What are the criteria for becoming a USA Lacrosse All-American. How does the selection process work for high school lacrosse awards. Which players and coaches received top honors in recent seasons.
USA Lacrosse All-American Awards: Honoring the Best in High School Lacrosse
The USA Lacrosse All-American award is one of the most prestigious honors a high school lacrosse player can receive. This recognition celebrates exceptional athletes who demonstrate outstanding skills on the field while also excelling academically and exhibiting admirable character off the field.
USA Lacrosse bestows All-American status annually to a select group of high school boys and girls lacrosse players across the country. The award acknowledges not just athletic prowess, but also sportsmanship, academic achievement, and community involvement.
Criteria for All-American Selection
To be considered for All-American honors, players must meet several key criteria:
- Exceptional lacrosse skills and on-field performance
- Strong academic record
- Exemplary sportsmanship and character
- Involvement in school and community activities
- Nomination by their high school coach
The selection process involves careful evaluation by regional committees composed of experienced coaches and lacrosse administrators. These committees review nominations and select the most deserving candidates based on their overall contributions to the sport and their communities.
Recent All-American Honorees: Spotlight on Rising Lacrosse Stars
In recent seasons, several talented young athletes have earned the coveted All-American title. Let’s take a closer look at some standout players who have received this honor:
Johnny Soi – Rondout Valley High School
Johnny Soi, a senior midfielder from Rondout Valley High School in New York, was named an All-American for his exceptional performance during the 2023 season. Soi’s selection highlights his versatility and impact on both ends of the field.
Landon Zehr – Highland High School
Landon Zehr, a junior goalie from Highland High School, also in New York, earned All-American honors, showcasing his outstanding shot-stopping abilities and leadership between the pipes. Zehr’s recognition underscores the importance of strong defensive play in lacrosse.
Beyond All-American: Additional High School Lacrosse Awards
While All-American status is the pinnacle of individual recognition, USA Lacrosse and regional organizations offer several other awards to acknowledge excellence in high school lacrosse:
All-Academic Team
The All-Academic team recognizes players who excel both on the field and in the classroom. This honor emphasizes the importance of balancing athletic and academic pursuits. Recent honorees include:
- Colin McCartney – Wallkill High School
- Landon Zehr – Highland High School (also an All-American)
Coach of the Year
This award celebrates outstanding leadership and success in coaching high school lacrosse. The 2023 Coach of the Year for the featured region was Rich Saulino of Red Hook High School, whose team finished with an impressive 14-3 record.
Regional All-Star Teams: Recognizing Top Talent at Every Level
In addition to national awards, many regions and sections compile all-star teams to highlight top performers across different school size classifications. These selections provide valuable recognition for players who may not reach All-American status but still demonstrate exceptional skill and leadership.
Section 9 Small School (Class C and D) First Team
The Section 9 Small School first team in New York features outstanding players from smaller high schools. Red Hook High School dominated the selections with six players named to the squad:
- Mikey Mrzyglod (Attack)
- Brady Kelly (Attack)
- Gabe Gravino (Midfield)
- Landon Ramsey (Defense)
- Matt Mullins (Defense)
- Nate Strassberger (Face-off Midfield)
Other notable first-team selections include:
- Tyson Meade (Defense) – Rondout Valley
- Miles Soper (Defense) – New Paltz
Class A and B Large School First Team
For larger schools in Classes A and B, the following players earned first-team honors:
- Tyson DeLisio (Attack) – Kingston
- Richie Martinez (Attack) – Wallkill
- Colin McCartney (Midfield) – Wallkill
The Impact of High School Lacrosse Awards on Player Development
Receiving recognition through All-American status, all-star team selections, or other awards can have a significant impact on a young lacrosse player’s development and future opportunities. These honors often lead to:
- Increased confidence and motivation
- Greater visibility to college recruiters
- Leadership opportunities within their team and community
- A sense of accomplishment and validation of their hard work
However, it’s important to note that these awards should not be the sole focus of a player’s high school lacrosse experience. The primary goals should always be personal growth, teamwork, and a love for the game.
