North Carolina lacrosse plucks three more Long Island recruits

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NCAA lacrosse powerhouse North Carolina secured signed commitments this week from three Long Island high school stars.

The Tar Heels ladies picked up St. Anthony’s teammates Lexi Zenk from Riverhead and Tess Calabria of Huntington, while the men’s team secured lockdown Chaminade High School defender Ben Fox of Rockville Centre.

Zenk, a goalie, and Calabria, a midfielder, join a women’s squad that already counts three players from Long Island on its 2024 roster. Before heading off to Chapel Hill, the pair will be gunning for a third consecutive CHSAAA championship this spring with the Friars.

In May, North Carolina’s women’s team fell to Denver in the NCAA quarterfinals. Back in 2022, the program won its third national championship.

Fox will join a men’s program that now includes 10 players from Long Island. The North Carolina men went 7-7 in 2023 and last won an NCAA championship in 2016.

Zenk, a five-star recruit, plays travel ball with the Long Island Yellow Jackets.

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Highlight reel of Zenk

Calabria has been ranked nationally as high as eighth by Inside Lacrosse magazine in her recruiting class. She also stars for the Yellow Jackets.

Calabria earned tournament MVP honors in October while playing for USA Select U18 at the Fall Classic Brogden Cup.

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Tess Calabria highlights

The women’s team in Chapel Hill also have a verbal commitment from Westhampton Beach junior midfielder Reese King. Both North Carolina teams have recruited heavily on Long Island for decades.

Fox is ranked 23rd on Inside Lacrosse‘s national list of top recruits from the Class of 2024. He plays travel ball for Team 91.