SAN DIEGO – Coming off its second straight Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship, the San Diego State lacrosse team looks to continue its winning ways this season with addition of 13 talented newcomers for the upcoming 2020 campaign.
"We are very excited to bring this class to campus," said ninth-year Aztec head coach Kylee White. "This an extremely skilled, hard-working and highly competitive group of players. Their perpetual energy and excitement is contagious. I believe they will make an immediate impact on this program with enough poise and confidence to push their teammates."
This year's SDSU recruiting class features some of the nation's top high school student-athletes who sharpened their talents at leading lacrosse programs in Maryland, California and New York, along with a Canadian prep star and a three-year Division I college transfer.
Among the latest bunch of Aztecs are three high school All-Americans, six all-section/all-county honorees, six all-conference selections and six Player of the Year/Most Valuable Player award recipients. In addition, the group is highlighted by multiple players who have extensive prep postseason and national tournament experience, while others have starred on the international stage. Keeping with tradition on The Mesa, several newcomers have displayed their versatility in other sports as well.
Below is an in-depth look at the newest additions to the SDSU lacrosse program:
#13 Hayley Anderson
Anmore, British Columbia, Canada/Heritage Woods Secondary School
Position: Midfield
A multisport athlete who graduated from Heritage Woods Secondary School in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, where she excelled in both field and box lacrosse … Was twice named her school's female athlete of the year as a sophomore and a senior … Also merited female athlete of the year honors in 2019 from the Coquitlam School District … Was additionally selected the city of Port Moody's female player of the year for box lacrosse on two occasions (2016-17) … Won a gold medal in box lacrosse at the Canadian nationals in 2017 after leading her team to an undefeated tournament record … Also garnered a silver medal at the same event in 2016 … Spent time on the top 25 training team for the Team Canada U19 program in the summer of 2019 … Additionally competed in soccer, basketball and track & field as prep … Was voted Heritage Woods Secondary's team MVP in soccer as a senior … Earned a bronze medal in the 4x100 relay at the Provincial Track & Field Championships … Landed on her school's honor roll all four years … Plans to major in sociology at San Diego State.
#1 Maya Banks
Albany, N.Y./Guilderland HS
Position: Defender
Won four letters at Guilderland (N.Y.) High School, where she helped her squad to a Section 2 Class A championship in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association as a sophomore in 2017 … Her Dutchmen squad also advanced to the semifinal round on three other occasions … Was named an honorable mention Suburban Council All-Star as a senior and served as team captain … Also played on the Under Armour All-America Team and was an Empire State Cup participant … Earned three additional letters in soccer as a prep and received NYSPHSAA scholar-athlete distinction … Additionally collected her school's Academic Excellence Award on three occasions and was a Senior Athletic Award winner … Plans to major in political science at San Diego State.
#45 Avery Dyer
Elkridge, Md./Glenelg Country School
Position: Goalkeeper
Earned four letters at goalkeeper for Glenelg Country School in Ellicott City, Md., the same program that produced fellow SDSU recruit Addie Schmidt and current Aztec Julia Sheehan … Played on a Dragons team that was ranked among the top 25 nationally by Inside Lacrosse from 2017-19 … Helped her squad to three straight semifinal appearances in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) Conference 'A' Tournament, one of the premier conferences in that state … Totaled 100 saves (6.6/g) and a 9.93 goals against average during her senior season in which she served as team captain … Was ranked 54th on the Inside Lacrosse list of Women on the Rise in 2018-19 … Also landed a spot on the Inside Lacrosse Women's Young Guns Watch List as a sophomore and junior … Garnered athlete of the week accolades from the Baltimore Sun during the 2018 season … Twice competed for the Maximum Exposure All-Star Team (2015-16) and was a Summer Genesis All-Star Team participant (2016) … Also attended the Under Armour 150 camp in 2016 … Played eight years for the Hero's Tournament Lacrosse Club … Additionally competed in field hockey as prep, meriting all-conference honors as a junior before serving as team captain during her senior campaign … Four-year honor roll student … Plans to pursue a degree in accounting at San Diego State.
