It’s Sammy White’s to run.
The 2025 Northwestern lacrosse team will look a little different from recent years.
For the first time in six years, there will be no Izzy Scane. For the first time in five years, there will be no Erin Coykendall.
But Kelly Amonte Hiller is looking at more than just a different attack, with defenders Kendall Halpern, a second team USA Lacrosse All-American, and Carleigh Mahoney, an Honorable Mention, graduating.
The anchor of the defense will indisputably be Sammy White, who was slotted at No. 15 in Inside Lacrosse’s Top-50 Players for 2025 list. The senior has always been a pivotal player on this roster, but in the absence of Halpern and Mahoney, her value is exponential.
Last season, White fought back from an offseason achilles injury but went on to later be sidelined for five games. Even so, she tallied 19 caused turnovers, 24 ground balls and 38 draw controls and went on to be named a USA Lacrosse Third Team All-American.
White had a dominant sophomore campaign, in which she became a full-time defender and starter all 22 games. She had 68 draw controls and led the team in ground balls (42) and caused turnovers (31). In Northwestern’s national title victory, she was named the Most Valuable Player. As a former Big Ten Freshman of the Year, White emerged as a force at Northwestern from the start, and she can be expected to have another triumphant season — one where she will be the leader and core of the Northwestern defense.
While Northwestern’s attack gains University of Pennsylvania’s Niki Miles, the defense gains her Penn teammate Grace Fujinaga. The graduate defender started every game across her senior and junior seasons and was name to the Second Team All-Ivy Team in 2023. Fujinaga offers assistance to a Wildcat team lacking defensive depth, with a knack for causing turnovers and picking up ground balls.
This season may also be a chance for senior Megan Mallgrave to step up. The 5-foot-11 defender has appeared in just a handful of games in her three prior seasons. Through just nine games last season, she caused two turnovers and picked up four ground balls, including one in the NCAA quarterfinal against Penn. Junior Kathryn Welch and sophomore Talia Reading could also see some field time.
Molly Laliberty’s departure raised questions about who could succeed her in goal, but, quite truthfully, Amonte Hiller found a stellar option in one of the sport’s best goalies.
Graduate keeper Delaney Sweitzer is coming off two strong campaigns at Syracuse. In 2023, she was named the IWLCA’s Goalkeeper of the Year and a First Team All-American by Inside Lacrosse, IWLCA and USA Lacrosse. She ranked seventh nationally in saves and posted a .505 save percentage.
In 2024, Sweitzer led Syracuse to a second consecutive Final Four with a 9.61 goals-against average and .418 save percentage.
Amonte Hiller will also have senior Cara Nugent, the No. 2 behind Laliberty last season, and redshirt sophomore Francesca Argentieri to help out, but Sweitzer brings a certain level of talent that will help for a team undergoing a bit of a revival.
With some ‘Cats having the chance to fight for a newfound opportunity on the field and the addition of new faces adding crucial experience, the defensive end will be taking on a new look for Northwestern in 2025. But the player to watch will be White — and she would be a player to watch regardless of who is competing with or against her.