Announcing Best of Lax 2025 Categories, Nominees

It’s been an unforgettable year for the sport we love — filled with jaw-dropping goals, inspiring comebacks and moments that will live forever in lacrosse history.

Now it’s your turn to help us celebrate the biggest achievements and brightest stars of the year. We want YOU to decide who takes home the crown in each category.

How It Works

• We’ve identified 13 categories and four finalists per category. This webform will remain open for voting through Dec. 21.

• Starting Dec. 9, we’ll also roll out one category per day (12 p.m. Eastern) on Instagram, opening a 24-hour voting window with polls in our feed and stories.

• Share these posts on social media and let us know in the comments why your pick should win.

• We’ll do the math, compile the results of the polls across all platforms and announce Best of Lax 2025 winners Dec. 22.

And the nominees are …

Best Men’s Player

Tuesday, Dec. 9

• Matt Campbell, Boston Cannons
• Connor Fields, Rochester Knighthawks
• CJ Kirst, Cornell
• Connor Shellenberger, New York Atlas

Best Women’s Player

Wednesday, Dec. 10

• Chloe Humphrey, North Carolina/USA
• Marie McCool, USA
• Charlotte North, Boston Guard/USA
• Madison Taylor, Northwestern

Best Men’s Breakout

Thursday, Dec. 11

• Caleb Fyock, Ohio State
• Ryan Goldstein, Cornell
• Aidan Maguire, Duke/USA
• Timothy Shannehan, Boston U/USA

Best Women’s Breakout

Friday, Dec. 12

• Sam Forrest, North Carolina/USA
• Reagan O'Brien, Johns Hopkins
• Orly Sedransk, Penn
• Cassidy Weeks, Boston Guard/USA

Best Men’s Game

Saturday, Dec. 13

• Adelphi vs. Tampa, NCAA Division II Championship
• Harvard vs. Syracuse, NCAA Division I First Round
• Notre Dame vs. Penn State, NCAA Division I Quarterfinal
• Syracuse vs. Princeton, NCAA Division I Quarterfinal

Best Women’s Game

Sunday, Dec. 14

• Northwestern vs. Boston College, NCAA Division I Semifinal
• Penn vs. Maryland, NCAA Division I Second Round
• Penn vs. Yale, Ivy League Semifinal
• Stanford vs. Florida, NCAA Division I Second Round

Best Goal

Monday, Dec. 15

• Marcus Holman, Boston Cannons ("Air Holman")
• Ashley Mackin, Johns Hopkins (Shovel shot winner)
• Jake Taylor, Notre Dame, (no-look BTB from his knees)
• Eva Pronti, Duke (juggling BTB)

Best Goalie Play

Tuesday, Dec. 16

• Cameron Dorfman, Mercy (OT full-field goal)
• Joe Doherty, Lafayette (stickless save)
• Liam Entenmann, New York Atlas (PLL final 4Q save)
• Taylor Moreno, California Palms (1st goalie goal WLL)

Best Moment

Wednesday, Dec. 17

• Clark vs. Taylor, NCAA scoring chase
• Kirst family, Cornell championship celebration
• Dom Pietramala, 6 goals at Homewood Field
• Xander Dickson, inspires Atlas after injury

Best on an Island

Thursday, Dec. 18

• Gavin Adler, New York Atlas
• Sam Forrest, North Carolina
• Shawn Lyght, Notre Dame/USA
• Bobby Van Buren, Ohio State

Best Underdog STORY

Friday, Dec. 19

• Canada U20 Men
• Dickinson
• Fairfield
• Richmond

Best Lacrosse Family

Saturday, Dec. 20

• The Holmans
• The Humphreys
• The Kavanaghs
• The Kirsts

Best Comeback

Sunday, Dec. 21

• Jared Bernhardt, Denver Outlaws
• Dylan Molloy, California Redwoods
• Kylie Ohlmiller, New York Charging
• UNC Women's Lacrosse