Nate Kabiri entered Princeton as one of the highest-ranked lacrosse recruits in his class and quickly became a consistent source of goals and assists. Across his first three college seasons, the attackman increased his scoring total from 57 to 61 and then to 87 points.
His junior year in 2026 brought the clearest picture of his development. Kabiri tied for the Division I points lead, received national and Ivy League honors, and helped Princeton win its first NCAA men’s lacrosse championship since 2001.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Position | Attack |
| Team | Princeton Tigers |
| Jersey number | No. 2 |
| Hometown | McLean, Virginia |
| Height | 6 feet 1 inch |
| 2026 statistics | 39 goals, 48 assists, and 87 points |
| Career totals through 2026 | 103 goals, 102 assists and 205 points |
| Major 2026 achievement | NCAA champion and Tewaaraton Award finalist |
Episcopal and Georgetown Prep Shaped His High-School Career
Kabiri spent his first two high-school seasons at Episcopal High School in Virginia. Princeton’s record of his background credits him with helping Episcopal win the 2021 Virginia state championship. He also received first-team all-state and team MVP recognition that year.
He moved to Georgetown Prep for his junior and senior seasons. Kabiri later told The Daily Princetonian that the players welcomed him into their friendship group and the lacrosse program, helping him adjust to a new school and team.
His final Georgetown Prep season produced several major achievements. The team won the 2023 Interstate Athletic Conference championship, while Kabiri received IAC Player of the Year honors and the C. Markland Kelly Award. The Washington Post named him its 2023 All-Met Boys’ Lacrosse Player of the Year after reporting that he finished the season with 40 goals and 28 assists.
That high-school record established him as one of the leading players in the 2023 recruiting class. Inside Lacrosse eventually ranked him No. 3 nationally among players in that group.
Kabiri Changed His Commitment From Georgetown to Princeton
Kabiri’s college recruitment did not follow a straight line. He initially committed to Georgetown University but changed his mind and committed to Princeton during his junior year of high school.
Inside Lacrosse reported the decision on May 28, 2022, after Kabiri personally confirmed the change. His later arrival at Princeton also reunited him with Georgetown Prep teammate Colin Burns, with whom he had already developed an established playing relationship.
Kabiri’s positional development was another important part of his move toward college lacrosse. He played midfield earlier in high school before shifting to attack. In an Inside Lacrosse interview, he identified his change of direction as one of the tools he used to create an advantage against defenders.
The change placed him in the position he would occupy throughout his first three Princeton seasons. Rather than operating primarily as a scorer, his subsequent college statistics showed a balance between finishing chances and creating opportunities for teammates.
Immediate Production Established His Role at Princeton
Kabiri started every Princeton game as a freshman in 2024. He recorded 32 goals and 25 assists in 16 appearances, for 57 points. That total placed him second on the team in scoring, while his 25 assists led Princeton.
The final Princeton statistics provide the most reliable total for that season. A later Daily Princetonian feature listed 24 assists, but the university’s cumulative record gives him 25.
His production increased in 2025. Kabiri again started every game, finishing 17 appearances with 32 goals and 29 assists. His 61 points represented a four-point improvement, and he led the Tigers in assists for a second consecutive year.
The season also brought wider recognition. Kabiri was selected to the All-Ivy second team and received honorable-mention All-American recognition from the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.
By the end of his sophomore year, he had produced consecutive seasons with at least 30 goals and 25 assists. He had also started all 33 games available to him over those first two campaigns.
Consistency and Team Chemistry Supported His Development
Kabiri has discussed his college development mainly through the demands of Princeton’s team environment. He told The Daily Princetonian that his recruiting class arrived with high expectations, but the coaches reminded the players that they still had to prove themselves each day.
He also credited older teammates Bear Lockshin, Pace Billings and Michael Gianforcaro with making the transition easier. Kabiri described them as supportive senior figures who expressed confidence in him and Burns before games.
His long partnership with Burns remained part of Princeton’s attacking structure. In a March 2025 interview with Town Topics, Kabiri said their familiarity helped them move effectively together. He also credited Colter Mackesy with drawing defensive attention, circulating the ball, and improving the players around him.
Those relationships operated alongside specific adjustments to Kabiri’s own game. After Princeton defeated Harvard on March 22, 2025, he said better spacing and planned offensive actions helped him recover from a scoreless first half. He contributed four points in the game, scoring twice and providing two assists.
