Benjamin School senior Jayden Vega has been named the USA Lacrosse High School Boys’ South Player of the Year, capping off a historic season that saw the Buccaneers claim their second straight Florida state championship.
A prolific scorer and dynamic playmaker, Vega finished the season with 81 goals and 65 assists, one of the top offensive outputs in the nation. He saved some of his best play for the biggest stage, recording five goals and three assists in Benjamin’s 14-11 win over St. Andrew’s in the FHSAA Class 1A state title game.
Vega’s dominance helped guide Benjamin to a near-perfect season and a No. 1 ranking in the USA Lacrosse South Top 10. Nationally, the Buccaneers finished No. 17 in the USA Lacrosse National Top 25, a reflection of the team’s consistency and competitive strength throughout the year.
The South Player of the Year honor adds to Vega’s growing list of accomplishments and highlights the role he played in turning Benjamin into one of the top programs in the state. Beyond his scoring prowess, Vega was a vocal leader and a dependable presence in high-pressure moments, often drawing the opposing team’s top defender and still managing to deliver game-changing performances.
Vega is also a standout football player and will continue his athletic career at Brown University, where he plans to play both lacrosse and football — a rare dual-sport commitment at the Division I level. His physicality, speed, and field awareness have translated seamlessly across both sports.
He won’t be heading to Providence alone. Faceoff specialist Dylan Furshman, who also earned a spot on the USA Lacrosse All-South Team, will join Vega at Brown. Furshman was a crucial part of Benjamin’s success, helping the team control possession and set the tone in key games. The Benjamin-to-Brown pipeline continues to grow, as standout long-stick midfielder Jake Ivancevic has also committed to Brown. Ivancevic will return for his senior season next year, anchoring a defense that loses Vega and Furshman but remains loaded with talent.
