Athletes Train, Compete at Summit Lacrosse Ventures’ Twelfth Annual Northstar Showcase alongside some of the Nation’s best coaches

COLONIE, NY — Northstar athletes made their way to New York’s Capital Region for the twelfth edition of the Northstar Showcase on June 26th, a girls training and recruiting opportunity featuring one-on-one instruction led by respected college coaches.

Hosted by Summit Lacrosse Ventures, the Northstar Showcase drew members of the 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 graduating classes to Afrim’s Sports Park just outside of Albany for a day of high-level training and competition, which included position-specific training with college coaches, along with a full-field game and contests held in the “Sixes” format, widely considered to be a path to lacrosse in the Olympics.

Established in 2012, the Northstar Showcase was created for promising young lacrosse players to learn directly from outstanding, respected coaches and then put their skills and IQ on display in front of those coaches with the goal of playing at the next level.

In addition to the college coaches, four current Division I college lacrosse student-athletes were on staff as counselors to serve as Northstar team coaches and to provide the athletes with both on-field instruction, and advice to navigate the recruiting landscape, develop as a student-athlete, and succeed at the next level.

The day began with distribution of a custom Northstar Nike uniform and gear kit, readying athletes for intensive positional training, and then the athletes learned from and interacted with the dozen college coaches at breakout and buildup stations that progressed athletes from 1v1 to 6v6 play and then from 2v1 to 6v5 scenarios.

Attackers and middies learned offensive techniques from some of our country’s all-time greats in Syracuse’s Kayla Treanor, USC’s Lindsey Munday, and Albany’s Katie Rowan, also three of Team USA’s all-time greats. Defenders learned from Florida and Team USA’s Regy Thorpe, and Hopkins’ Tim McCormack, while goalies received dedicated training as well.

The second half of the day gave way to a team practice and full-field game as participants were broken into four squads that built on the training sessions and put it all together on the turf.

“We created the Northstar Showcase to offer an impactful, game-changing experience for next generation athletes,” said Summit CEO and President Ashley Gersuk Murphy, who was a standout at nearby Albany Academy for Girls before heading off to star at Northwestern University as a four-year Team Captain and All-American goalie.

“There are so many talented girls coming up the ranks and for those who aim to play the game in college, the Northstar Showcase has become a valuable stepping stone. By working closely with college coaches, in an extraordinary ~5:1 ratio of athletes to college coaches, and competing against other promising athletes, these girls better themselves and take a meaningful step toward playing at the next level.”

“Lacrosse has given me so much personally, as an athlete, and professionally, and I love this opportunity to share what I have experienced with the next generation. Above all else, lacrosse is fun, and we encourage Northstar athletes to remember their love for the game, every time they step on the field.”

Attending institutions are hand-picked based on Summit’s relationships, to include the University of Southern California, Syracuse University, the University of Florida, Johns Hopkins University, Colgate University, the University at Albany, Marquette University, Fairfield University, Niagara University, Southern NH University, Le Moyne College and more.

“The lacrosse world is a close-knit community, and nothing is more important than the relationships built over time; we are very grateful for our friends and colleagues in the coaching ranks who support our vision for Northstar and make it such an exceptional experience for attending athletes,” said Murphy.

“I expressed to attending athletes the importance of building relationships, beyond their school and club teams – the athletes to their left and right will likely become college teammates, colleagues, and friends down the road”.

After game play concluded, coaches and staff met to tally votes for the day’s All-Stars, and teams were announced just before two All-Star games were held in the Sixes format, with college coaches lining the sideline between the adjacent small-sided fields. CLICK HERE for the All-Star Rosters.

Girls from as far away as California, Colorado and Idaho, along with New England and Tri-State-based athletes traveled to the Showcase, which was the third stop on the Find Your Summit (#FNDURSUMT) Tour sponsored by Gait Lacrosse, a company headquartered in New York’s Capital Region.

“Like every year, we had a world-class staff, including numerous coaches who’ve worked on professional and world teams, and we structure the Northstar Showcase similar to a college or pro training day”, said Murphy, who helped lead the Wildcats to their first NCAA championship in 2005. “We were impressed by the energy and commitment to our philosophy, and are thrilled to make a meaningful impact on the athletes who attended.

To view photos of the 2023 Northstar Showcase, visit the Summit Lacrosse Ventures Instagram page. Be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s Northstar Showcase, which will be announced shortly.

Use the hashtag #FNDURSUMT to follow Summit Lacrosse Ventures and our partners as we host seven events in the Northeast this Summer.