25 High School Girls' Lacrosse Players to Watch in 2023

Take a look at 25 of the top high school girls’ lacrosse players to watch in 2023. Organized by region, we highlight five players each from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest and West. The players are listed alphabetically by last name.

NORTHEAST

Ava Arceri, Smithtown East (N.Y.), M, Sr.

Older brothers Gerard (Penn State) and Chris (Penn) made their mark as face-off specialists, but Ava Arceri has made a name for herself with her next-level skill set. The Stanford-bound attack, another USA Lacrosse All-American a year ago, is a two-time captain at Smithtown East (N.Y.) where she had 58 goals and 24 assists as a junior and helped lead the Bulls to a county final appearance as a sophomore.

Kaci Benoit, Darien (Conn.), D, Sr.

Benoit is another returning USA Lacrosse All-American for the Blue Wave. The Syracuse commit is adept at both forcing turnovers and pushing transition, allowing that deep and talented Darien attacking unit to do their job, while playing with poise while under pressure. The definition of heart and hustle, Benoit has a terrific lacrosse IQ, is strong and athletic and is a ground ball machine, which makes her elite.

Kylee Colbert, North Shore (N.Y.), M, Sr.

Like Humphrey, Kylee Colbert is the youngest sibling and arguably the best of a Division I lacrosse trio that includes Casey (Stony Brook) and Caitlin (Monmouth). The Boston College-bound senior had 98 goals and 17 assists for North Shore (N.Y.) a year ago, while also being an imposing figure on draw controls. With that terrific combination of a high lacrosse IQ, a quick first step and shot, Colbert is practically an unstoppable attacking force.

Lacey Downey, West Babylon (N.Y.), M, Sr.

Joining Colbert in Chestnut Hill next year is Lacey Downey, another attacking juggernaut out of West Babylon (N.Y.). The senior midfielder led Suffolk County with 121 points from 61 goals and 60 assists, while also racking up 123 ground balls, 94 caused turnovers and 106 draw controls and heads into her senior season having already eclipsed 300 career points. The freak athlete is also an all-county basketball and field hockey player. 

Chloe Humphrey, Darien (Conn.), A, Sr.

Generational talents don’t come around often, so enjoy Chloe Humphrey in Fairfield County while you can before she takes her game to defending national champion North Carolina next year. The USA Lacrosse All-American, who follows her older sister Nicole to Chapel Hill, has an effortless way about her to score in bunches. She led Darien (Conn.) with 74 goals and 26 assists for 100 points last year as the Blue Wave were runners-up for both the FCIAC and CIAC Class L titles.

— Dylan Butler

MID-ATLANTIC

Lydia Colasante, Tatnall (Del.), M, Sr.

Colasante has a combination of speed, stick skills and a competitive fire that separates her from others. The Boston College-bound midfielder’s dodging ability is among the very best. A member of the U.S. U18 Select team, Colasante is an eager student of the game who continues to develop.

Lindsey Devir, Ridgewood (N.J.), M, Sr.

Devir impressed in making the U.S. U18 Select team over the summer. She came off a high school season in which she scored 107 goals and had 23 assists with 67 draw controls. Stanford is thrilled to be adding the all-around midfielder with a high IQ next year.

Bella Goodwin, Pingry (N.J.), M, Sr.

The Duke-bound midfielder makes her presence felt at both ends of the field. A four-sport athlete in high school, she brings boundless energy to the Big Blue, both as a high-pressure defender and a scoring threat. She made a big jump in production last year to rack up 87 goals and 56 assists, 92 draw controls, and 73 ground balls.

Natalie Shurtleff, St. Paul’s (Md.), M, Sr.

Shurtleff exploded onto the scene last year in her first season starting for the Gators. She had 62 goals, 20 assists and 54 draw controls and came up big in the biggest games. Shurtleff can do a bit of everything with a good combination of speed and stick skills while playing with a quiet, calm intensity.

Julia (J.J.) Suriano, Bryn Mawr (Md.), G, Sr.

A safety blanket for the Mawrtians, Suriano has become one of the most reliable goalies in and outside of the crease. The Maryland-bound senior has quick hands and feet, twitch reflexes and pinpoint ball tracking. She made 125 saves last year, stopping 52 percent of shots, and kept Bryn Mawr in the top five in goals allowed in the IAAM.

— Justin Feil

SOUTH

Caroline Byrd, American Heritage-Delray (Fla.), A, Jr.