Promoting Lacrosse Growth: Initiatives Beyond Individual Awards
While individual awards play a crucial role in recognizing talent, organizations like USA Lacrosse and state-level associations also focus on broader initiatives to grow the sport and provide opportunities for young athletes.
Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League (TGHSLL)
The TGHSLL serves as an excellent example of how regional organizations can support and promote lacrosse at the high school level. Their goals include:
- Unifying and promoting women’s lacrosse programs across Texas
- Providing education and development opportunities
- Supporting local high school programs
- Encouraging youth players to continue participation at the high school level
- Honoring players, coaches, and officials who inspire high regard for the game
Organizations like TGHSLL play a vital role in creating a supportive ecosystem for high school lacrosse, complementing the individual recognition provided by awards and all-star selections.
The Future of High School Lacrosse Recognition
As lacrosse continues to grow in popularity across the United States, the landscape of high school awards and recognition is likely to evolve. Some potential trends and developments to watch for include:
- Increased regional diversity in All-American selections
- New categories of awards to recognize specialized skills or positions
- Greater integration of technology in the nomination and selection processes
- Enhanced media coverage and visibility for award winners
- Expansion of programs to honor coaches, officials, and other contributors to high school lacrosse
These potential changes aim to ensure that the recognition system remains relevant and inclusive as the sport continues to develop and expand its reach across different regions and demographics.
Nurturing the Next Generation of Lacrosse Stars
High school lacrosse awards and recognition programs serve as important milestones in young athletes’ careers. However, the true value of these honors lies in their ability to inspire and motivate players to continue their growth both on and off the field.
As we celebrate the achievements of All-Americans, all-star team members, and other award recipients, it’s crucial to remember that these accolades represent just one aspect of a player’s journey. The lessons learned, friendships formed, and personal growth experienced throughout a high school lacrosse career often prove far more valuable than any individual honor.
By fostering a supportive environment that balances healthy competition with character development and academic excellence, the high school lacrosse community can continue to produce well-rounded athletes who will become the sport’s future stars, coaches, and ambassadors.
As lacrosse expands its reach and influence across the country, the importance of recognizing and nurturing young talent becomes even more critical. Programs like the USA Lacrosse All-American awards and regional all-star teams play a vital role in this process, shining a spotlight on the best and brightest high school players while inspiring others to strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives.
Rondout Valley’s Johnny Soi, Highland’s Landon Zehr named All-Americans – Daily Freeman
KINGSTON, N.Y. — Rondout Valley High’s Johnny Soi and Highland’s Landon Zehr were named All-Americans by USA Lacrosse.
The award is given annually to high school boys lacrosse players for their accomplishments on the field, in the classroom and in the community. A USA Lacrosse All-American is one of
the best players within their respective areas, while also embodying excellent sportsmanship.
Red Hook’s Rich Saulino was named Coach of the Year and Wallkill’s Colin McCartney and Zehr earned All-Academic honors.
Soi, a senior midfielder, was also selected to the Section 9 Small School (Class C and D) first-team all-star unit named by area coaches. Zehr, a junior goalie, was also a member of the Class C and D first team.
Red Hook High landed six players on the first team Small School all-star squad to lead all area schools.
Red Hook players to make the first team were Mikey Mrzyglod (attack), Brady Kelly (attack), Gabe Gravino (midfield), Landon Ramsey (defense), Matt Mullins (defense) and Nate Strassberger (face-off midfield).
The Raiders finished the season with a 14-3 mark after losing 14-10 in the Section 9 Class C title game to Our Lady of Lourdes on Saturday.
Also named to the Class C and D first team were Rondout Valley’s Tyson Meade (defense) and New Paltz’s Miles Soper (defense).
Landon MacDougall (attack) and Dave Morris (close defense) of Saugerties were selected to the Class C and D second team.
