Around this time every year, dozens of parents of high school prospects ask IL's Terry Foy some version of the question, "How does recruiting work?"

In an effort to round out that answer, he's interviewing a series of DI men's lacrosse coaches about their process, continuing with Fairfield head coach Andrew Baxter.

Entering year seven as the Stags' head coach, Baxter is coming off of his best season yet and had arguably built his best recruiting class with the ’26s. But make no mistake — he didn't recruit that group on the back of his team's on-field success; they were verballed before the season started. It suggests a coach who's gotten comfortable in his surroundings.