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Built for the Moment: Will McPartland’s Competitive Edge Fuels His Rise

Built for the Moment: Will McPartland’s Competitive Edge Fuels His Rise

By: Matt Flanagan | SportzWire | August 10, 2026 | Photo courtesy Madelyn Bevan

Will McPartland has already put together the kind of athletic résumé that speaks for itself.

But spend some time around him in a competitive environment, and it doesn’t take long to understand why.

The Scranton Prep standout has established himself as one of the area’s premier multi-sport athletes, earning recognition on both the lacrosse field and football field while building a reputation as a player who embraces competition wherever he finds it.

McPartland was recently named the 2026 NEPA Lacrosse Boys Player of the Year after a huge senior season for Scranton Prep. The midfielder finished with 77 points on 57 goals and 20 assists, helping lead the Cavaliers to their second Wyoming Valley Conference championship and District 2 Class 2A title in three seasons.

The season was even more impressive considering what came before it.

McPartland missed the entire 2025 lacrosse season with a torn ACL. He stayed connected to the program throughout his recovery and returned this spring ready to make an impact. By the end of the year, he had earned WVC Coaches’ Offensive Player of the Year honors and a spot on the 22-player NEPA Lacrosse All-District Team.

He finished his Scranton Prep lacrosse career with 111 goals, 49 assists and 160 points.

His athletic ability extends well beyond lacrosse.

McPartland also earned Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class 3A All-State honors in football, finishing his career with 2,239 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns while adding 1,758 passing yards and 14 touchdowns through the air.

Those numbers show the athlete McPartland is. Watching him train this summer has shown another side of what makes him successful.

In a short time working with him at Flanagan Performance, his competitiveness has been impossible to miss. Put a challenge in front of him, and he responds. Whether it’s a sprint, a drill or simply competing alongside other athletes, McPartland has consistently stepped up.

There is an edge to the way he competes, and when that is combined with his athleticism and the potential he still has to develop, it’s easy to see why his future is exciting.

McPartland will continue his academic and athletic career at Fairfield University, a decision he said came down to more than just lacrosse.

“I picked Fairfield because of the culture of the team and the benefits of the school,” McPartland said. “It felt like the right place for me.”

After everything McPartland has accomplished — and everything he had to overcome just to get back onto the field — Fairfield is getting an athlete who has already shown he can perform when the moment gets big.

But perhaps the simplest way to describe Will McPartland is this:

He competes.

And judging by what he has already accomplished, there are plenty of big moments still ahead.