ITHACA, N.Y. – The Cornell women's lacrosse team welcomes ten freshmen for the upcoming 2026 season. The group consists of two attackers, four midfielders and three defenders.
Attack (2) Maeve McKenzie, Addy Smith
Midfielders (4) Ellie Bornhoeft, Madeline Pohmer, Devon St. John,
Maddie Tully, Gretta White
Defense (3) Ellie Andersen, Marissa Kamin, Lucy Yu
Jenny Graap, The Karin Bain Kukral '82 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse is getting the team prepped and ready for the season with the goal of making a run to the Ivy League tournament.
"We feel fortunate to have landed such a fantastic group of young women in our Class of 2029. Having graduated sixteen players in the spring, we needed to bring in athletes who were ready to compete right away at the highest level. Across the board all ten freshmen bring a level of speed, skill and intensity that is energizing our entire squad. Coach Burlingame, Coach VanHoltz, Coach O'Brien and I are very excited to see the impact these newcomers will have on our Big Red program," Graap said.
The new class hails from eight different states across the country. Read about the newcomers and what they bring to the team below.
#11 Ellie Andersen
D • 5-10 • Garden City, N.Y. (Garden City High School)
Andersen joins the Big Red from Garden City High School, where she helped lead the team to five straight county championships (2021–25) and a pair of Long Island titles (2023, 2025). A four-year letterwinner on defense, she earned All-Conference honors in 2024 before capping her senior season as an All-County and All-America selection in 2025. Andersen also competed as a midfielder on the soccer team and played for Tradition Lacrosse club.
#14 Addy Smith
A/M • 5-8 • Denver, Colo. (Colorado Academy)
Smith comes to Cornell after a decorated career at Colorado Academy, where she was a four-year starter for the nationally ranked 5A varsity team and helped the Mustangs capture multiple state championships. A senior captain in 2025, she earned USA Lacrosse All-America honors, was named 5A West League Player of the Year, and was a two-time First Team All-State and All-Conference selection. Smith also competed for 3D Colorado AA, Team 180, and Krash Lacrosse, collecting numerous national tournament honors, including an Adrenaline All-America selection in 2025. She was recognized as a USA Lacrosse All-Academic honoree and served as a Morgan's Message ambassador.
#21 Maddie Tully
M • 5-8 • New Canaan, Conn. (New Canaan High School)
Tully was a four-year varsity contributor at New Canaan High School, helping lead the Rams to state championships in 2022 and 2024 along with two FCIAC titles. A senior captain in 2025, she was a two-time first-team All-State and All-FCIAC selection and earned USA Lacrosse All-America honors in 2024 and received 2025 Power 100 freshman watch list recognition. Tully competed for the CT Grizzlies club program. In addition to lacrosse, Tully was a standout hockey player as a four year member of her high school's varsity hockey team, a part of winning three championships. Tully was a three-time first team all-state and FCIAC selection. She was also named Connecticut Ice Hockey Player of the Year during her senior year and received the Hobey Baker Leadership Award.
#16 Madeline Pohmer
M • 5-10 • Powell, Ohio (Olentangy Liberty High School)
Pohmer comes to Cornell after a decorated career at Olentangy Liberty High School, where she was a two-time USA Lacrosse All-American and helped lead her team to back-to-back Division I state championships in 2024 and 2025. As a senior captain, she was named Ohio Player of the Year, Ohio Central Conference Player of the Year, and earned first-team All-State, All-Region and All-Conference honors. Pohmer also collected team MVP honors three straight seasons (2023–25) while guiding the Patriots to a runner-up finish at the state championship in 2023. Pohmer also competed for the club, Long Island Top Guns. A multi-sport athlete, she competed in cross country and track, qualifying for both Nike and New Balance Nationals. Off the field, she was a National Honor Society member, AP Scholar with Distinction, and graduated summa cum laude.
#13 Devon St. John
M • 5-8 • Huntington, N.Y. (Huntington High School)
St. John was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain at Huntington High School, where she helped lead the Blue Devils to both a county and Long Island championship in 2025. She earned back-to-back All-County honors, was named to Newsday's Top 100 Players list, and was recognized among the outlet's "Playoff Stars" during her senior season. Also a key contributor on the soccer field, she was a three-year varsity starter and team captain. St. John competed for Liberty Lacrosse at the club level and excelled academically, earning AP Scholar with Distinction honors, membership in multiple honor societies, and eight NYS Scholar-Athlete awards.
