Top Class of 2028 Girls' Lacrosse Prospects Ahead of Sept. 1

On Sept. 1, college coaches can contact rising high school juniors, prioritizing those who wowed them during the summer recruiting tour.

New this year, they must wait until noon before having any communication with players in the Class of 2028. No more midnight rush.

Still, there will be plenty of excitement in lacrosse households across the country. We asked college, club and high school coaches who stood out this summer. Here are 16 players likely to receive the most immediate recruiting interest.

Ella Bacallao

Position: Goalie  
High School: Sacred Heart Greenwich (Conn.)  
Club: Prime Time

After anchoring one end of the field for Sacred Heart Greenwich as a sophomore, Bacallao has impressed coaches with her outstanding overall play. She’s a gamer with the ideal mindset for a goalie as a tireless worker with an abundance of energy. Super quick, she makes all the routine saves and delivers some spectacular ones, too, all the while communicating alertly with her defense.

Peyla Carcaterra

Position: Attack  
High School: Sacred Heart Greenwich (Conn.)  
Club: Prime Time

At the other end of the field for Sacred Heart and Prime Time is Carcaterra, the daughter of ESPN analyst Paul Carcaterra. She’s considered one of the very best players in the class, even a generational talent by some. She’s a true playmaker who can dodge equally with either hand and her pinpoint shooting and stickwork is ridiculously good. She’s gotten faster and more physical and can better handle defenses geared to slow her. She’s a can’t-miss prospect.

Ashley Dimnaku

Position: Midfield  
High School: Phillips Andover (Mass.)  
Club: Mass Elite

One of the top dual-sport athletes, Dimnaku excels in soccer as well as lacrosse and has received recruiting attention in both sports. She made the U.S. Girls' U17 Youth National Team in lacrosse this year. Her athleticism and competitiveness stand out with the ability to take the draw and score or feed. She's fast and scrappy between the 30s and sells out for loose balls. “She’s a bull in a China shop,” one coach said.

Luca Diehl

Position: Midfield  
High School: West Forsyth (Ga.)  
Club: Eagle Stix

A two-time U.S. Girls' U17 Youth National Team selection, Diehl has been compared to Ally Mastroianni for her two-way abilities. She has blossomed out of a less traditional area into one of the best players in her class. She combines elite athleticism with a strong IQ that has developed over the year and then an intense desire to develop further. She excels between the 30s, wins draws and can absolutely take over a game with her speed and strength.

Reese Goodenough

Position: Midfield  
High School: Marin Academy (Calif.)  
Club: STEPS Lacrosse

Another USA U17 selection, Goodenough is a dynamic midfielder from California. A powerful player who wins 50-50 balls, she plays with a ton of confidence. She has a good lacrosse IQ and keeps her head up to make plays. She can help anywhere on the field and can even take the draw.

Murphy Holden

Position: Goalie  
High School: Pingree School (Mass.)
Club: Laxachusetts

A 6-foot-2 multi-sport goalie, Holden brings more than just size to the position. She's agile around the goal, consistent with her angles and extremely coachable. Coaches were impressed by her improvement in stopping low shots, baiting shooters and demonstrating patience in the cage. The youngest player invited to the USA Lacrosse National Team Development Program U17 combine last year, she came back after not making the 2025 team and earned a spot on the 2026 U.S. Girls' U17 Youth National Team.

Maeve Irish

Position: Midfield  
High School: Episcopal (Pa.)  
Club: HHH Philly

The younger sister of Notre Dame’s Maura Irish, she has been turning heads since her freshman season of high school. What she lacks in size, she more than makes up for with her fierce play. “She’s a bulldog,” one coach said. The USA U17 midfielder is everywhere on the field showing off her speed, grit and ability to win ground balls. She can be a game changer.

