Douglas Freeman, the three-time Class 5 state champs, has been the team to beat in the VHSL since girls lacrosse fully returned from the COVID-19 pandemic.Â
Is 2024 the year to challenge the Mavericks? Or, despite losing All-Metro player of the year Bridget Wilson, will Douglas Freeman stay the powerhouse? Plus, with losing a big senior class, how will Collegiate girls lacrosse rebuild in the tough VISAA?
Only time will tell but the Richmond area returns top talent from a season ago and squads are ready to hit the field. Here's how teams look in the 2024 season.Â
Returning All-Metro first-team players
People are also reading…
Heidi Albrecht, senior midfielder, Collegiate: Albrecht is back for her final season with the Cougars, following a 34 goal season in 2023. Albrecht is heading to Rhode Island lacrosse following the season. Albrecht racked up 55 draws as well for Collegiate and will be the face to look to this season and looks to lead the group.Â
Kenson Epperly, senior midfielder, Hanover: The senior star for Hanover was the Region 4A co-player of the year last season behind her 98 goal performance. Epperly had 10 assists, 63 ground balls and 85 draw controls as well, leading Hanover to the region semifinals. Epperly is committed to play at VCU following her career as a Hawk.Â
Blakeley Bondurant, junior midfielder, Cosby: Bondurant had a breakout season a year ago for the Titans, who made it to the state quarterfinals. Bondurant, an East Carolina commit, was Region 6A player of the year, ending last season with 75 goals and 31 assists. Bondurant also had 85 ground balls last year.Â
Kennedy Richardson, junior midfielder, Collegiate: Richardson, who played for St. Catherine's last season, heads into the year ready for more. The junior, a Florida commit, had 50 goals in 2023 along with 12 assists. She's joining an experienced Collegiate team and with her 71 draws and 11 caused turnovers from last year, she'll be a big help for the Cougars.Â
Celie Shield, junior midfielder, Collegiate: Shield, who is playing for Rhode Island after high school, is another big name for the Cougars. She had 30 goals last season and won 101 draws. She was an All-LIS selection last season and is apart of a big junior class for Collegiate.Â
Georgia Swarr, junior attack/midfielder, Deep Run: Swarr, heading to Lafayette College after her high school career, had 86 goals a year ago, 21 assists and 84 draws. The junior will be one of the leaders for a young Deep Run team this year, and will look to build off her strong sophomore season.Â
Charlie Wolf, junior attacker, Cosby: Wolf, who tallied 50 goals and 44 assists a season ago had 94 points for the Titans, helping them to a region title. She was a first-team region, second-team all-state honoree for Class 6 and is committed to Western Connecticut State University.
Caroline Camp, junior attacker, Powhatan: Another 2025 outstanding player, Camp heads into her junior season at Powhatan ready to get the team further in the region tournament. Camp had 48 goals, 26 assists and 32 ground balls last season and will lead the Indians once again in 2024.Â
Maggie Jacoby, senior defender, Douglas Freeman: Jacoby is a three-time state champion heading into the season and looks to help lead the team to a fourth. She had 22 ground balls in 2023 and sometimes would fly under the radar for the Mavericks. She'll be one of the defensive faces to look to though in 2024.Â
Cate Fritch, junior goalkeeper, Cosby: Fritch, the goalkeeper, is back for another season with the Titans. She had 5.6 goals against in 2023, helping lead Cosby to a region title. Fritch, the Youngstown State commit, will look to have a big role again in 2024 and is apart of the Titans big junior class.Â
Note: 2023 first-team All-Metro midfielder Olivia Ritter is out for the season with an injury. Ritter, who plays for Atlee, is a James Madison commit and a senior. Last season, she had 81 goals, 98 draw controls and 22 caused turnovers for the Raiders.Â
Class 6
Deep Run
Coach:Â Allie King, year two
2023:Â 11-8, lost in state semifinals
Key players:Â Georgia Swarr, attack/midfield; Charlotte Gentry, attack/midfield; Katelyn Miller, defense/midfield; Molly Cunningham, goalkeeper.
