Fifty Girls Teams Take Over UAlbany for Annual Northstar Capital City Classic

Tourney established in 2014 draws squads from New York, New Jersey and New England

Albany, N.Y. — Fifty girls teams descended upon the campus of University at Albany on June 21 and 22 for the Northstar Capital City Classic, an annual tournament founded in 2014 and now hosted by PLL Play and PLL Tournaments.

Programs from New York, New Jersey, Vermont and New Hampshire took the fields adjacent to Tom & Mary Casey Stadium on Saturday and Sunday for games that kicked off at 9 a.m. each morning and ran through the late afternoon.

Across both days, numerous teams competed in the stadium — on the home turf of the Great Danes men’s and women’s Division I lacrosse teams — as onlookers watched from high up in the purple and gold grandstand.

Action in seven divisions got underway Saturday as families filled the sidelines or gathered underneath custom-branded canopies to refresh in the shade and evade the hot sun.

Vendors and food trucks turned the athletic fields into a buzzing family-friendly celebration as divisional play intensified to semifinal and eventual championship showdowns on Sunday.

From third-graders to rising high school seniors, girls faced off with the iconic UAlbany dormitory quads standing tall in the background in what has become an important meeting of programs from throughout the Northeast and beyond.

Sunday afternoon, teams from New York’s various lacrosse hubs were crowned victors in the wake of thrilling finales. Two programs — 315 Elite out Syracuse and local stalwarts Albany Power — each claimed a pair of titles on the weekend.

Customary at events hosted by PLL Tournaments, the winning teams gathered to accept their championship prizes — a keepsake Northstar Capital City Classic medallion — as friends and families cheered and captured the moment with photos galore.

Andrew Frenyea is the President of the Adirondack 40Stixters based in Queensbury, about 50 miles north of Albany. A volunteer-based program, the 40Stixters claimed the Girls 2033-2034 title by way of a hard-fought, overtime finish.

“The tournament was fun,” said Frenyea, the head coach of the team. “The competition was great and all of our girls benefited from these close, gritty battles … . Luckily, given the year we’ve had, the weather was cooperative, too. … Our no-quit attitude led us to two comeback victories, one being the final game.”

Frenyea developed a love for lacrosse playing at Queensbury High School and later competed for the club team at the Albany College of Pharmacy. At Northstar Capital City Classic, he and his fellow volunteer coaches emphasized controllable aspects of play — energy, effort and attitude — to steer their team to the win in the youngest age bracket.

“I’ve learned a lot about women’s lacrosse over the past four and a half years with the Stixters and continue to learn more and more,” Frenyea said. “I’m always in awe of the finesse it takes to play women’s lax. Being a girl dad, I’ve really just dove in head first developing these girls and focusing on making them their best selves on the field. Determination, consistency and hard work is the secret sauce.”

Former Syracuse University star Meg Carney is now a member of the New York Charing of the Women’s Lacrosse League and is also on the PLL Play and Tournaments staff. She was on site at UAlbany to present the championship medals and to greet the many aspiring athletes.

“The atmosphere at Cap City Classic allows young girls and rising high school players alike to compete with a clear mindset and enjoy the game,” said Carney, who in addition to her WLL and PLL roles is an assistant coach for the Florida State Seminoles women’s lacrosse team.

“Not all events are family-friendly, but this one has its own special vibe and that’s what we achieved again this year. It was an awesome weekend of competition but just as importantly a chance for these programs to develop and find their stride together.”

Ashley Murphy, Senior Vice President of PLL Play, founded the event in 2014 to serve the growing number of girls club and community-based programs in the Northeast.

“Cap City Classic continues to be emblematic of the growth of girls lacrosse, especially in this part of the country,” said Murphy, one of the Capital Region’s most decorated lacrosse athletes.

A four-time team captain at Northwestern University, Murphy helped guide the Wildcats to their first national championship in 2005 before moving on to shape the lacrosse events and training industry by creating a long list of opportunities for players far and wide.

“Our PLL Play and Tournaments team puts a lot of time into making this a memorable weekend for our participants and their families,” she said.

“Cap City’s been an amazing experience for many teams over the years, so we’re fired up to be presenting it under the WLL and PLL banners. We’re excited to grow the tournament and help more programs start the summer off right.”

Below is a breakdown of the divisional champions at the Northstar Capital City Classic:

Save the date for next year’s Northstar Capital City Classic, tentatively scheduled for June 20 and 21, 2026.

Check the full PLL Play schedule for pro-led training and development opportunities in New York and all throughout the country. And be sure to follow the PLL, PLL Play and Summit Lacrosse Society on Instagram to keep up with us this summer.