Sedona Kaplan

Position: Midfield  
High School: Marriotts Ridge (Md.)  
Club: Hero’s Lacrosse

Kaplan has always had great athleticism, but since moving from Vermont to Maryland, she’s worked hard to become a key part of a top club team and public state runner-up. She has all the tools and is another middie who can dominate between the 30s. Her summer was highlighted by her ability to contribute on the draw, just one of the areas in which she has concentrated her development.

Grace Marquardt

Position: Attack  
High School: Phillips Exeter (N.H.)  
Club: Monster Elite

One of a trio of Monster players to watch, Marquardt was overall MVP of the prestigious America Select tournament after the club three-peated. She came through over and over throughout the summer, showing an ability to create scoring as well as her grit while taking the draw. She’s a strong righty attacker who’s high on plenty of coaches’ lists.

Maddie Moran

Position: Midfield  
High School: Maryvale (Md.)  
Club: Hero’s Lacrosse

Coming off back-to-back IAAM championships and an undefeated season with Maryvale, Moran will have her pick of where to play. A U17 selection, she makes every teammate better and has stood out for her smooth scoring ability, ability to win possessions on the draw and relentless drive. The daughter of newly named Maryland men's lacrosse offensive coordinator Ryan Moran, she is the total package because she also does all the little things well, like moving off ball and riding harder than anyone in the class.

Ryann Murphy

Position: Midfield  
High School: Christian Brothers (N.Y.)  
Club: Monster Elite

Another two-time U.S. Girls' U17 Youth National Team selection who’s also a strong basketball player, Murphy (pictured above) was the MVP of the America Select title game. She has consistently stood out throughout the summer with coaches calling her the most athletic player in the class. Combine that with her improved stickwork and lacrosse IQ, and her stock has skyrocketed this summer to make her a no-brainer for any program.

Makenna Myers

Position: Defense/Draw
High School: Penn Charter (Pa.)  
Club: HHH Philly

A standout on the draw and on defense, she was a crucial part of Penn Charter’s success in the spring. Myers understands how to play man or zone, and she has all the tools to defend anyone. The daughter of former NFL offensive lineman Chris Myers, she’s tall and strong, yet fast enough to stay with elite attackers. She’s incredibly quick to defend off the draw if she does lose it, but Myers posted some huge numbers as a sophomore in high school.

Meaghan O’Brien

Position: Attack
High School: Victor (N.Y.)  
Club: Monster Elite

Being a strong, tall lefty feeder makes O'Brien incredibly valuable. She uses her strength well and has great stick protection and field vision. She’s a student of the game who’s grown up with an unselfish attitude to find the open cutter. Her right hand has improved a lot and she’s playing more composed than ever.

Addison Quinn

Position: Attack/Draw  
High School: Kent Place (N.J.)  
Club: STEPS Lacrosse

Widely considered the top draw specialist in the class, Quinn is the younger sister of Emma Claire Quinn (Boston College) and Caitlyn Quinn (Loyola). NJ.com named her the New Jersey Player of the Year after leading Kent Place to its first non-public state championship. A U.S. Girls' U17 Youth National Team selection, she’s tall with great footwork and stickwork — a tough matchup for any defense. The daughter of a coach, her lacrosse IQ is also noticeable as she’s always looking one or two steps ahead.

Chloe Sherman

Position: Defense  
High School: Darien (Conn.)  
Club: CT Grizzlies

Sherman has already committed to the application process at Navy, and the Midshipmen aren’t the only ones interested. She has great speed that not only allows her to stay with anyone on the opposing attack, but also makes her an especially valuable weapon in transition. When she gets in on her opponent’s hands, she’s been very successful. She’s in the mix to help powerhouse Darien put together another unbeaten season next spring.

Cambria Williams

Position: Goalie  
High School: La Costa Canyon (Calif.)  
Club: Mad Dog West Elite

Williams and Holden were the only two goalies selected to the U.S. Girls' U17 Youth National Team. She’s sturdy in goal and makes all the right plays. Her technique is some of the best in the class. She’s a difference maker in close games with a natural ability to take over. She has some of the best programs in the country poised to reach out.