Even playing alongside one of the top players in the country, Caroline Byrd made her impact felt on the field. She scored 45 goals and added 39 assists to help American-Heritage Delray to an 18-3 season. With star teammate Carli Fleisher now at Northwestern, Byrd is poised to play an even bigger role in the offense.

Taylor Lapointe, Steinbrenner (Fla.), M, Sr.

After scoring 54 goals and adding 19 assists a year ago, Taylor Lapointe is ready for her final year before heading to Northwestern. The former gymnast is also strong with draws.

Maeve Simonds, Milton (Ga.), A, Sr.

Maeve Simonds was Milton’s leading scorer a year ago. She is a senior Ohio State commit. As her coach Tim Godby said, “Maeve does it all for us. She gets possession for us on the circle, plays great defense, and is a solid scorer on offense.”

Alexa Vega, Vero Beach (Fla.), A, Sr.

Alexa Vega is back for her final year after being named an All-American two years in a row. In addition to midfield duties, she will also step in and take draws. Additionally, Vega is a member of Puerto Rico’s national team.

Madilyn Wargo, Weddington (N.C.), G, Jr.

Weddington made an impressive offseason pickup by adding junior goalie Madilyn Wargo to its roster. She is coming over from Charlotte Latin (N.C.) after making 66 saves on 157 shots against a year ago. Coach Robert Salminen called her “a powerful addition to the team.” She’ll see her former team March 9.

— Justin Boggs

MIDWEST

Sarah Beth Burns, Kentucky Country Day (Ky.), M, Sr.

The Most Valuable Player from last year’s Kentucky Scholastic Lacrosse League tournament, Burns capped the 2022 season with a hat trick in her team’s 7-5 state championship victory. Coming off a stellar junior season in which she tallied 92 goals, 60 assists, 93 groundballs and 127 draw controls, Burns is unquestionably one of the Midwest’s top threats.

Mileena Cotter, Salem (Mich.), M, Jr.

One of 150 players invited to compete in the National Teams Development Program Combine by USA Lacrosse, Cotter has established herself as one of the country’s top prospects. The Syracuse commit can do it all, mixing plenty of scoring with an ability to facilitate and defend.

Cate Isaacson, Thomas Worthington (Ohio), A, Sr.

Isaacson has made quite a name for herself, including back-to-back seasons with 100-plus draw controls and at least 68 goals. The Florida commit boasts stellar footwork and speed, to go with a relentless attacking mentality.

Kennedy Meier, New Trier (Ill.), M, Sr.

The Michigan commit played a huge role in the Trevians’ state title last season, tallying a program-record 150 draw controls. An all-state standout as a sophomore and junior, Meier is a versatile player. In addition to her success in the circle, Meier recorded 40 goals, 39 groundballs, 24 assists and 19 caused turnovers.

Victoria Tomalia, Carmel (Ind.), M, Sr.

Per Greyhounds coach Josh Miller, Tomalia is “solid on both sides of the ball” and is both an “excellent dodger” and “tenacious defender.” The UConn commit tallied 53 goals, 28 assists and 85 draw controls last season.

— Jonah Rosenblum

WEST

Cate Alexander, La Jolla (Calif.), M/D, Sr.

A player who excels on both ends of the field, Alexander scored 40 goals over two San Diego championship seasons while also playing lockdown defense. She’s been a part of several national teams and is headed to Cal-Berkeley next year.

Dakota Cristo, St. Ignatius Prep (Calif.), M, Jr.

An aggressive, scrappy player, Cristo can play almost anywhere on the field and her versatility makes her a valuable asset for St. Ignatius Prep. She’s committed to Penn State.

Piper Daskalos, Jesuit-Portland (Ore.), Att., Sr.

A lefty who can use both hands, Daskalos brings great field vision that makes her an effective scorer and passer. She totaled 62 goals and 21 assists as a junior, and she’s headed to John Hopkins next year.

Charlotte Morton, Cherry Creek (Colo.), G, Jr.

A forward in soccer for nearly a decade, Morton brings a unique skillset to the goalie position on the lacrosse field. The speed and agility that used to help her score goals in soccer now help her be aggressive as a lacrosse goalie going outside the crease and reacting quickly with her hands and feet under pressure. Morton is committed to USC.

Eliza Osburn, Valor Christian (Colo.), M, Jr.

Ranked as Inside Lacrosse’s top recruit for the Class of 2024, Osburn stands out in a lot of ways. She’s good on the draw, and she’s a two-way midfielder who can score and play defense. Osburn, who is committed to North Carolina, finished last season with 68 goals, 13 assists, 81 ground balls and 20 caused turnovers.

— Laurel Pfahler