When Brendan Gorman pitched to Alexis Diaz the idea of competing last winter in a box lacrosse league he founded, she jumped at the opportunity. As its name implies, the sport is an alternate version of lacrosse, played in more confined spaces, sped up and with fewer players on the surface.
Diaz hadn’t done it before, but the Albertus Magnus star has never been one to decline a challenge. And it didn’t take long before it was made clear why the offer was extended to her.
“She’s running drills during the first practice and my business partner goes, ‘Who is that!?’” said Gorman, who is the athletic director and lacrosse coach at Albertus Magnus. “I’ve been doing this for 26 years and I’ve have the privilege of coaching a handful of generational athletes, and she’s one of them.”
Diaz is such a coveted athlete that the University of Maryland women’s lacrosse program contacted her at midnight on Sept. 1, within the first minute in which the NCAA allows colleges to make offers to 11th graders. The Nanuet native also starred for the Colombian national team, playing on the women’s senior squad as a sophomore.
And that’s not even the sport in which she’s been most successful, having excelled as a prolific scorer while helping her Albertus Magnus girls soccer team win two consecutive state championships.
The athleticism is immediately obvious as Diaz complements her speed and seamless coordination with a relentless hustle. But, what impressed Gorman most is her calming influence on teammates.
Those qualities are especially valuable as the lacrosse program builds. Diaz, Maddy Zuppe, Bella Lombardo, Claire O’Callaghan and freshman goalie Mimi Marinaccho lead a solid group, one expected to make the playoffs, but this isn’t the leviathan that Albertus’ girls soccer and basketball teams are perceived as.
“Alexis makes everyone around her better and does it with a smile,” he said of the midfielder. “People are happy to be around her. Of course, she’s talented and has a great ability to score, but her attitude and personality. Her maturity, from a coach’s perspective, it’s like talking to an assistant coach.”
So, we chatted with the two-sport superstar about topics ranging from Colombian heritage to the Grammy Awards. And why she isn’t part of the Falcons basketball dynasty.
Are you still “stacking the days” in preparation for soccer in the fall? “Oh, yeah. Even during lacrosse season, I play travel for my (Elite Club National League) team and practice three times a week. And I’m working in the gym with my high school team.”
How’d you get into your sports? “Soccer was my first love and I’ve been playing it since as far back as I can remember. In grade school when you get that paper asking what you want to be when you grow up, I always wrote that I wanted to be a soccer player. But I took a break from soccer in fifth grade and people suggested I try lacrosse. Once I picked up a stick, it was so much fun. I said, ‘I never want to not do this.’ I eventually got back into soccer and did both, then the question became, ‘If you can be a college athlete, which do you want to play?’ I had no idea.”
What was it like being recruited by a team with 15 national championships? “It was incredible. I was in (Washington, D.C.) with the soccer team for our preseason trip and I wore a Maryland lacrosse shirt to bed, hoping they’d reach out. I was trying to manifest it. They contacted me with an offer at 12:01 a.m. and I wanted to scream with joy. I was in the hotel bathroom texting back, trying to keep quiet because everyone was trying to sleep. I had been on the University of Maryland campus before and I got that feeling everyone talks about… It’s so exciting. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to play for a great coach and with some out-of-this-world athletes.”
All that athleticism and you’re not on the Albertus Magnus basketball team? “I’ve never played basketball before. I did gymnastics for a while, but it’s always been soccer and lacrosse. I used to play lacrosse with Julia Scott in middle school.”
What are the team goals for this lacrosse season? “We want to learn as much as we can and continue building chemistry. We’re steadily improving. Coach says the No. 1 rule is to have fun.”
How connected are you to your Colombian heritage? “Very. My family is from Bogotá and I’ve visited. My grandparents are here and we have some relatives in Florida, but most of our family is in Colombia. It’s a beautiful country and I love it so much.”
What’s it like playing for the national team? “It’s amazing. I’ve never had any experience like that. It’s obviously incredible to represent the country, but I also really enjoy learning about my culture. Colombia doesn’t have much of a lacrosse history and they’re just starting to develop the game there, so the national team is mostly girls from the (United States). But the idea of helping to grow the game there is inspiring… I also had a chance to try out for the Colombian national soccer team, but I couldn’t go. I had a showcase tournament in San Diego, and I was worried about college recruitment at the time.”
Would you rather score a game-winning goal in soccer or lacrosse? “Probably soccer, because goals are harder to come by. But the celebration in lacrosse is more fun, throwing your sticks and goggles in the air.” (Diaz scored the winner in double overtime of the 2024 Section 1 soccer final. She also scored in overtime to lift the Colombian lacrosse team to a 10-9 win over Portugal in the Heritage Cup last May.)
Are there lacrosse players you’ve modeled your game after? “I love (former Suffern star and current professional player) Abby Bosco. The way she plays defense, it’s an art. Chloe Humphrey, too. Kori Edmondson, the way she gets her shot off so quickly, it’s something I’ve tried to copy. I try to incorporate things from different players into my game.”
What’s the music of choice? “Mostly older music. I love The Cranberries, Oasis, Weezer, Nirvana. It’s the result of how much time I spend in the car with my mom, driving to tournaments. A lot of my friends listen to country, I like that a little bit, but they also like what I listen to. For soccer lifts, we listen to house music.”
How do you unwind in your free time? “Playing some wall ball. That was my escape from soccer when I was younger, but it still helps my game so I’ve never stopped doing it.”
Favorite hobbies outside of sports? “I like to do arts and crafts, and I play the trombone. I started playing in fourth grade, then during COVID I stopped. Then, going into high school and wanting to be more well-rounded, I emailed my band teacher and asked if he could help me get back into it. He was more than nice. I’m part of the band now at Albertus; I was in our big Christmas performance in December. We’re getting better and the band is growing a lot here. Our music teacher won a Latin Grammy.” (Cesar Orozco is an instrumentalist who won the award last year for Best Arrangement.)
Wait a minute. A Grammy? “Yes! He’s awesome. We were so excited for him. When the actual award came, he brought it to school and showed it to us. Never in my life did I think I’d see a Grammy in person.”
Is there an instrument you wish you could play? “Piano. I like watching people play it. It seems difficult.”
Would you rather win a Tewaaraton or a Grammy? “Tewaaraton!”
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Albertus Magnus’ Alexis Diaz talks lacrosse and soccer stardom
Reporting by Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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