Oceanside girls lacrosse player Sydney Abbott is Newsday's Athlete of the Week

By Jonathan Rubanjonathan.ruban@newsday.comUpdated May 13, 2026 11:00 pm

Sydney Abbott has a commanding presence when she takes the field for the Oceanside girls' lacrosse team, but she truly shines in the classroom.

Abbott maintains a 98.3 GPA, will attend the University of Scranton, and plans to major in business while continuing to play lacrosse at the Division III level.

"That's what I like about being a student-athlete, you're always busy," Abbott said. "To me, having a good grade is just as important as winning a lacrosse game."

The senior is also a part of the school's Student Athlete in Service to Others, where those with a 95 GPA or higher do community service within the town and run the Life-Fit "challenger" basketball game, host a life skills kickball game across three towns, and donate Christmas trees to the troops.

"It means a lot to me when I do things for other people because it shows I'm doing something bigger than myself," Abbott said. "It's a great experience. I get to help people and knowing I'm doing something good makes it even better."

Abbott is the president of the Key Club and the Business Honor Society. But her leadership and discipline in the classroom and extracurricular activities translate seamlessly onto the lacrosse field.

Newsday's Athlete of the Week had seven goals and an assist to lead Oceanside to a 17-11 win over Roslyn last Thursday. After a nine-goal performance against MacArthur in a 14-13 loss, Abbott was determined to bounce back and finish the regular season strong.

"The biggest thing that was pushing me to score was that the game got close, and I wasn't going to let us lose that game," Abbott said. "That's my mentality every game. I'm not looking to score a bunch of goals, I want to win."

"She's a dedicated player," coach Ralph Montera said. "In the game she's going to play at a high level, but she plays at a high level in practice, and that's the most impressive thing about her."

Abbott moved to midfield this season, and Montera says her versatility is well needed for the Sailors' success. She has 49 goals and 12 assists this season.

"She's a true two-way player," Montera said. "She understands the game really well. I would say she has one of the most accurate shots."

He added, “Her accuracy on the run is very good. She knows how defenders are trying to defend her. She got really quick bursts of moves and can maneuver in tight spaces."

Oceanside (6-9) will take on fourth-seeded Port Washington in the Nassau Class A quarterfinals on Thursday, and Abbott believes the Sailors have a chance to go far in the postseason.

"We're excited as a team. We are going to be fired up because we're the underdogs," Abbott said. "It's possibly my last lacrosse game with Oceanside. I want to give it my all, and I know the seniors will, too."