#7 Drew Hemerick
Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Cathedral Catholic HS
Position: Midfield
A multisport athlete at nearby Cathedral Catholic High School, where she was a prep teammate of fellow Aztec recruit Meaghan McDoniel … Earned first-team all-California Interscholastic Federation honors after leading the Dons to the 2019 CIF San Diego Section Division I championship … Also garnered first-team all-Western League accolades during her senior campaign and was named her squad's offensive MVP … Played for the West team at the 2019 Adrenaline All-America Game in Frisco, Texas … Also participated for the West squad at the Under Amour All-American Underclass Tournament on two occasions … Twice competed for the team that represented San Diego at the US Lacrosse National Tournament (2017-18) … Also earned one letter in both soccer and field hockey at Cathedral Catholic High … Was named MVP of her JV field hockey team in 2018 … Recognized as a 2019 Outstanding Service Volunteer for the Miracle League of San Diego … Plans to major in broadcast journalism at San Diego State.
#8 Annie Jubb
Woodbine, Md./Glenelg HS
Position: Defender
Earned three letters as a defender at Glenelg (Md.) High School, where she led the Gladiators to a consecutive Maryland 2A state championships in 2017 and 2018 … Glenelg High was ranked nationally by US Lacrosse magazine in three straight years, including the 2017 squad, which posted a 20-0 record … Landed on the principal's honor roll all four years as a prep and was a National Honor Society member … Also lettered twice in field hockey at Glenelg High, helping her team capture the Maryland 2A state title in 2017… Plans to major in business at San Diego State.
#14 Maggie Marion
Catonsville, Md./Catonsville HS
Position: Midfield
A multisport athlete who played four years of varsity lacrosse at Catonsville (Md.) High School, where she helped the Comets to a pair of runner-up finishes in the Baltimore County 4A championships … Served as team captain during her senior campaign and received her squad's Sportsmanship Award along with the Golden Whistle Award, signifying the team's best student "assistant coach" that year … Earned a spot in the Baltimore County All-Star Game … Also played for two county runners-up in field hockey as a prep … Additionally competed on her school's indoor track and field squad, running the 300 meters, 500 meters and 4x200 relay … Was a four-year honor roll student and all-academic honoree … Recipient of the United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award.
#0 Meaghan McDoniel
San Diego, Calif./Cathedral Catholic HS
Position: Goalkeeper
Earned four letters as a starting goalkeeper for nearby Cathedral Catholic High School, where she teamed with fellow Aztec recruit Drew Hemerick helping the Dons capture the 2019 California Interscholastic San Diego Section Division I championship … Garnered first-team all-Western League accolades as a senior to go with all-CIF recognition … Also collected second-team all-conference honors during her sophomore and junior campaigns and was voted her squad's defensive MVP in 2017 … Twice played for the San Diego team represented at the US Lacrosse National Tournament (2017-18) and was a two-year competitor for the West team at the Under Amour All-American Underclass Tournament … Landed a spot on the University of Maryland Maximum Exposure Elite Camp All-Star Team in 2017 and was a two-time San Diego All-Star Game participant … Also played field hockey and tennis as a prep … Was selected to the San Diego Union-Tribune all-academic team on two occasions … Intends to major in art and design at San Diego State.
#4 Katelyn Murphy
Aliso Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic HS
Position: Midfield
Starred at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, where she was named the Orange County Register's Player of the Year in 2019 … Led the state with 180 points on 145 goals and 35 assists, propelling the Eagles to their first Trinity League championship since 2012 and the most victories (16) in school history … Also garnered conference player of the year accolades to go with first team all-county honors, as well as her squad's MVP award … Merited US Lacrosse All-American distinction and played for the Orange County squad at the US Lacrosse National Tournament … Also competed in track and field as a prep … Was named Santa Margarita Catholic High's Scholar-Athlete of the Year … Graduated magna cum laude and is a member of the California Scholarship Federation … Plans to major in business administration at San Diego State.
