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By Andrew McClure
Long Island, the longest and largest island in the contiguous United States, is known for its’ miles and miles of ocean beaches, deep-sea fishing, vineyards and wineries, and a lot of strip malls. Travel across the 118-mile long, 23-mile wide island and you’ll drive through villages such as Speonk, Nissequoque, Muttontown and Massapequa, and pass The Big Duck, All-American Burger, Adventureland, Flo's Famous Luncheonette and other landmarks.
 But, what sets Long Island apart from nearly every other place in the country is its penchant for the game of lacrosse. While most Americans couldn’t tell a lacrosse stick from a crab net, on Long Island the game is a right of passage.
Each year, hundreds of young men and women graduate from Long Island high schools and head off to colleges throughout the nation to play in major lacrosse programs.
For three young ladies from Long Island, not only will they be venturing off to one of the finest athletic programs in America, they will be making history. Northport’s Katie Ciaci, Farmingdale’s Janine Hillier, and Wantagh’s Natalie Melaniff are members of the first recruiting class for the University of Florida’s inaugural women’s lacrosse team.
The girls will be playing for head coach Mandee O’Leary, a member of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame. O'Leary, a three-time All-American at Temple University who won a national title in 1988, was the head coach at Yale for 14 seasons.
O’Leary is thrilled to have the opportunity to coach Ciaci, Hillier and Melaniff. “I spent quite a bit of time recruiting on Long Island over the past few years,” O’Leary said. “These are three experienced athletes who played together for one of the premier club programs. We’re looking to attract student-athletes that can bring about a national title. I’m very pleased to have Katie, Natalie and Janine.”
The program O’Leary alludes to is the Long Island Elite Lacrosse Club/Yellow Jackets. Ciaci, Hillier and Melaniff have played together for the club team, which is directed by legendary Long Island lacrosse icon Carol Rose, since the sixth grade. The Yellow Jackets have had over 450 former players go on to play in college since the program’s inception. Ciaci, a two-time All-America defenseman, also played for Rose at Northport High School.
 Rose believes the tenacious Ciaci, who started for five years at Northport and was a team captain as a senior, will be excellent at the next level. “Katie is a very confident player, so I have no doubt she’s going to carry everything that she’s learned with the Yellow Jackets and at Northport over to the college level,” Rose said. “Her size and aggressiveness are intimidating to opponents. Plus, she’s like another coach on the field. Katie sees things that the other kids don’t see.”
In her five seasons playing for Rose at Northport, Ciaci, who was three-time All-County selection and was recently named an All-Long Island recipient, was an integral part of three Suffolk County championship teams. Representing Long Island at the Empire State Games, she anchored the defense for back-to-back gold medal winners. Ciaci also got it done in the classroom, earning Academic All-America honors. Before deciding to become a Gator, she considered Duke, Hofstra and Notre Dame.
O’Leary is high on Ciaci. “Katie is a highly-touted defenseman who played in a nationally-known club program led by a highly-respected coach,” O’Leary said. “She leads by example and through her communication with her teammates. Her strength and tenacity are very impressive.”
Natalie Melaniff played for a Wantagh team that didn’t the status of some of the illustrious programs on Long Island. The Lady Warriors played in Nassau Conference I, the top league in the state. Among the conference foes were Farmingdale and Garden City, both of which won state titles in their respective classifications, and Manhasset, which won the Nassau County Class C championship.
An honor student who considered Ohio State and Duquesne, Melaniff was a two-time All-County defenseman in lacrosse, and earned All-Classification accolades on the soccer field. While defense is her forte, her offensive skills were put to work at Wantagh. As a senior, Melaniff had two seven-goal games, including one where she added six assists.
 Melaniff is thrilled to be a Gator. “I’m so excited to be part of the first Florida women’s team, and to be able to play with great players like Katie and Janine,” Melaniff said. “Coach O’Leary and her assistants were a big part of the decision. There’s a family atmosphere among the athletes at Florida. I loved my visit to Gainesville. We’re going to try are hardest to win a national title.”
O’Leary believes Melaniff’s best lacrosse is still to come. “Natalie is a diamond in the rough,” she said. “I believe she’s just going to get better and better, and thrive in college. She hasn’t peaked yet. Natalie is truly a perfect fit for what we’re looking for.”
Florida is not going to need a huge sales pitch from O’Leary to lure young female athletes to Gainesville. The warm weather, palm trees and the proximity to the beach make O’Leary’s recruiting job about as tough as selling a bucket of water to a man with his hair on fire. The brand new, state-of-the-art, 1,400-seat stadium is nearly complete, and the athletic department is committed to bringing in the country’s best players.
The exuberant Janine Hillier is one of those players. Hillier, an All-American who recently led Farmingdale to the first state championship in program history, scored 52 goals as a senior and earned first-team All-Long Island honors. She was named the most valuable player of the state tournament for the second consecutive season, leading the Lady Dalers to a perfect 17-0 record and a number one national ranking by LaxPower.
Hillier’s superb career at Farmingdale included five county championships and three Long Island titles. She also lettered in volleyball, soccer and basketball. Hillier, who is also an outstanding student, was a member of three consecutive gold-medal winning Empire State Games teams. She was the team’s captain in 2008.
 Rose believes Hillier will be an outstanding college player. “Janine is an unbelievable goal scorer,” Rose said. “She has an eye for the cage. Her speed and athleticism sets her apart from the other players. You have to have it in you to score goals. Janine has it in her.” Before committing to Florida, Hillier also considered Johns Hopkins, Duke, Notre Dame, Hofstra and North Carolina.
O’Leary knows she has a gem in Hillier. “Janine is one of the most prolific attackers to come off the island,” O’Leary said. “She’s versatile, has a great stick, finishes well and has a fantastic work ethic. Nobody works harder than her. Janine is just one of those special players. I can’t wait to get her.”
Midway through the first half of the Long Island championship game, Hillier took a pass at midfield and sprinted into the offensive zone, dodging defenders and cradling the ball all the while. But, as she was set to fire a shot at the cage, she was stopped cold by Ciaci. Hillier and Farmingdale left the field with the title, but Hillier wore battle scars courtesy of one of the country’s toughest defenders.
“Katie got me pretty good, I had this huge bruise on my arm,” Hillier said. “She’s really tough to play against. I’m so glad we’re going to be on the same team.”
So are the Gators.
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