Abt Emerges as Elite College Lax Player
Kailene Abt, that All-American Huntington girl that Blue Devil teammates and fans grew to love, has endeared herself to a whole new crowd and become an elite college lacrosse player at Notre Dame
Entering the week, Abt has 11 goals and five assists for the Fighting Irish, who have gone 4-1 over their first five games of the season. The 5’11 junior midfielder is a dynamic presence on both ends of the field. She notched 46 goals and nine assists as a sophomore and is an essential cog in Notre Dame’s powerful machine.
Before it’s over, this could be the former Huntington star’s greatest year ever. “I have been extremely busy with the season so far,” Abt said. “Notre Dame is a great place and has naturally allowed me to flourish.”
The Blue Devil alum has scored goals in each of the Fighting Irish’s games this spring. Abt scored a goal in the season opening 13-12 victory at Hofstra and followed that up with a four goal performance in a 15-10 win over Duquense. She had two goals and three assists to help Notre Dame top California in overtime, 14-12.
In the team’s only loss, a 12-8 defeat at the hands of Dartmouth, Abt had three goals and an assist. Last Saturday she contributed one goal and one assist in a 7-6 sudden death victory over Boston University.
“I am studying sociology and education here and considering participating in ACE (Alliance for Catholic Education) or Teach for America when I graduate,” Ms. Abt said about the teaching programs. “My other recent interest lies in clinical psychology, and although that is outside my major, the ability to take electives has produced this interest. Overall, this environment is very stimulating, and has allowed me to be successful as a student thus far.”
Abt’s career totals at Huntington are impressive and include 165 goals, 88 assists, a staggering 253 points and winning 88 percent of her draws. As a senior, she recorded 62 goals and 25 assists and was one of the top female athletes in Suffolk and an All-American. She earned All-County honors four times in lax and was All-County in basketball and All-League in soccer while serving as a captain for all three teams.
At Notre Dame, Abt’s leadership skills are once in the spotlight. “Our team is very talented this year, maybe the most talented team we have ever had, but so early in the season we are still learning our roles as a team, my class as upperclassmen and the freshmen as college players,” she said.
Last year, the Fighting Irish reached the NCAA Division I quarterfinals. They want to go even further this spring. If they do, Abt is expected to play a central role.
“Although we have done well thus far, we know we need to continue improving in order to get where we want to go,” Abt said. “This season should be interesting. Our team still remains confident that we can make something great of this season.”
Abt said the Notre Dame team has a unique bond as individuals. “We love spending time together and I think that will help unite us this season,” she said
Although she’s been largely gone from the Huntington scene for nearly three years, high school faculty and coaches still harbor warm memories of Ms. Abt’s time there and enjoy reading updates on her progress in college.
“I’m flattered that people are still interested in my life,” she said. “I definitely miss Huntington no matter how much I love it here. Huntington’s a unique place and I hope students understand how special it is!”
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