At that stage of his sophomore season, Kabiri said he aimed to become more consistent and aggressive while continuing to work within the team offense. His year-by-year figures later provided a measurable record of that progression.
His 87 Points Tied the Division I Lead in 2026
Kabiri’s largest statistical advance came during his junior season. He started 19 games in 2026 and recorded 39 goals, 48 assists and 87 points, along with 38 ground balls.
The 48 assists were a career high and accounted for more than half of his points. His final total tied Syracuse attacker Joey Spallina for the Division I lead.
Kabiri ended the season with 205 career points through three years at Princeton. Those points consisted of 103 goals and 102 assists. He and Michael Sowers were the only Princeton players to have reached at least 100 in both categories. He ranked eighth in Princeton career points and fifth in career assists after the championship season.
He also became the first Princeton player to record at least 30 goals and 25 assists in three different seasons. His consecutive point totals—57, 61 and 87—showed a consistent base followed by a substantial junior-year increase.
Some Princeton material contained minor numerical inconsistencies as the postseason progressed. Articles published before the championship naturally reported lower totals, while one later retrospective cited 89 points. The final cumulative statistics, NCAA records, and the sum of 39 goals and 48 assists all confirm the correct season total: 87 points.
Seven Points in the Ivy Final Brought Tournament Recognition
Princeton entered the 2026 postseason with Kabiri occupying a central role in its offense. That was particularly clear during the Ivy League tournament final against Cornell on May 3.
Kabiri recorded two goals and five assists in the championship game, directly contributing to seven Princeton goals. The Tigers won the tournament and secured the Ivy League’s automatic place in the NCAA field.
His performance resulted in his selection as the Ivy League tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He was also named to the tournament team.
The wider conference honors covered more than one weekend. The Ivy League selected Kabiri as a unanimous first-team All-Ivy attackman for the 2026 season, moving him from the second-team recognition he had received a year earlier.
Princeton’s NCAA Title Run Completed His Junior Season
Princeton received the top overall ranking in the 2026 NCAA tournament field. Kabiri opened the national postseason with three goals and five assists against Marist, matching Princeton tournament records for assists in a game and placing among its leading single-game point performances.
He continued to contribute as the Tigers advanced through the bracket. Kabiri produced three goals and two assists in the semifinal victory over Duke, which sent Princeton into the national championship game against Notre Dame.
The final took place on May 25, 2026. Kabiri recorded one goal and three assists as Princeton defeated Notre Dame 16–9. The victory delivered the program’s seventh NCAA championship and ended a title wait that had lasted since 2001.
Across Princeton’s four NCAA tournament wins, he totaled seven goals and 12 assists. His postseason work earned him a place on the NCAA All-Tournament Team alongside Princeton teammates Colin Burns, Ryan Croddick, Chad Palumbo and Tucker Wade.
Kabiri did not win the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award; that honor went to Princeton goalkeeper Ryan Croddick. His own contribution was built around balanced production, with assists again forming an important part of his impact.
National and Academic Honors Followed the Championship
Kabiri was announced as one of five finalists for the 2026 Tewaaraton Award, which recognizes the leading players in college lacrosse. He joined Owen Duffy, Willem Firth, Shawn Lyght and Joey Spallina among the men’s finalists.
Lyght, a Notre Dame defender, ultimately won the award on May 28. Kabiri’s finalist status still placed him among the season’s nationally recognized players.
Different organizations also selected their own All-American teams. USA Lacrosse placed Kabiri on its first team, USILA selected him for its second team, and Inside Lacrosse named him to its third team. These different placements reflect separate voting processes rather than conflicting records.
His recognition extended beyond playing honors. College Sports Communicators selected Kabiri for the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men’s at-large Academic All-America second team in July 2026. The announcement confirmed the academic distinction but did not include Kabiri’s GPA or major.
Kabiri Combined Sustained Production With a Championship Season
Through three Princeton seasons, Kabiri established a record of consistent scoring and playmaking, culminating in his 87-point championship campaign.
His junior year brought the Ivy League tournament’s top individual honor, a share of the Division I points lead, multiple All-American selections, and a place among the five Tewaaraton finalists. It ended with four points in the NCAA final and Princeton’s first national title in 25 years.
At the close of that season, Kabiri had 205 career points and remained an active Princeton player. His first three college seasons had already combined sustained individual production with major team success.