Coco Vandiver was an undersized and unknown recruit coming out of high school. She didn’t make McDonogh High School’s varsity lacrosse team until the end of her junior year, and never even toured Syracuse.⁠ ⁠ But that didn’t matter. As the pressure on her mounts, she’s relied on her IQ to become a staple of SU’s defense. As a junior in 2025, she caused a team-high 40 turnovers while receiving All-Atlantic Coast Third Team honors.⁠ ⁠ Vandiver was the youngest defender on the field for her first two seasons, rarely using her voice and speaking up in practices. But now, she’s set to spearhead Syracuse’s backline for the second straight year.⁠ ⁠ Click the link in our bio to learn more. Photograph by @LJ.Lenns.