Scouting the 2026 girls lacrosse season

Hinsdale Central is one of the local teams this season looking to break the stranglehold of North Shore schools on the girls lacrosse state championship trophy.

Loyola (three times) and New Trier (twice) have won the previous five titles, but the Red Devils, third in state last season, will be pushing hard led by junior midfielder Lily Oosterbaan.

“She’s one of our leaders,” says Hinsdale Central coach Matthew McNiff, “and one of the best athletes I’ve ever coached. She is coachable, determined, a stellar teammate, and her speed and explosiveness stands out.”

The Red Devils coach will also be counting on juniors Demetra Gatzulis (midfield) and Kaylie Wolowick (defense). McNiff says that Gatzulis’ role will be “elevated significantly this year and she will be working on both sides of the ball, while Wolowick “has significantly elevated her game. She seems near impossible to get around on the low end, and she plays her zone better than anyone we have seen in a low defensive position.”

Hersey will be paced in 2026 by Kate Donovan (also an all-state basketball player), Ellie Cataldo, Brielle Perrault, Madeleine Murphy, Nicole Trakas and Claire Murray. Coach Matthew Murphy says the Huskies are “out to win the MSL (Mid-Suburban League) title.”

Barrington and York both advanced to the Elite Eight last season.

The Fillies are excited for the upcoming year, according to coach Addie Dieckmeyer, who indicated that her side “has a strong group of returning players along with a lot of young talent stepping into bigger roles.” Barrington will be counting on a pair of seniors (Emma Menke and Iris Stennett) and a junior (Bella Wolfe) as key cogs in their campaign.

Dieckmeyer had this to say of her three leaders. On Menke: “Emma is a dynamic two-way midfielder who impacts every area of the field. On Wolfe: “She is a relentless competitor whose presence is felt all over the field. About Stennett: “Iris anchors our defense with her competitive nature, speed, and consistency. She brings leadership and composure that elevates the entire defensive unit.”

The Dukes will have four players (Elizabeth Specht, Morgan Navarre, Hayden Daniel, and Kayla Mirante) that they will rely on to lead the way. Specht, Navarre, and Daniel are all D1 recruits.

York coach Ryan Walz comments that Specht is an “excellent goal scorer and defender, a two-way player, the whole package; Navarre “has lightning speed and improves our transitions tremendously”; and Mirante is “super crafty, elusive, and difficult to defend.” The coach added that Daniel is a super crafty competitor with a great offensive charge and awesome stick skills.

Benet will be looking for a quick start behind senior leader Madison Timmons (a steady, strong attacker, and a Rowan-recruit according to coach Lindsfay Baer) and junior middie Tierra Hammock. Baer adds that Hammock, a middie who is committed to Howard, “will be a big playmaker on both ends of the field again this year, stepping into a more seasoned role.”

The coach indicated that senior captain Claire O’Brien, who will be Tampa-bound in the fall, “will be a huge threat between the thirties. Her speed is her biggest strength and we see Claire adding an even bigger exclamation point to her successes.”

“The Benet girls lacrosse program is, and always has been, built on culture, competitiveness and accountability,” continued Baer. “This season our goal is to compete at the highest level in our conference, prepare for a deep postseason run, and continue developing strong leadership within our team.”

Huntley coach Joseph Domka says that senior midfielder Leah Holmberg is a “pure playmaker who has increased her scoring output every single year.” Also expected to excel for the Red Raiders in 2026 are junior Mya Holmberg, and senior Isabella Gregorio.

“Mya is one of the elite facilitators in the state,” said the Huntley head man, “and Bella is the anchor of our defense. She led the team in caused turnovers last season through sheer hustle and a high lacrosse IQ.”

Lake Zurich coach Matthew VanAcker says that his team is “implementing some new schemes (this year) that will strengthen us on the defensive end, and help us be more methodical in our scoring on the attack.” Junior middie Ally Zalewski, who VanAcker says “will do a little bit of everything for us” will be out front for the Bears, as will seniors Paulina Szot and Sienna Bartlett.

Szot is expected to be a lock-down defender for LZ, while Bartlett has shown leadership with her commitment to summer camps and open gyms, and by buying into the culture shift that VanAcker says the coaching staff is bringing to his team in his first year as head coach.

Carmel, which will be spearheaded by seniors Colleen Graham, Rocky Ventura, and Kya Lasky, is heading “back onto the turf with real purpose”, according to coach Rich Cordova.

“Last spring, we had an historical run, earning our way to a sectional final,” added Cordova. “Reaching that stage raised the standard for what we expect of ourselves. The path is never easy in a region filled with strong, well coached teams, but our minimum standard is clear. We expect to be in the fight for a Sectional Final every year.”

Cordova states that Graham has a “non-stop motor whose two-way impact make her one of the most complete midfielders in the area”, Ventura “brings veteran poise and dynamic crease play”, and Lasky “provides maturity, scoring instinct, and explosive playmaking ability.”

Other local teams that have been mentioned by coaches to be in the mix this upcoming season include Prospect, Warren, Palatine, Fremd, Naperville North, Downers Grove North and Stevenson.

In addition, Montini, Libertyville, Mundelein and Oak Park-River Forest be will tough to handle this year.

Conant has also been noted as an up and coming unit that could surprise this spring.

Crystal Lake Central co-op’s starting lineup will include junior Anna Starr (selected all-conference, all-sectional and all-state the past two years), and seniors Fiona Lemke and Addison Bechler.

“I’m really looking forward to watching this team compete every day,” says coach Joe Capalbo, “both at practice and on the field. We’ve got a strong group of seniors who have dedicated so much time and effort this season, and I’m excited to see what they can achieve.”

Capalbo adds that Starr is committed to play at Villanova after graduation, while Lemke will compete at Austin Peay State, and Bechler will head to George Mason.