NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Notre Dame women’s lacrosse program is set to welcome seven new members as the Class of 2025 this fall. The group features an attacker, four midfielders and two goaltenders that hail from six different states.
“We are excited to welcome this group of outstanding young women to the Notre Dame Women’s Lacrosse family,” said Irish head coach Christine Halfpenny. “Throughout the recruiting process they consistently reflected our team’s values of excellence, sacrifice, respect, accountability, unity, relentlessness and passion. Their work ethic on the field and in the classroom has helped each of them prepare for the next four years here at Notre Dame. We are eager to add them to the returning team and look forward to the daily impact they’ll make to strengthen the program. As we compete for ACC and National titles, we are building champions in the classroom and community. Julia, Malie, Ava, Ciara, Isabel, Marleigh, and Grace will continue our legacy of being strong female ambassadors for Notre Dame in everything they do and how they represent the University. ”
Learn more about each member of the Class of 2025 below.
Julia Carr
Position: Midfield
Hometown: Rockville, Maryland
High School: Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
A USA Lacrosse All-American in 2021, Carr helped Stone Ridge earn a #4 national ranking with 50 points, 29 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers. She was named to Under Armour’s All-American Senior Watchlist and was tabbed “On the Rise” by Inside Lacrosse. The younger sister of current Irish Mollie Carr and program alumna Maddie Carr, Julia also earned four varsity letters in basketball and field hockey. She was named Stone Ridge’s Best All-Around Athlete as a senior this past season.
Malie Follet
Position: Goalie
Hometown: Fulton, N.Y.
High School: G. Ray Bodley High School
Follet earned First Team All-League honors for the second time as a senior in 2021 for G. Ray Bodley High School. A Second Team honoree as a freshman in 2018, Follet also competed for GAIT Lacrosse on the club circuit. She also earned a pair of varsity letters in soccer and one each in basketball, cross country and football.
Ava Kristynik
Position: Midfield/Attack
Hometown: Southlake, Texas
High School: Liberty Christian School
An All-American and Under Armour All-America Watchlist honoree, Kristynik captained Liberty Christian School in 2021 while also playing for GRIT Dallas. The midfield/attacker was also named to the Under Armour All-American Southwest Highlight Team in 2020 and participated in the U.S. Lacrosse National Tournament with Team North Texas in 2019. Kristynik also earned a varsity letter in track, and was named her school’s Relay Athlete of the Year as a freshman after taking second place in the Texas 6A 4x100M relay.
Ciara Mazzone
Position: Midfield
Hometown: East Greenbush, New York
High School: Columbia High School
Mazzone was named an Inside Lacrosse Committed Academy All-Star and earned All-Tournament Team honors after missing the 2021 campaign. In her last full season in 2019, Mazzone collected 82 goals and 11 assists while earning team MVP and Suburban Council First All Star Team accolades. She was also named to the Under Armour All America Games – Highlight Team and was named a top-25 standout at the 2019 Under Armour All America Games. Mazzone also competed for Monster Elite Lacrosse and won the 2019 Lake Placid Tournament.
Isabel Pithie
Position: Goalie
Hometown: Norwell, Massachusetts
High School: Norwell High School
Pithie, an Under Armour All-American Senior Watchlist honoree in 2021, captained Norwell to the South Shore League Championship this past season while being named the top goaltender in the conference. She was also selected as a captain for the U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team in 2019 after earning the National Lacrosse Tournament Champion with the Massachusetts & Rhode Island All-Stars. Pithie also competed for the Laxachusetts club team and earned six varsity letters in cross country and two in indoor track.
Marleigh Sanders
Position: Attack
Hometown: Milton, Georgia
High School: Milton High School
Sanders was named to the U.S. Lacrosse Top 25 and Under Armour All-American Watchlists in 2021 even though she was sidelined due to injury. As a sophomore, she led Milton with 120 points (43G, 77A) en route to a state title and also represented the Israeli National Team in the 2018 World Games. In total, her Milton squads earned region and state crowns on three occasions in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Grace Weigand
Position: Midfield
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
High School: Regis Jesuit High School
Weigand was selected as an Under Armour, U.S. Lacrosse and Adrenaline All-American in 2021 while being named the seventh-best recruit in America by Inside Lacrosse and the top female athlete in Colorado by MaxPreps. A U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-American, Weigand captained Regis Jesuit this past season and earned First Team All-State after recording 39 points (17G, 22A), 30 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. She also earned four varsity letters in basketball and three in field hockey, where she earned a pair of state championships in 2018 and 2021.
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