#6 Makenna Nichols
Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley HS
Position: Midfield
Won four varsity letters at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, Calif., where she helped the Wolves to an undefeated 22-0 record as a senior, capped by a California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Section Division 1 championship … Totaled 21 goals and 54 ground balls in 2019, according to MaxPreps, finishing with two tallies and four ground balls in the NCS title game vs. Amador Valley … Garnered second-team all-East Bay Athletic League accolades on two occasions … Was named San Ramon Valley High's most valuable midfielder as a senior and collected her team's Coaches Award following her junior campaign … Merited NCS and EBAL all-academic distinction … Recipient of her school's Cody Tetra Award … Plans to pursue a degree in business administration at San Diego State.
#20 Camdyn O'Donnell
Poway, Calif./Poway HS
Position: Attack
Starred at nearby Poway High School, where she compiled 230 goals and 51 assists during her prep career … Led the Titans to four consecutive Palomar League championships and a runner-up finish in the 2017 California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section playoffs … Garnered first-team all-CIF accolades and was named Palomar League Player of the Year as a senior after racking up 88 goals, 11 assists, 45 draw controls and 34 ground balls, according to Max Preps … Received all-conference recognition on three occasions and was a two-time US Lacrosse All-American … Also collected Adrenaline All-America honors in 2019 and was voted her squad's Most Valuable Player … Merited second-team all-CIF distinction as a junior and was named her team's offensive MVP … Received CIF all-academic recognition on three occasions … Also started for three seasons at midfield for the Poway High girls soccer program, where she twice served as team captain, helping the Titans to a pair of conference titles and a CIF regional berth … Recipient of the Paul Platt Award, which is presented to her school's female multisport athlete of the year.
#12 Emily Resnick
Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas HS/Syracuse
Position: Midfield
Will have one year of eligibility at San Diego State after transferring from Syracuse University … Played in 58 games over three seasons with the Orange, logging 22 starts … Totaled eight goals and nine assists to go with 20 ground balls, 13 caused turnovers and seven draw controls … Starred for Team Israel over the summer at the 2019 Women's European Lacrosse Championship in Netanya, Israel, where she led the tournament with 37 points on 25 goals and 12 assists, helping her squad to a silver medal … Racked up seven goals and four assists in a 15-5 victory over the Netherlands in pool play … Graduated from Webster Thomas High School in Webster, New York, where she was twice named a US Lacrosse All-American and received all-Greater Rochester Area accolades on three occasions … Holds the Titans' single-season and career records for goals scored and was named the Greater Rochester Area Player of the Year as a senior in 2015.
#17 Addie Schmidt
Catonsville, Md./Glenelg Country School
Position: Defender
Won four letters at Glenelg Country School in Ellicott City, Md. … Garnered second-team all-Howard County accolades as a senior and was named her squad's defensive MVP … Led the Dragons to three straight semifinal appearances in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) Conference 'A' Tournament, one of the premier conferences in that state … Competed for the same prep program as fellow SDSU recruit Avery Dyer, along with current Aztec attacker Julia Sheehan … Glenelg Country School was ranked in the top 25 by US Lacrosse for three consecutive seasons from 2017-19 … Also lettered all four years in soccer as a prep, helping the Dragons capture a conference championship as a freshman in 2015 … Plans to major in journalism at San Diego State.
#3 Avonna Usher
Sacramento, Calif./Granite Bay High School
Position: Midfield
Won four letters at Granite Bay (Calif.) High School, where she helped the Grizzlies to a pair of semifinal appearances in the California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Section Division 1 playoffs in both 2016 and 2019 … Garnered first team all-Sacramento Valley Lacrosse League accolades on three occasions … Enjoyed a tremendous senior campaign, totaling 75 points on 49 goals and 26 assists to go with 66 draw controls and 28 ground balls, according to MaxPreps … Plans to major in criminal justice at San Diego State.