Long Island lacrosse exports leading college teams entering postseason tournaments

College lacrosse teams, many with former Long Island high school players on the rosters, are eyeing the upcoming postseason.

Conference tournaments have  begun and will continue until both the 29-team NCAA women’s tournament bracket and the 17-team men’s bracket are revealed on Sunday, May 5.

Seven former Newsday Players of the Year are  impacting at the college level.  How each  player and their teams are faring as the postseason gets underway.

BOYS

Owen Duffy, A, North Carolina (St. Anthony’s, 2023 POY)

Duffy was Inside Lacrosse’s No. 1 recruit in the class of 2023, and he has lived up to the billing. He has a team-leading 32 goals and 22 assists as just a freshman, laying the groundwork for what should be a dynamic four-year career. Duffy had 43 goals and 35 assists for the Friars in 2023, leading them to the CHSAA Class AAA state title. UNC is 6-7 overall and 0-3 in the tough ACC heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale at Duke.

Brennan O’Neill, A, Duke (St. Anthony’s, 2019 POY)

O’Neill leads the Blue Devils with 42 goals and 22 assists. He had 55 goals and 42 assists last season and won the Tewaaraton Award winner as the most outstanding player in college lacrosse. No. 2 Duke (11-3, 1-2 ACC) is a lock to play in the NCAA Tournament. The Newsday Player of the Year as a junior in high school, O’Neill had 56 goals and 16 assists for the Friars in 2019.

Joey Spallina, A, Syracuse (Mount Sinai, 2021 and 2022 POY)

One of the best players in Long Island high school lacrosse history, Spallina has had a seamless transition to the ACC. The 2023 ACC Freshman of the Year has 29 goals and 47 assists in his sophomore campaign, pacing the Orange in assists and points. Fourth-ranked Syracuse (11-4, 3-1 ACC) has completed the regular season and locked up the No. 2 seed in next week’s ACC Tournament. The two-time Newsday Player of the Year set a Long Island-record with 507 points at Mount Sinai.

GIRLS

Kasey Choma, M, Notre Dame (Eastport-South Manor, 2019 POY)

Choma has 46 goals and 21 assists in her fifth season at Notre Dame, the second-most points for the Fighting Irish. She garnered All-American honors from at least one publication in each of her first four years in South Bend, Indiana. Third-ranked Notre Dame (15-2, 7-2 ACC) is the No. 2 seed in the ACC Tournament and faces Boston College on Friday night. Choma had 71 goals and 24 assists as a high school senior to lead Eastport-South Manor to the state Class B title in 2019.

Kylee Colbert, M, Boston College (North Shore, 2023 POY)

Colbert has four goals in eight games for the sixth-ranked Eagles, though she has not appeared in a game since March 10. Boston College (14-3, 7-2 ACC) is the No. 3 seed in the ACC Tournament and plays second-seeded Notre Dame in the quarterfinals on Friday night. Colbert put up massive numbers at North Shore last spring with 101 goals and 15 assists.

Maddigan Miller, M, Stanford (Bayport-Blue Point, 2021 POY)

Miller has one goal and two assists as a redshirt sophomore. She had 14 goals and three assists last season. No. 18 Stanford (10-4, 6-0 Pac-12) wraps up the regular season Saturday night vs. California. Miller had 36 goals, 16 assists, 72 draw controls, 26 caused turnovers and 35 ground balls as she led Bayport-Blue Point to the 2021 Long Island Class C title.

Alexis Morton, A, Richmond (Manhasset, 2022 POY)

Morton has 31 goals and a team-leading 27 assists for the Spiders. Her numbers have taken a big jump from her nine-goal, four-assist freshman campaign in 2023. Richmond (11-4, 7-1 Atlantic 10) faces UMass in Saturday’s regular-season finale that will decide the conference title and the No. 1 seed in next week’s conference tournament. Morton had 58 goals and 44 assists in 2022 to lead Manhasset to the state Class C title.

By Ben Dickson

benjamin.dickson@newsday.com@bendickson__

Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.