Rondout Valley’s Connor Slinsky (attack), Preston Demorest (close defense), Aiden Demorest (face-off midfield), Tristan Post (long stick midfield) and Reid Wogan (short stick defensive
midfield) were also picked for the second team along with New Paltz’s Cole Cuppett (midfield), Mark DiDonna (midfield) and Cooper Driscol (close defense). Red Hook’s John Macri (midfield) also made the second team.
Local athletes named Class C and D honorable mentions were Jack Powers (attack), Oscar Cline (attack), Logan Ormand (attack), Cain Osarczuk (goalie) and Caden Shuman (short stick defensive midfield) of New Paltz and Red Hook’s James Hennig (attack), Jackson Taylor (close defense), Yoav Alperson (goalie), Sawyer Smith (long stick defensive midfield) and Harrison Brown (short stick midfield).
Highland’s Logan Davis (attack), Ben Canino (midfield), Luke Weise (midfield) and Maison Bragg (long stick midfield) were also honorable mention picks.
Kingston’s Tyson DeLisio (attack) and Wallkill’s Richie Martinez (attack) and McCartney (midfield) were named to the Class A and B Large School first-team all-star squad.
Tavon Mejias (close defense) of Kingston and Wallkill’s John Caravan (attack) and Carson Frisbee (close defense) were second-team choices on the Class A and B squad.
Chase Fromson (midfield) and Michael Stalter (long stick midfield) of Kington were honorable mentions along with Wallkill’s Ian Rodriguez (close defense) and Mason Ondreyko (face-off midfield).
Editor’s note: This story was updated May 30, 2023, at 2:10 p.m. to correct the last name of New Paltz player Miles Soper.
Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League
Texas Girls in the News
Harper Jones, Ava Valdez and Mae Flanagan are named as standouts at Sandstorm!
2023 TGHSLL State Champions
Congratulations to DI Champ Hockaday!
Congratulations to DII Champ Keller!
Congratulations to DIII Champ Bishop Lynch!
2022 USA Lacrosse All American Award Winners
2023 TGHSLL State Tournament
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Texas Girls High School Lacrosse League
TGHSLL is a High School sports organization dedicated to promoting the sport of Lacrosse for young women in 9th-12th grade in the state of Texas.
TGHSLL will support all local area high school lacrosse programs, and encourage youth players to continue their participation at the high school level.
The Goals of TGHSLL are:
To unify, promote, and provide programs and services to the players, coaches, officials and administrators of HS. women’s lacrosse in Texas.
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Serve as a geographic focal point for the education and development of lacrosse, and bringing lacrosse programs & services to members in our each of our districts.
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Actively and consistently communicate to chapter members.
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Serving as the unbiased, umbrella support organization to grow women’s lacrosse across the great state of Texas
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Honoring players, coaches, and officials whose skill and conduct on the field inspire a high regard for the game of lacrosse
Call to Action/Volunteer Form
TGHSLL is actively seeking volunteers for several positions and committees.
Please use this link to apply
Upcoming Events for HS Girls Lacrosse
A listing of events & opportunities for Texas Lacrosse Players
All America Lacrosse-Southwest Tryouts
Dallas Tryout, 5/20/2023 Parrish SchoolNike/xcelerate Lacrosse Camp-Houston
Day Camp for girls age 14-18. June 5-8 2023USAL National Teams Development Program Tryouts
The NTDP is a pipeline to the Senior National Teams and offers an opportunity for players to compete with the best in the country. The regional tryouts are one-day, 180-minute evaluations. The top 150 players will be invited to the National Combine, hosted in Maryland in August, and eventually 44 women will be named to the USA Select Teams to compete against international competition in October
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Team Texas is having a great run at the WNT! Go Houston!
