Leigh Boege Finds the Perfect Fit at Marist College
Leigh Boege’s personality can accurately be described as pleasant, but when she steps onto the lacrosse field there’s a take-no-prisoners approach. The 2006 Huntington High School grad is all business and plays to win. Does a NCAA Division I athlete have any other choice in order to survive? 
Boege found the perfect “situation” for herself at Marist College in Poughkeepsie where she is coming off a solid freshman year, both academically and athletically. By any measure, Boege was a popular young lady at Huntington High School. Teachers regarded her as intellectually sharp, friends considered her trustworthy and loyal and coaches appreciated her all out effort.
As a Blue Devil, Boege had many interests, including tennis and soccer, but it was lacrosse that really captured her fancy. That’s even more true today. “Since I graduated high school my life circulates around lacrosse,” Boege said. “I was sick last summer so I wasn't able to do much, then I ventured to college where I had an amazing experience. Not only was the school gorgeous and I had a great time, but my team consists of some of the most amazing people ever.”
A stubborn foot injury limited Boege to eight games this past spring, but she made enough of an impact at her attack position to be considered one of Marist’s up and coming players. The Red Foxes finished the year with a 10-6 mark, setting a program record for most wins in a season. The squad advanced to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference finals, where it dropped a thrilling nail-biter to LeMoyne College of Syracuse, 14-13 in overtime.
Boege can see the improvement in her team and is pleased with how she did in class and on the field, despite being injured. “We have grown as a family and are always there for each other,” she said. “I did well academically and athletically. I got injured just about halfway through the season. I had pain in my foot and they diagnosed me as having a stress fracture so I was put in a boot for about two weeks and was unable to play and had to take it easy.”
The daughter of Scott and Eileen Boege and sister of Kristen Boege, who just graduated from Northwestern University after starting on three consecutive NCAA Division I national championship lacrosse teams there, the Huntington alumnus finished the season at Marist with a goal and two assists. She also earned two draw controls, caused a pair of turnovers and came up with one ground ball.
The 5’8 Boege scored her first career goal against Niagara on April 13. Her first college point came several weeks earlier when she assisted on a goal at Lafayette on February 28. Marist outscored its opponents this spring by a 246-172 margin.
College life can often chew-up and spit out successful high school student-athletes, who often struggle in classes, are home sick and all of a sudden aren’t stars on their team, but that hasn’t been the case with Boege. “I love college life,” she said. “Marist was the perfect fit for me because it is still close to home, yet far enough away. Our lacrosse team did well.”
This July and August it’s been more of the same for Boege, who has become completely immersed in her sport. “For the summer I have been coaching the Long Island Elite Yellow Jackets team which consists of elite players that are graduating high school in the year 2012 from all over the island,” she said. “I also give private lessons as well as [working in] the Huntington Village lacrosse camp.”
With her rookie season behind her, Boege is expected to ratchet up her play and stats next spring. Nothing she accomplishes at Marist would surprise Blue Devil coaches and fans who have long considered her a winner.
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