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In our newest feature, “Beyond the Northeast,” we take a look at college commitments by standouts from beyond the nation’s No. 1 hotbed for lacrosse, the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tristate region.

Today, we travel to Oregon for the first time.

Portland, Ore., to be precise, and Lincoln High School.

That’s where Ben Paris plays.

Paris, a defenseman, is the prototype of the player most responsible for the rapid growth of the game beyond the Northeast and traditional hotbeds. He is an outstanding athlete who also excels in football and thrives on the synergies between the two sports.

The righty runs a 4.84 in the 40-yard dash and bench-presses 235 pounds.

So perhaps it’s appropriate that the 6-foot, 175-pound Paris’ college choice for lacrosse is a program that’s known for football: Michigan.

You can watch his highlight reel here.

Now, here’s a Q&A with Ben on his commitment.

What were the main factors in your decision?
Tradition of the school, coaches, and amount of money being put into the program by the university

What other schools were you considering and what schools did you visit?
Georgetown, Loyola, Marquette and Harvard.

What are your strengths as a player and how would you describe your style of play?
I pride myself on having great footwork because playing defense is feet first, stick second. I’m a conservative player but not afraid to knock kids over with my football background.

What area of your game do you need to work on?
Stick skills for sure I need to work on, specifically developing my left hand. Also my communication could always be better.

How did you get introduced to lacrosse and what other sports have you played?
I’ve played football lacrosse and basketball since third grade. But last year my sophomore year I decided not to play basketball and to use that time for lifting.

I am a big football player and lacrosse player now, love those two sports.
What travel team do you play on what showcase events did you participate in?

I play on The West Coast Starz national team as well as the Rotten Cheeseburgers (RC). I have played at the Adrenaline Black Card Showcase, Adrenaline High Rollers and Adrenaline Showcase (Sonoma).

Any final thoughts?
I would like to thank my parents first of all for everything they have done for me throughout this journey. And also thank my high school coach Will Harris, and my club coach Jono Zissi, and my Rhino club coaches Ryan Powell and Alex Tillson for getting me to where I need to be to play Division I lacrosse.