From Press Release Sixth-year head coach Amanda O’Leary and the Florida Gators lacrosse team announced 11 high school seniors signed their National Letter of Intent, committing to the University of Florida. The 11-women signing class includes Sydney Pirreca, the No. 1-rated recruit in the country, and Lindsey Ronbeck, the nation’s No. 2-rated recruit, according to Inside Lacrosse. O’Leary, whose current freshmen group was rated as the No. 3 2014 recruiting class, said she is excited about what this year’s class will bring to Florida next season. ”This year’s signing class features a number of very talented young women,” O’Leary said. “Not only are they hard workers on the field, but they are diligent students as well, and will be great representatives of our team and the University of Florida lacrosse team when they arrive on campus next year. We expect big things from this class and look forward to them joining our Florida lacrosse family.” Florida opens its first season as an affiliate member of the BIG EAST Conference in 2015 after winning four American Lacrosse Conference (ALC) titles over the past five years. UF’s season opener is scheduled for Feb. 7 at home against North Carolina. Paige Aldave | Midfield | Baltimore, Md. A midfielder from Baltimore, Maryland, Aldave plays for St. Pauls School for Girls in one of the country’s toughest conferences, the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM). She was a 2013 Under Amour Underclassmen All-American and her club team, Sky Walkers, won the US Lacrosse Girls’ U15 National Championship. Jillian Alonso | Attack | Massapequa, N.Y. Alonso brings a winning mentality to the Gators. As a member of Farmingdale High School in Massapequa, New York, the attacker helped lead her team to a 2013 New York State High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class A State Championship, while taking her team to the regional finals in her junior year and winning three-straight Nassau County Championships (2012-14). Alonso was also named a 2013 Brine All-American and an All-Conference selection. Caroline Benitez | Midfield | Darrien, Conn. Benitez has played four seasons for one of the premier programs in the state of Connecticut, Darien High School, winning four state championships. Benitez was a 2013 All-County and Under Armour Underclassmen All-American selection. In addition, she has been named a team captain for her senior year. Annie Collins | Midfield/Defense | St. James, N.Y. Collins played in the US Lacrosse Women’s National Tournament for Team Long Island. As a junior, she netted 24 points and 22 assists for Smithtown East High School. Kendra Cronin | Attack | Bay Shore, N.Y. Cronin comes to Florida from Bay Shore High School where she has been a part of a two Suffolk County Champion squads. The attacker also helped lead Bay Shore to a Long Island Championship and to the NYSPHSAA Class A Semi-Finals. In 2014, she played with some of the nation’s most-talented players in the Long Island All-American Girls Lacrosse Nassau vs. Suffolk Invite, as a member of Team Suffolk. Madison Hall | Midfield/Defense | Sykesville, Md. A 2014 Under Armour Underclassmen All-American, Hall netted 50 goals, while dishing out 25 assists as a high school junior, earning Baltimore Sun All-Metro Second Team honors. She’s known as a great dodger when attacking the net, and was named All-County First Team after leading Century High School, one of Maryland’s most-dominant programs, to a 12-win season. Haley Hicklen | Goalie | Baltimore, Md. Hicklen, a goalie from Towson, Maryland, was a member of the US Lacrosse U15 National Champion-winning Sky Walkers club team and earned Baltimore Sun Athlete of the Week honors in 2014 as a junior. Additionally, she was a 2014 Under Armour Underclassmen All-American and a two-time All-County and All-Division First Team selection (2013-14). Alexandra Lopez | Attack | Oakdale, N.Y. Lopez, a New York native, played at the U15 National Tournament and is a member of the Long Island Top Guns club lacrosse team. She was awarded team MVP honors following the 2012 season and has been named All-County, All-Conference and All-League during her career. Caroline May | Midfield | Sparks, Md. The midfielder helped lead Hereford High School to back-to-back Baltimore County Championships and a 2014 Regional Championship. May was named All-County and All-Division, and brings to UF a defensive mindset. She has also played at the highest stage, helping lead her club team, Sky Walkers, to a 2012 US Lacrosse National Championship. Sydney Pirreca | Midfield | Mount Sinai, N.Y. Sydney Pirreca, the No. 1-rated recruit from the class of 2015, according to Inside Lacrosse, will join her sister, freshman Shayna Pirreca, at Florida next year. A member of the U.S. Women’s National Under-19 Team, she led Mount Sinai to a state title her sophomore year and was a US Lacrosse High School All-American as a junior. After playing in some of the nation’s top showcase events, Pirreca has been touted as one of the fastest players in the country. Lindsey Ronbeck | Attack/Midfield | Manhasset, N.Y. The No. 2-rated recruit from the class of 2015, according to Inside Lacrosse, Ronbeck led Manhasset High School to a state championship in 2014. She tallied 67 goals and 11 assists as a junior, earning 2014 MSG All-Metro First Team and US Lacrosse High School All-American laurels.