High school lacrosse: Meet 20 players to watch this spring

Minnesota’s status as an emerging beacon of lacrosse talent will be on full display this spring.

Here are 20 of the state’s top boys and girls lacrosse players to monitor this season:

Note: Athletes are in alphabetical order.

Edina, senior midfielder. College plan: Providence

A 6-4 midfielder, Anderson has a combination of size and skill. Anderson collected 49 goals and 24 assists last season.

East Ridge, junior attack. College plan: Air Force

The 5-10, 165-pound lefty attackman led the Raptors with 65 points as a sophomore in 2024.

Monticello, junior faceoff specialist. College plan: undecided

Bauer won 250-of-315 faceoffs in 2024, good for a 79% clip.

St. Thomas Academy, senior long-stick midfield/defender. College plan: Saint Joseph’s

Much of Candon’s impact can’t be captured in a stat sheet, though his 26 ground balls and six turnovers are nothing to scoff at. The 6-1 LSM presents a nightmare for opposing attackmen and midfielders.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s, senior defender. College plan: undecided

One of the Red Knight’s key defensive cogs, the 2024 first-team All-Metro selection will be pivotal to the program’s push for a title repeat.

Bloomington Jefferson, senior attack. College plan: Dartmouth

The 6-4 attackman possesses a lightning-quick first step and an innate craftiness in front of the cage.

Stillwater, junior goalkeeper. College plan: Le Moyne

The 5-10 netminder established himself as one of the state’s top shot-stoppers last season after posting a 15-4 record and a .620 save percentage as a sophomore.

Lakeville North, senior attack. College plan: New Jersey Institute of Technology

The 6-foot attackman is one of the area’s most pure finishers. He tallied 84 goals and 26 assists in 2024.

Chanhassen, junior defender. College plan: Yale

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenseman recorded 84 ground balls and caused 36 turnovers as a sophomore.

Prior Lake, senior defender. College plan: Maryville University of St. Louis

The 2024 second team All-Metro selection scooped 68 ground balls and forced 32 turnovers during a standout junior campaign.

Mankato, senior goalkeeper. College plan: Saint Benedict

A proven shot-stopper, Fischer posted a .679 save percentage last season, turning away 292 of 430 shots faced.

Minnetonka, senior attack. College plan: Niagara

The 5-6 attacker posted a team-high 92 points last season, while corralling 33 ground balls.

Prior Lake, senior midfielder. College plan: Rutgers

Adept at all three field positions, Grove will look to build on a junior season where she recorded 63 points, 121 draw controls, 28 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers.

Southwest Christian, senior midfielder. College plan: High Point

Harder projects as a defensive player in college, but she racked up 82 goals and 41 assists to go along with 166 draw controls, 109 ground balls and 42 caused turnovers in 2024.

Hill-Murray, sophomore attack/midfielder. College plan: undecided

Murphy took the state by storm as a freshman, with 48 goals, 49 assists and 23 ground balls in 2024.

Orono, sophomore midfielder. College plan: undecided

One of the Midwest’s top 2027 prospects, Nick has formed a potent scoring duo with Dylan Collins. The pair combined for 196 points in 2024 and area coaches expect the sophomore to take her game to the next level this spring.

Minnetonka, junior midfielder/defender, College plan: Connecticut

Rated as a four-star recruit by Inside Lacrosse, Palm posted 75 points, 73 ground balls, caused 51 turnovers and 26 draw controls as a sophomore.

Cretin-Derham Hall, freshman attack. College plan: undecided

Rosga, whose sister starts for NCAA powerhouse Northwestern, recorded video game numbers as an eighth-grader on varsity (111 points, 34 ground balls, 22 caused turnovers and 72 draw controls).

Prior Lake, senior defender. College plan: Grand Valley State

Sazama excels on the backcheck and tallied 27 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers as a junior.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s, senior attack/midfielder. College plan: Lindenwood

Vang is a valuable returner for the Red Knights who graduated a myriad of senior talent last summer. She will likely shift from lefty crease attack to a more prominent midfield role in 2025.