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Lacrosse Hall of Fame also! Jim Brown, NFL legend and Hall of Famer, has died at 87 – https://t.
co/hieeJV5c7V
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@MJW_Tx https://t.co/CUjFSD2DXl
Join the conversation
Contact TGHSLL
People who will change everything: 5 schools in the US that train the leaders of tomorrow
Resumes mentioning these schools do not stay on the desks of human resources directors of the largest international companies. Students on these campuses become key figures in the world of science, business, art and sports. Five American schools, within the walls of which study turns into something more than just getting knowledge.
Phillips Academy Andover
If the experts in secondary education were to choose the most valuable brand in America, most of them would undoubtedly vote for Phillips Academy Andover. Year after year, ratings give this educational institution near Boston the palm in the US private boarding school dispute.
For more than 2 centuries of operation, Phillips Academy Andover has become synonymous with elite education.
The list of famous graduates of the school inspires awe, and the very fact of entering here seems to guarantee a pass to the circle of the powerful.
“Andover meets you where you are now and takes you where you want to go,” says the official website of the establishment. The school really provides almost limitless opportunities for the realization of cognitive ambitions. Students can create an individual plan of more than 300 courses. Some of them correspond to the degree of specialization of the magistracy, if not doctoral studies. Studying the history of the Vikings, the literature of post-colonial India, traces of life in interstellar space, the relationship between human behavior and the availability of water resources: how do you like this level of immersion in your favorite topic?
Phillips Exeter Academy
“Studying here will change your life,” the Philips Exeter Academy brochure promises. Scientists, journalists, designers, engineers, businessmen who once graduated from the walls of this prestigious school in New Hampshire lived very different lives, but they agree on one thing: it was here that they were taught to take a keen interest in the world around them and ask the right questions.
Every voice counts, Philips Exeter Academy says. Back in the 30s of the last century, lessons began to be held here at the oval table, so that learning took place in the form of a dialogue, and the teacher and students were on an equal footing. The famous Harkness table, named after the philanthropist Edward Harkness, who introduced this democratic teaching method, is still a key element of the school’s philosophy.
Mark Zuckerberg, the future founder of Facebook, also worked at such an oval table. In an interview, he called his brainchild “a platform for all ideas.” Most likely, it was the ideals of Philips Exeter Academy that inspired him: the global social network in his understanding was to become a virtual Harkness table for millions of people.
Lawrenceville School
Children achieve more when they are surrounded by care and support, according to Lawrenceville School. A family-friendly, trusting atmosphere is in the DNA of this New Jersey private school near Princeton University.
For over 200 years, Lawrenceville School has nurtured some of America’s most inquisitive minds. In the 19th century, for the first time in the country, the study of foreign languages was introduced into the curriculum, and today dozens of a wide variety of scientific disciplines, sports and creative activities are offered.
Getting to Lawrenceville School, each student becomes part of one of twenty houses: small associations of schoolchildren within a large school community. Each house has its own council, flag, and distinctive colors. Each of them has its own teaching staff. Houses compete for awards in scientific and sports competitions.
The school’s philosophy is reflected in its campus, which was designed by New York’s Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted. He singled out a separate building for each house, but they are all concentrated around the central square – The Circle.
The house system at Lawrenceville School is revered, believed to create a sense of belonging.
“Which house were you in?” – this is perhaps the first question that will be asked at the meeting of graduates.
Hotchkiss School
Hotchkiss School was founded at the end of the 19th century to prepare boys for admission to Yale University. “The duty of the student is first to become a gentleman, then a scientist, then, if possible, an athlete,” declared the school magazine 1893 years. More than a century later, Hotchkiss School is open to both girls and children from all over the world, but its values - respect for the individual, encouragement of intellectual search, discipline, character – remain unshakable to this day.
More than 200 disciplines are taught at the school. In classes, children are divided into small groups, and the process itself is as interactive as possible. Students are encouraged to be independent: they are taught to take risks, try, express their opinion, make mistakes and try again.
The old campus of Hotchkiss School is located in the middle of picturesque meadows and forests in the state of Connecticut.
