Credit: Natalie Greenaway

Sophomore Frankie Zilembo moves around the goal looking for a pass to a teammate to clear the ball. Zilembo was also on varsity her freshman year.

In the fast-paced, high-stakes world of girls lacrosse, the hard-working rise to the top.

This season, Wayland High School (WHS) celebrated sophomore Frankie Zilembo, whose skilled play between the pipes has not only anchored the team’s defense but also earned her a place on the American Select team for the 2025 season.

American Select is an organization run by Nike Lacrosse to create a team of the top players from various regions around the U.S.. Every season, hundreds of players try out with the hopes of making the team to start their college recruiting journey.

“The American Select tournaments are one of the biggest recruiting tournaments for college coaches to attend,” Zilembo said. “It is the best way to get seen for a possible spot at the collegiate level.”

Zilembo is a player for the WHS girls varsity lacrosse team as well as club player for the Baystate Bullets. This year was her second year making the American Select team, but this time it was a bigger honor because sophomore year is known as the “recruiting year” in the lacrosse world.

Zilembo was one of four goalies who made the cut for the 2025 season. To receive a goalie position, it appears to be more competitive because there is only one on the field unlike the other positions available.

“Making the American Select team was confidence boosting because like many other athletes, self doubt is part of the position,” Zilembo said. “Making the team was very reaffirming of my skills.”

Wayland girls varsity lacrosse’s Head Coach Ashley Means has been Zilembo’s coach for seven years, including two years on the WHS team and five years on the Baystate Bullets team. Though Means did not coach Zilembo on the All American team, she was a part of the process.

“We support all of our student athletes by making sure they’re doing the right things in the classroom as well as taking all the right steps to put themselves out there for college coaches to see,” Means said. “Supporting the athletes passion for it is the biggest thing a coach can do through the process.”

High school coaches train their players so they are not only physically, but mentally ready for the next level of lacrosse. For goalies, being prepared is important because of the pressure they face being the last line of defense on the field.

“This opportunity allows me to get specialized training and extra coaching for my position,” Zilembo said.

With the goal of getting recruited, Zilembo makes sure to take each opportunity and make the most of it. Her passion for lacrosse has always been a big part of her life, and she plans on continuing to work on her skill.

“Frankie is a very important part of any program with her positivity and drive, which will land her success in whatever the future holds,” Means said.

The next part in reaching Zilembo’s goals is playing in the American Select tournament in Delaware this summer with the hope that a collegiate level coach will gain interest to reach out to Zilembo in the fall.

“Lacrosse has taught me how to let things roll off my back and be more confident because in the end, it’s not just in lacrosse where I have to remind myself “next shot”, it’s also in life,” Zilembo said.