lacrosse for Next Level Lacrosse … Also played hockey at Landon … 2019 and 2020 All-Conference Team honoree in hockey … Received 2020 All-State Honorable Mention honors in hockey.
 
Liam Griffiths | Attack | New Canaan, Conn. | Deerfield Academy/New Canaan
Four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at New Canaan … One-year letterwinner at Deerfield … Served as captain at New Canaan in 2020 … Three-time Under Armour All-American … 2021 leading goal scorer at Deerfield … 2019 All-FCIAC First Team selection … Named to the 2019 All-State Second Team … 2019 leading scorer at New Canaan … 2018 All-FCIAC-East Team selection … Led Deerfield to the 2021 National Championship title … 2019 FCIAC Champions at New Canaan … Played club lacrosse for Eclipse Lacrosse Club … Founded organization in support of younger sister Kaleigh's cancer battle … Mentored student-athletes and coached lacrosse at P.S.76 in Harlem … Volunteer at local church and Horizons summer program for underprivileged children.
 
Lucas Hilsenrath | Attack | Potomac, Md. | Bullis/Walt Whitman HS
Three-year letterwinner and starter at Walt Whitman … One-year letterwinner and starter at Bullis … Named to the All-Country First Team freshman and sophomore years … Received Team MVP honors as a sophomore … Named the Team Offensive MVP as a freshman … C. Markland Kelly Award finalist … Played club lacrosse for D.C. Express … Also a two-year letterwinner in football … Five-time varsity scholar athlete at Whitman … Honor Roll recipient … Volunteered Teens Helping Seniors, Wreaths Across American, D.C. Central Kitchen and canned food drives.
 
Finn Leschly | Midfield | Atherton, Calif. | Menlo School
Four-year letterwinner at Menlo … Two-time captain … 2020 Adrenaline All-American … Named to the 2019 Under Armour All-American Uncommitted Team … Named to the 2018 All-Star Team Naptown and Adrenaline Challenge … 2019 WCAL First-Team All-League and 2018 Second Team selection … Played club lacrosse for ADVNC SF Select and West Coast Starz … Also played football at Menlo … Three-time gold medalist in the National Latin Exam … Received Menlo School Highest Honors … AP Scholar … National Merit Commended Scholar.
 
Martin Nelson | Defense | Minneapolis, Minn. | IMG Academy
Three-year letterwinner at IMG Academy, one-year letterwinner at The Blake School … Received the IMG Ascender/MVP award senior year … Honored with the IMG APD award junior year … Named to the All-Conference First Team and All-Section Honorable Mention Team freshman year … Member of the IMG Mentor Program.
 
Andrew Perry | Midfield | Franklin, Mass. | Moses Brown School
One-year letterwinner and starter at Moses Brown … Three-year letterwinner and starter at Xaverian Brothers HS … Team captain in 2021 … 2021 Under Armour All-American … 2021 Nike National All-Star … 2021 U.S. Lacrosse All-American … Named to the All-Division First Team in 2021 … Received All-State First Team honors in 2021 … Named the 2021 Moses Brown Team MVP … Named to the EMASS All-American First Team in 2019 … 2019 Catholic Conference All-Star … Named the 2019 Xaverian Offensive MVP … Named a 2019 Boston Lax Division I First Team All-American … Named to the 2019 Boston Lax Honorable Mention All-Decade Team … Played club lacrosse for Warrior Elite, Central Kings and Piatelli Central … Also a two-year letterwinner and starter in basketball at Moses Brown …. Received 2019 Boston Herald and Boston Globe All-Scholastic honors … Received 2021 Academic All-State honors … Volunteer at local St. Mary's church.