Even the newspapers of 1892 wrote that “in all the United States, perhaps, there is no more beautiful example of school architecture.” The buildings are adjacent to golf and baseball fields, which offer stunning views of the lake. The reservoir is used for its intended purpose: the students here go in for sailing.
Deerfield Academy
From classical languages and classical philosophy to the cutting edge of astrophysics and molecular biology, at Deerfield Academy students are immersed in a special educational environment in which they learn to think outside the box and persevere in pursuit of their goals.
Nestled in the quiet countryside of western Massachusetts, the school has been training America’s intellectual elite for more than two centuries. Deerfield Academy was founded in 1797, at the dawn of the history of the American state. Today, the school professes a holistic approach, which implies the comprehensive and harmonious development of children.
A Deerfield schoolboy is not only a brilliant scholar, but also an athlete.
Sports are built into a cult here, and other professional teams can envy the infrastructure on campus. Deerfield has two amazing ice skating rinks, its own rowing gym, ski slopes, not to mention golf, lacrosse, baseball and American football.
smog from Canadian wildfires reaches Washington – InoTV
While wildfires continue to rage in Canada, US residents are suffering from a noticeable decrease in air quality. According to the latest data, now the top three cities with the most polluted air in the world are American Detroit, Washington and Chicago. The situation is complicated by the heat and approaching national holidays. However, authorities advise residents to limit their stay on the street as much as possible, according to CBS News.
The United States is struggling with some of the worst air quality on earth.
According to the Air Quality Index, Detroit currently has the most polluted air in the world. Washington, you see just the Capitol, and Chicago came in second and third respectively.
All of this is the result of the ongoing wildfires in Canada. More than 100 million people in the Midwest and along the East Coast have received medical advice because of the smoke.
CBS News Congressional Correspondent Scott McFarland changed his typical Washington polo suit because it’s hot outside and the air quality is terrible. Know if Scott is in polo, then it’s warm outside. Scott, tell us what is the air quality around you and how do people perceive it?
SCOTT MCFARLAND Correspondent : The air has the texture and smell of a brazier. Let’s start with this. This is the worst air quality in America, if not the worst in the world. Right here in the nation’s capital, in the middle of a summer day, these streets must be filled with people. In reality, it’s not like that. Local authorities have imposed restrictions. And there are also informal restrictions that people accept themselves.
But let’s start with the orders of the authorities./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60234985/DSC_0088.0.jpeg)
The District of Columbia, Maryland and neighboring states have issued an alert asking them to limit outdoor activities. Parks and entertainment areas are closed. What else do you do in the summer? Camp, football, baseball, lacrosse.
Schools that are still teaching have moved everything indoors. There are recommendations to limit being outdoors, which is quite difficult in the swimming pool season, especially when it’s so hot.
The federal government is in what we characterize as vacation mode. The holiday weekend is coming up, and then the holiday week when Congress here in Washington is closed. Tourist travel is limited to areas where visitors would normally be: the Capitol, the White House, federal buildings.
. This may not be suitable for those who have breathing problems or who are prone to migraines or other health problems. Tough day today in Washington.
Well, there is the Smithsonian. Most of the museums included in it are located in buildings and can offer a lot of interesting things for tourists.
But how does this air quality compare to the smoke from wildfires that engulfed the East Coast earlier this month? I noticed that you are not wearing a mask. When it was worst here in New York, people wore masks.
I see masked people back there.
How does it compare now?
SCOTT MCFARLAND Correspondent : This is a migration issue that actually started some time ago. In May, I was in Michigan, there was also this smog, it was moving to the western part of the state. It is constantly on the move as fires continue to rage rampant across Canada. It’s kind of a migratory situation, running right down I-95 on the east coast, where there are so many Americans this summer season.
I would say masks are more common today than they used to be in Washington. This is a rather acute situation. If we go and do a little informal research, you will see that about a third of the people here are wearing masks. This is serious.
