Daily Journal Girls’ Lacrosse Player of the Year: SHP’s Olivia Abbott

Abbott’s impact at SHP went much deeper than her skills as a draw taker, though. The junior scored 60 goals on the year, second on the team only to attacker Kat Dykes with 76; she developed into a clutch assist maker, which she showcased in the CCS finals, totaling four assists in the Gators’ 10-8 victory over St. Ignatius; and she proved a bona fide two-way presence as a top-flight defender as well.

“I think what’s even more incredible ... is that she’s also a very vital part of our defense,” SHP head coach Stephanie Sanders said. “The scoring is pretty big because taking the draw and having that many draw wins is extremely tiring, and for her to do that, and then play both ends of the field ... that’s a lot to ask of a draw taker.”

Now, Abbott has been named Daily Journal Girls’ Lacrosse Player of the Year.

Lacrosse, however, isn’t where Abbott’s ambitions were originally aimed. While she is now committed to play NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse just down the road from her Atherton home at Stanford University, it wasn’t long ago she was on the fast track in a different arena — in the sport of soccer.

Abbott was a soccer midfielder, and a talented one at that. With a reputation as a speed demon — who also gained Junior Olympic Track & Field consideration as a sprinter — Abbott entered middle school as part of the girls’ soccer Olympic Development Program. A student of the game, she absolutely loved the soccer pitch, and still does.

However, Abbott suffered a career-altering knee injury — a microfracture of the patella and detached meniscus — that prevented her from recovering the mobility needed to play soccer. That’s when her middle school physical education teacher Liz Hogan recommended she give lacrosse a try.

“She suggested the sport,” Abbott said, “and I actually didn’t know what it was at the time.”

A late bloomer, Abbott first stepped onto the lacrosse pitch during the summer between her seventh and eighth grade years. It wasn’t long before she was on the fast track once again.

“Even thought I couldn’t play the sport I loved and the sport I had played my entire life, I was excited to branch out,” Abbott said.

Abbott had to make one minor tweak, seeing as she kicks left-footed by throws right-handed, by moving to the other side of the midfield. She sure landed on her feet, though, getting her start with Team NorCal Lacrosse, before moving on to a date with destiny by joining STEPS Lacrosse in San Francisco.

It was with STEPS that Abbott teamed with Katie Pepper, Lily Selcher, Ella Caplice and Skyler Schramm, and the five would grow into the foundation of SHP lacrosse’s class of 2026.

“We’re just a stronger, more well-binded team in general,” Abbott said of how the chemistry carried over to high school.

When they landed at SHP, the balance of power in CCS had already swung toward St. Ignatius. SHP has one CCS title to its credit, capturing the 2021 Division I championship in the first year girls’ lacrosse was officially sanctioned by the section. By the time Abbott took the opening-day face-off her freshman year of 2023, however, St. Ignatius was the reigning CCS champ, with the rival Wildcats on their way to a Division I three-peat.

SHP continued to evolve, though. When Dykes arrived the following year, headlining a deep class of 2027 that had also teamed with STEPS, the Gators remained in the mix at the CCS fore. Sure, St. Ignatius won three straight Division I titles, but it was the Gators who were going toe-to-toe with the Wildcats in each of those CCS finals.

What changed this year was SHP’s wealth of experience. Still mostly a non-senior team, the Gators had scoring weapons for days. The key to SHP’s success was organizing its depth of attackers, and Abbott did exactly that.

“I was lucky enough to be surrounded with sure-handed players,” Abbott said. “So, if I had to dump the ball, I knew they’d be able to execute too.”

Abbott showcased her scoring chops in SHP’s 17-3 victory over St. Francis in the CCS semifinals. The junior matched her career-high with seven goals, en route to totaling 18 points through the Gators’ three playoff wins.

Come the CCS finals, the expert defense of St. Ignatius keyed on Abbott and face-guarded Dykes. Enter freshman Molly Pepper, who fronted SHP’s attack with a career-high five goals. Abbott, meanwhile, was the unsung heroine.

“I think although people knew her strengths, it was still really hard to stop her,” Sanders said. “But I think this year, she did such a good job of being able to see the field, and know when to pass the ball, I think that was such a big improvement in her game this year.”

What’s scary is Abbott, along with a majority of the team, returns to SHP next season. All four of the Gators’ college commits — including midfielder Selcher, Duke; defender Katie Pepper, Dartmouth; and goalie Ella Caplice, Claremont McKenna — are expected to be among the team’s returners.

A student of the game, Abbott, for one, is intent on returning even better, stronger and faster for her senior season.

“I would say in terms of workload, a lot of that comes with discipline in the offseason,” said Abbott, who considers being a workhorse in all facets of the game as her superpower. “I think I always have had the motivation and desire to keep getting better.”