Alyssa Leonard

Induction Year: 2024

Category: Lacrosse

Location: Bay Shore

Bay Shore native Alyssa Leonard is one of the greatest prep and college lacrosse players to hail from Suffolk County.

Despite not playing competitive lacrosse until her junior year of high school, Leonard made an immediate impact as a freshman at Northwestern in 2011, when she was the recipient of the American Lacrosse Conference’s Rookie of the Year honor.

Her contributions as a draw control specialist during her debut season keyed the Wildcats’ first back-to-back NCAA championships. They propelled Leonard to the top as NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse’s all-time leader in career draw controls. 

Relying on quick hands and her competitive demeanor, Leonard finished her NU tenure with a staggering 469 draws in the circle, over 100 more than the previous NCAA record.

The 2014 IWLCA All-American, Tewaaraton Award nominee, and NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team selection was also a fearless attacker for the Wildcats, as she led Northwestern with 53 points and 41 goals scored as a senior. 

Leonard’s playing career included appearances in 88 games with 69 starts. 

Following her senior campaign, Leonard earned a spot on the U.S. Women’s Lacrosse National Team on the road to the 2017 FIL World Cup.

As a coach, she was the offensive coordinator at USC for several seasons. Today, she is a teacher and coach in Seattle.