USA Lacrosse announces Lauro Lauriano of Kaufman, Texas and Kiera Linares of Baldwin Place, N.Y. as the recipients of 2026 Michael Breschi Scholarships.
Established in 2007 to honor the life and memory of Michael Breschi, son of University of North Carolina men’s lacrosse head coach Joe Breschi, the scholarships are awarded annually to two high school seniors who are attending college and are the son or daughter of a coach who serves as a full-time employee of an educational institution.
Criteria considered include academic qualifications, extracurricular activities, internships, community service, and employment experience. USA Lacrosse administers the scholarships, with winners selected annually by the Breschi family.
Lauriano is a graduate of Kaufman High School, where he was captain of the lacrosse team in addition to being a member of the school's football and track & field squads. He earned all-district and all-state academic honors in football, and finished third in the district in the discus event. Off the field, he was a member of the KHS Honor Roll, served as an officer in the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, and was active in community service with organizations and events that support kids with special needs. Lauriano is now enrolled at Evangel University in Springfield, Mo.
"Lauro consistently demonstrated remarkable leadership abilities in various capacities, whether leading a group project or working in class partnerships," said Michelle Hix, one of his teachers. "Lauro always displays poise, professionalism, and a keen sense of direction. His ability to inspire and motivate others and his strategic vision have been instrumental in successfully executing assignments. Furthermore, Lauro has an unparalleled work ethic and approaches every task with dedication, diligence, and a commitment to excellence."
Linares is a senior at Somers High School and plans to attend Hood (Md.) College next year. A member of the Honor Roll as well as the National Honor Society, Linares serves as a peer leader at her school and is active in five different clubs. Fueled by her love for lacrosse and her passion to help younger athletes, Linares has served as a volunteer with the Somers Youth Girls Lacrosse and Field Hockey programs for the past four years, helping with practices, coaching, tournaments, and any other program needs.
"Kiera has a genuine commitment to give back to the community and to share her knowledge, her leadership, and her heart with the next generation of players, " said Allison Quincoses, a board member for Somers Youth Sports. "One of Kiera's greatest strengths is the way she connects with our younger players. She is patient, encouraging, and approachable, and they absolutely love when she is at the field. The girls naturally look up to her."
Joe Breschi noted that his family was delighted to recognize the deserving recipients of this year’s scholarships.
"On behalf of my wife Julie and our four beautiful daughters, Sam, Abby, Lucy & Emily, we are thrilled to announce this year’s recipients of the Michael Breschi scholarship," Breschi said. "We want to thank all the applicants who shared their transcripts, letters of recommendation and personal stories with us, and thank USA Lacrosse for its continued support of the Michael Breschi Scholarship. Kiera and Lauro personify the type of people we would have wanted Michael to be around. They are two young people who have worked hard to achieve excellence both in the classroom and on the playing field. We wish both of them great success on their journey through college over the next several years."
● See the full list of prior scholarship winners here
About USA Lacrosse
USA Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is certified by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport in the United States. USA Lacrosse works to fuel the growth, enrich the experience, and field the best national teams, supporting more than 425,000 members across the country.