Notable:Â Deep Run is back this season, returning six starters from the state semifinal team but also losing six starters. The team overall is very young, with five freshmen on the varsity squad that should have a big impact. Returning for the team is first-team All-Metro selection Georgia Swarr who, along with goalkeeper Molly Cunningham, is committed to Lafayette College. Swarr, along with Charlotte Gentry, will lead the attacking unit, which is also young but the defense is expected to be strong and under good leadership. Deep Run overall has new pieces but should still be a strong group at the core.Â
Glen Allen
Coach:Â Mackenzie Flemmons, year four
2023:Â 6-8, lost in region quarterfinals
Key players:Â Evelyn Tull Springer, goalkeeper; Grey Caplinger, midfield; Ava Walker, attack; Natalie Macklin, midfield; Anna Threadgold, defender; Cora Nolan, midfield/attack.Â
Notable: The big three for Glen Allen — Evelyn Tull Springer, Grey Caplinger, and Ava Walker — are all committed to play college lacrosse and are the captains for the Jaguars. Glen Allen lost seven starters from last season and will look to its seniors for leadership. Springer is on pace to hit 500 career saves in her final season at Glen Allen and Walker, freshman Cora Nolan and junior Natalie Macklin will be big on the attacking front. Springer, Caplinger and Threadgold will be big on defense as Glen Allen gets ready for its first season in Class 6 play, following a 5C region quarterfinal exit in 2023.Â
Class 5
Douglas Freeman
Coach:Â Christina D'Angelo, year seven
2023:Â 16-2, 2023 Class 5 state champions
Key players:Â Eva Gardner, midfield; Hannah Kantenan, midfield; Ella Post, attack/midfield; Maggie Jacoby, defense; Allie Mackay, defense; Laney Gilman, midfield.
Notable: Douglas Freeman are the back-to-back-to-back state title winners and the queens of Class 5 girls lacrosse. Coach Christina D'Angelo, in her seventh year, said this season will be replacing talent lost after last season with new but skilled players, who waited their turn. Maggie Jacoby will be big on defense, a 2023 first-team All-Metro member. The Mavericks have seven starters returning, including Ella Post, a Longwood commit, Eva Gardner, a Dickinson commit and Everett Garner, an Eastern Mennonite commit. Freeman will still be competitive this season, the team to beat in Class 5 and the strength will be in defense and overall chemistry.Â
Mills Godwin
Coach:Â Hanna Slough, year four
2023: 9-7, lost in region semifinal
Key players:Â Lakelyn Bostian, attack/midfield; Harlow Coker, goalkeeper; Aly Betz, attack; Kensey Foster, attack/midfield.
Notable:Â Godwin returns seven starters from last season, losing five, but retaining starters. The Eagles look to have the fastest and most athletic team yet this season and five captains will lead the team. Lakelyn Bostian returns this season, who is committed to Linwood, and had 68 goals and 49 draw controls in 2023. Harlow Coker is also a big name back for Godwin, who had a 49.7 save percentage a year ago. Names to watch to step up for the Eagles are Anna Grace Richards, Kensey Foster, Mia Fairman and Julia Mann. Aly Betz is back following an ACL injury a year ago and should have a big impact as well. The Eagles are looking forward to the gritty and very athletic new faces on the team too.Â
Class 4
Atlee
Coach:Â Bill Karn, year twoÂ
2023:Â 5-9, lost in region quarterfinals
Key players:Â Ella Lanzo, attacker; Sophia Bennett, midfielder; Ragan Michalski, attacker; JuJu Hoppe, goalkeeper; Julianne Eckstein, defender.
Notable:Â Atlee returns six starter but also lost six starters heading into 2024. The biggest storyline with the Raiders is the loss of Olivia Ritter, James Madison commit and 2023 first-team All-Metro honoree, with an injury for the season. For Atlee, it will be an all hands on deck situation to get production to fill her shoes and the team will look toward Ella Lanzo, Ragan Michalski and Sophia Bennett to step up in Ritters absence. The Raiders defense is young and lead by juniors Julianne Eckstein and Lenna Chandler plus goalkeeper JuJu Hoppe. The team has big shoes to fill but looks to keep developing.Â
Hanover
Coach:Â Matt Ellinghaus, year seven
2023:Â 12-4, lost in region semifinals
Key players:Â Kenson Epperly, midfielder; Winn Carlton, midfielder; Emily Snellings, attacker; Gabi Greth, goalkeeper; Lily Henicheck, defender.Â
Notable:Â The Hawks head into 2024 with a big group of returners and a new group of freshmen ready to make an impact. Gabi Greth, a George Washington commit, is ready for year four with Hanover and will help with the defensive foundation. Kenson Epperly, a first-team All-Metro selection and Region 4A player of the year, is back to lead the group, finishing with 98 goals in 2023 and is committed to play at VCU. The Hawks return seven starters this season, but there are still places to build around and newcomers will look to step into those shoes. There will be youthful firepower for Hanover, and it comes from all aspects of the field.