#24 Maeve Mackenzie
A • 5-5 • Jamesville, N.Y. (Christian Brothers Academy)
Maeve arrives at Cornell after a standout career at Christian Brothers Academy, where she was a five-year Varsity starter and senior captain. During her high school career she earned USA Lacrosse All-American and Academic All-American, OHSL First Team All-League 2023-2025, All-CNY First Team 2023-2025 and First Team All-State 2025. At the club level, she played for Orange Crush Lacrosse. She also competed in basketball as a point guard and lettered twice on the hardwood. Off the field, she was a member of the National Honor Society, High Honor Roll every semester, and received the NYS Scholar Athlete Award. She continues her pursuit of academic excellence at Cornell as a Communications major.
#30 Marissa Kamin
D • 5-4 • Media, Pa. (Penncrest High School)
Kamin joins the Big Red after a distinguished career at Penncrest High School, where she was a four-year starter on defense and served as a senior captain. She earned All-Delco and All-Central honors each year from 2023 to 2025 and helped lead her team to the district and state finals in 2023. At the club level, she competed for Delco Lacrosse Club. Kamin also excelled academically, earning recognition from the National Honor Society, Science and English Honor Societies, Academic Excellence Award, Distinguished Honor Roll, and serving as a Class Council representative.
#19 Lucy Yu
D • 5-4 • Oakland, Calif. (Bishop O'Dowd High School)
Yu arrives at Cornell after an accomplished career at Bishop O'Dowd High School, where she was a four-year varsity standout and three-year captain. She was named West Alameda County Conference Player of the Year four times (2022–25) and helped lead her team to back-to-back conference championships in 2022 and 2023. A two-time USA Lacrosse All-American (2024, 2025), Yu also earned Offensive MVP honors in 2022 and was Bishop O'Dowd's Team MVP three straight years (2023–25). She finished her senior season as California's leading scorer in both goals and points. At the club level, she competed for STEPS California. Yu was equally successful academically, earning First Honor Roll and President's List recognition all four years, along with the Bishop O'Dowd Award for Academic Excellence (2023–25).
#3 Gretta White
M • 5-7 • Shelburne, Vt. (St. Paul's School)
White comes to Cornell after a decorated career at St. Paul's School in Concord, N.H., where she was a four-year varsity player and captain as a senior. She helped lead the program to four straight Lakes Region Championships and was named First Team All-NEPSAC three times (2023–25). A two-time USA Lacrosse All-American (2024, 2025), she also earned the Kent Girls Lacrosse Award in back-to-back seasons for scholarship, sportsmanship, and athletic excellence. Beyond high school play, White has international experience as a member of the Argentina National Team, competing in the 2022 World Championship in Towson, Md., and earning bronze at the 2023 Pan American Lacrosse Association Cup and gold at the 2025 Heritage Cup. At the club level, Gretta played for Mass Elite. Off the field, she was a standout student and leader, serving as a senior class officer, graduating with distinction in Humanities and Spanish, and earning multiple academic and character awards.
#7 Ellie Bornhoeft
M • 5-9 • Winnetka, Ill. (New Trier Township High School)
Bornhoeft joins Cornell following a standout career at New Trier Township High School, where she was a two-time USA Lacrosse All-American (2024, 2025) and USA Lacrosse Midwest Player of the Year in 2025. A senior captain, she led New Trier to two Illinois state championships (2022, 2025) and earned back-to-back IHSA First Team All-State honors. She was a three-year starter and four-year varsity player, finishing as New Trier's all-time career draw leader with 366 draws. Bornhoeft also competed for Team One Wildcat at the club level and participated in field hockey for two years. She earned USA Lacrosse All-Academic honors twice (2024, 2025) and was consistently on the honor roll throughout high school.
UP NEXT
Big Red Women's Lacrosse will continue their fall ball play this weekend in Moorestown, N.J. at the New Jersey Fall Tournament where they will face Villanova, Rutgers and Binghamton.
