Best of Lacrosse 2023: Meet the Nominees

Every December, our Best of Lacrosse series aims to celebrate the previous year of the sport. Every year, we need your help to make it possible.

2023 was defined by dominance, both on individual and team levels. Northwestern would not have run roughshod through its competition without Izzy Scane, and Notre Dame might not have completed its first-ever national championship run without the title game exploits of Liam Entenmann.

From high school to college to the pros, 2023 offered lacrosse fans of all generations something to celebrate.

Now, we need your help to determine the best of the best.

Beginning Monday, Dec. 4, you can vote on X (formerly Twitter) to determine winners in 15 #BestOfLax categories. We’ll reveal a new category and new poll every weekday through Friday, Dec. 22. You’ll have 24 hours each day to gather your friends and vote for your favorite player, team, personality and more. The nominees might even get in on the action, too.

Follow all month long at USALaxMagazine.com and on social media (@USALacrosseMag on X and Instagram) as we bid farewell to 2023.

Check out the categories and nominees below, along with the date each poll will go live on X. 

Thank you, lacrosse world, for making 2023 so memorable!

CATEGORIES

BEST GAME MON 12/4

— Notre Dame vs. Maryland (M)
— Denver vs. North Carolina (W)
— Albany vs. Virginia (W)
— Archers vs. Waterdogs

BEST BREAKTHROUGH TUE 12/5

— Denver (W)
— Michigan (M)
— Notre Dame (M)
— Pace (W)

BEST IN CONTENT WED 12/6

— Caleb Hammett aka The Drip King
— Mitchell Pehlke
— Kait Devir
— Tari Kandemiri and Amari Pollard

BEST LACROSSE CAMEO THU 12/7

— Deion Sanders
— Russell Wilson
— Stefon Diggs
— Bill Walton

BEST BREAKOUT FRI 12/8

— Sammy White, Northwestern
— Asher Nolting, Cannons
— Mckenna Davis, Boston College
— Russell Melendez, Johns Hopkins/Puerto Rico

BEST TEAM CELLY MON 12/11

— Army (M)
— Jacksonville (W)
— Notre Dame (W)
— Syracuse (W)

BEST WOMEN’S HIGHLIGHT TUE 12/12

— Erin Coykendall, Northwestern
— Shea Dolce, Boston College
— Maeve Tobin, Temple
— Trinity McPherson, Denver

BEST MEN’S HIGHLIGHT WED 12/13

— Anderson Moore, Briarwood Christian (Ala.)
— Brian Ruppel, Maryland
— Joey Spallina, Syracuse
— Jake Taylor, Notre Dame

BEST COMEBACK STORY THU 12/14

— TJ Malone, Penn State
— Kylie Ohlmiller, Athletes Unlimited
— Izzy Scane, Northwestern
— Ryan Scoble, Mercyhurst

BEST IN CLUTCH FRI 12/15

— Kasey Choma, Notre Dame
— Molly Laliberty, Northwestern
— Tom Schreiber, Archers
— Brian Tevlin, Notre Dame

BEST IN SHOW MON 12/18

— Taylor Claggett, “Jeopardy”
— Noelle Lambert, “Survivor”
— Notre Dame, “The Pat McAfee Show”
— “New Heights” Podcast

BEST WOMEN’S PERFORMANCE TUE 12/19

— Meaghan Tyrrell vs. Maryland
— Allison Reilly vs. Navy
— Izzy Scane vs. Notre Dame
— Sam Thacker vs. Marquette

BEST MEN’S PERFORMANCE WED 12/20

— Brennan O'Neill vs. Canada
— Liam Entenmann vs. Duke
— Jack Boyden vs. Amherst
— Brayden Brown vs. Taravella (Fla.)

BEST MEN’S PLAYER THU 12/21

— Pat Kavanagh, Notre Dame
— Brennan O'Neill, Duke/USA
— Tom Schreiber, Rock/Archers
— Dhane Smith, Bandits/Chaos

BEST WOMEN’S PLAYER FRI 12/22

— Sam Apuzzo, Athletes Unlimited
— Taylor Moreno, Athletes Unlimited
— Izzy Scane, Northwestern
— Meaghan Tyrrell, Syracuse