The 2026 high school field hockey season will launch in a few days with every script unwritten.
There are sure to be surprises with previously unknown or little known players having breakout years. Those players won't be found below but may end up as first- or second-team all-stars after the season ends.
Currently, though, based on past performance, multiple players already seem poised to have all-star seasons.
Below is the Journal News/lohud Elite 11 and Second 11 lists, which salute 22 players, chosen as the best of the best out of more than 100 previously cited as potential stars this fall.
2026 Field Hockey Elite 11
Lily Brickman
School: Mamaroneck
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
What makes Lily elite? The two-time All-State player and 2025 Westchester/Putnam Field Hockey Player of the
Yearis blessed with great speed and dodging ability, is a fine stick-handler and has superior field vision as well as the ability to score in multiple ways. The Div. I Georgetown commit was in some ways in a league of her own last year. She had 45 goals and 20 assists in leading Mamaroneck to the state Class A final. Brickman has proven to be one of the most difficult players to stop on offense -- if not the most difficult.
Meredith D'Arcy
School: Mamaroneck
Year: Junior
Position: Midfield
What makes Meredith elite? A great two-way player, D'Arcy, who'll play for Div. I Georgetown in a couple of years, is known as much for her ability to strip the ball from opponents as her ability to score and to set up teammates to score. The 2025 All-State honoree, who's recognized in part because of her pure athleticism, has the potential to be among the area's top point getters.
Fin Degl
School: John Jay-Cross River
Year: Senior
Position: Midfield
What makes Fin elite? Degl is committed to the University of Southern California for lacrosse, but anyone who has seen this speedster play field hockey knows she could also be going Div. I in that sport, as well. Degl, who gained All-State honors last year, is one of Section 1's most talented flyers, her quickness allowing her to deflect or outright stop or event prevent shots off penalty corners. She's also a strong offensive weapon, serving as the all-important inserter off offensive penalty corners. Last year, she reached double digits in goals scored.
Lily Diaz
School: Yorktown
Year: Senior
Position: Midfield
What makes Lily elite? The 2025 All-State recipient is probably one of the top athletes in Section 1 field hockey. But she's also recognized for her field vision and sense — an awareness of when to slow and speed up the game. Diaz, whose defensive strengths are widely recognized, was also Yorktown's top scorer last year, netting 16 goals and dishing out 13 assists.
Talia Grill
School: Mamaroneck
Year: Junior
Position: Midfield
What makes Talia elite? The 2025 All-Section player played bigger than her numbers last year for the state Class A runner-up Tigers. She had eight goals and 10 assists and was a huge cog in Mamaroneck's midfield, both moving the ball and stopping opponents from advancing into the Tigers' defensive end.
Meaghan Heyde
School: Lakeland
Year: Junior
Position: Defense/midfield
What makes Meaghan elite? Defenders typically don't have big offensive stats but Heyde, a Junior Olympian, who gained All-State recognition last year, is an exception. Her one-on-one ability rivals or surpasses that of many top forwards in the area. She has a remarkable ability to carry the ball out of the defensive zone and then turn that into offensive opportunities with pin-point passing. Last year, she scored eight times and had 20 assists.
Callan Keeley
School: John Jay-Cross River
Year: Senior
Position: Forward
What makes Callan elite? Now starting her fifth year on varsity, the 2025 All-State recipient was the Wolves' leading scorer last year with 35 points, including 24 goals. The Div. I Lehigh commit's superior stickhandling skills have allowed her to carry the ball through tight coverage most other players could not successfully negotiate. She also possesses a lethal shot, including on the reverse.
Aditi Parambath
School: Lakeland
Year: Junior
Position: Midfield
What makes Aditi elite? Even before, as just a freshman facing huge pressure, she scored the winning goal in a post-overtime shootout against Horace Greeley to secure the 2024 Section 1 Class B championship, it was hard not to notice Parambath when she was on the field for Lakeland. Strong on the ball, mature and gifted with great field vision, stickhandling and passing skills, she has played every position for the Hornets except goal and there's little doubt she could learn that job if asked. Last year, Parambath earned All-Section 1 honors while splitting her time between forward, midfield and defense. She had 11 goals and 11 assists and stopped a countless number of opponents' offensive rushes.
McKenzie Ryder
School: John Jay-Cross River
Year: Senior
Position: Goalie
What makes McKenzie elite? The netminder, who gained All-State recognition last year, is beginning her third year on varsity. Last year she starred in multiple Wolves games. She had 11 shutouts and stopped 91% of the shots she faced. Ryder, who's quick and anticipates well, helped take her team to a Section 1 Class B semifinal, where she allowed one goal in a 1-0 double-overtime loss to top-seeded Rye.
Gianna Santini
School: Lakeland
Year: Senior
Position: Defense
What makes Gianna elite? Like her teammate Heyde, Santini breaks the mold of typical defender due to her offensive gifts. In fact, her 2025 offensive numbers surpassed those of many top forwards and midfielders from the region. The Div. I UMass commit, who is a two-time All-State honoree, had 19 goals and 12 assists last season, in part because she plays on offensive, as well as defensive, corners. And on defense she's a force, both breaking up opponents' offensive chances with her ability to read plays and by almost always coming out on top in one-on-one play.
Sienna Tavolacci
School: Horace Greeley
Year: Junior
Position: Forward
What makes Sienna great? One of Section 1's fastest and most elusive players, due to both her quickness and superb stickhandling skills, Tavolacci was named All-State last year after playing a key role in Horace Greeley winning the Section 1 Class B title. She finished the season with more than 50 points.
Next 11
Claire Collins, Sr., F, Pleasantville
Kaitlyn Coyne, Jr., F, Rye
Brooke Farscht, Sr., D, Mamaroneck
Gabby Goldstein, Jr., F, Lakeland
Ava Lawlor, Sr., D, Mamaroneck
Emilia Londrigan, Jr., F, Mamaroneck
Harriet Moraes, So., MF, Horace Greeley
Ava Ryan, Jr., F, Yorktown
Leila Sztul, Jr., D, Mamaroneck
Alexis Tighe, Jr, F, White Plains
Riley Waters, Sr., MF, Lakeland
Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: See who made the 2026 lohud Field Hockey Elite 11 team