Monacan
Head coach:Â Kristen MacMillan, year eight
2023:Â 5-8, lost in region quarterfinals
Key players:Â Emily Miller, midfield; Reilly Dinelli, attack/midfield; Janet Weis, attack; Leah Mercado, goalkeeper; Sydney Eldredge, midfield.Â
Notable:Â Monacan has five starters returning, including midfielder Emily Miller and goalkeeper Leah Mercado, both all-region selections from last year. Miller is the face for Monacan, leading the team in goals last season with 42 and draw controls at 27. Sydney Eldredge is a player to watch following an injury which led her to missing the season last year and Carsyn Curry will help Mercado and the defense this season with new defenders on varsity. The goal for the Chiefs this season is to improve on the record from last season and make a bigger impact during the postseason.Â
VISAA
Collegiate
Coach:Â Carter Toohers, year one
2023:Â 11-7, lost in state quarterfinals
Key players:Â Heidi Albrecht, midfield; Celie Shield, midfield; Kennedy Richardson, midfield; Bella Little, defense; McKenna Boardman, attack; Maris Smutz, attack.
Notable:Â Collegiate girls lacrosse lost eight starters and a good amount of talent from the 2023 squad but should still be competitive this year. There are three first-team All-Metro returners at Collegiate with Heidi Albrecht, Celie Shield and Kennedy Richardson, who are all committed to play Division I college lacrosse. The team is young with only two seniors listed as players to watch but there is talent throughout the roster and Collegiate should compete with anyone. Albrecht had 34 goals in 2023 and Richardson, a transfer from St. Catherine's, had 50. The Cougars are a school to watch in the tough VISAA Division I.Â
St. Catherine'sÂ
Coach:Â Caitlin Brooks, third year
2023:Â 9-8, lost in state quarterfinals
Key players:Â Porter Rhoades, A; Sarah Carter Nowery, A; Katie Horner, GK; Peyton Sutton, M.
Notable:Â It's an experienced team and big senior class for St. Catherine's, who returns nine starters in 2024. There are 11 seniors this season and the group has a long history of playing together. Porter Rhoades, a senior attacker, will be a face to watch. The Penn State recruit had 27 goals and 14 assists last season and has a high lacrosse IQ. Sarah Carter Nowery, a Wofford recruit, led the team in groundballs and draw controls last season, plus had 28 goals. Katie Horner will be in goal for St. Catherine's, following 137 saves in 2023 and Florida Southern recruit Peyton Sutton will be big in the midfield as the Saints navigate the LIS.
Trinity Episcopal
Coach:Â Margie Snead, year 26
2023:Â 6-10, did not make state tournament
Key players:Â Catherine Pollard, attack; Julia Pollard, midfield/defender; Campbell Rowe, midfield/defender; Lilly Ferguson, attacker; Alexa Mitchell, attacker/midfielder; Sydney Bourne, defender; Alyssa Acquaye, defender.
Notable:Â Trinity girls lacrosse is back and ready to make a run in the LIS and in VISAA as a whole. Catherine and Julia Pollard, both George Mason commits, look to lead the team offensively, with Catherine leading the team in goals last season and is a difference maker for Trinity. Campbell Rowe, a junior and High Point commit, is important for the draw game for the Titans, and is good at creating opportunities for the team. Alexa Mitchell is also back for Trinity, following last season where she was injured through most of it. Alyssa Acquaye also looks to be the leader of the defensive unit. Almost half of Trinity's roster is new this season and the team is excited to see how they grow.Â
Steward
Coach:Â Lisa Moore, year three
2023:Â 7-10, lost in state quarterfinals
Key players:Â Grace Virginia Deal, midfield; Anna Carpinelli, attack; Morgan Shigley, attack.Â
Notable:Â Steward girls lacrosse, which lost in the state quarterfinals a year ago, is ready for another season and a shot at the state title. The Spartans have two new freshmen goalkeepers, Madison Dunham and Parker Yocom, that both look to have an impact early. Steward lost four starters from last season but most of the team is returning for 2024, so there is much to build off of for Moore's staff. Grace Virginia Deal had 45 goals and 11 assists for the team last season while Anna Carpinelli had 36. Deal is on pace to score her 100th career goal early in the season as the Spartans navigate their VISAA Division II schedule.Â
Note: Only schools that returned preview forms from The Times-Dispatch are included. If your team is not in the preview, your school did not send a form.