2026 Shore Sports Insider Girls Lacrosse Freshman of the Year: Josephine Betz, Holmdel
The best freshmen don’t wait for their opportunity. They create one.
From the opening days of the season, Holmdel’s Josephine Betz proved she belonged on the varsity stage. Facing experienced attackers and high-powered offenses throughout the Shore Conference, the freshman goalkeeper displayed a level of poise and consistency not often seen from a first-year player. Throughout the season, Betz delivered the saves her team needed most, helping anchor a defense that propelled Holmdel to a Constitution Division championship.
After recording 213 saves and posting a 63.02 save percentage in 19 games, Betz has been named the 2026 Shore Sports Insider Girls Lacrosse Freshman of the Year.
The numbers alone tell part of the story.
For most young goalkeepers, adjusting to the speed of varsity lacrosse takes time. Betz never appeared overwhelmed.
Instead, she thrived.
Her presence in goal gave Holmdel confidence every time it stepped on the field. Whether she was making a point-blank save, stopping a transition opportunity, or coming through in a critical late-game situation, Betz consistently gave the Hornets a chance to win.
Her impact extended far beyond the stat sheet.
“Josephine made an immediate impact on our program from the moment she stepped onto the field,” Holmdel head coach Marina Ackerson said. “As a freshman goalie, she brought confidence, composure, and a competitive mindset that elevated the entire defense. Her ability to make big saves in key moments gave our team confidence to play aggressively and helped establish a strong defensive identity. She earned the trust of her teammates quickly and became a difference-maker in every game.”
Holmdel goalie Josephine Betz (Photo by Patrick Olivero)
One of Betz’s most memorable performances came in the opening round of the North Jersey Group 2 state tournament. Facing a talented West Essex squad in a win-or-go-home matchup, the freshman goalie delivered one of the best games of her season, stopping 15 shots while allowing just seven goals in an 8-7 overtime victory. With every possession magnified and the season hanging in the balance, Betz repeatedly came up with clutch saves to keep the Hornets alive before they ultimately secured the dramatic postseason win.
While many freshmen were still adjusting to varsity competition, Betz embraced one of the sport’s most demanding positions and excelled under the pressure that comes with it.
Her coach believes much of that success came from her maturity and leadership qualities.
“While Josephine is still a freshman, she led primarily through her work ethic, preparation, and poise under pressure,” Ackerson said. “Goalies naturally have to communicate with the defense, and she embraced that responsibility from day one. She remained calm in difficult situations, stayed positive, and consistently encouraged her teammates. Her maturity and confidence were beyond her years, and her teammates responded to that.”
It did not take long for Ackerson and the Holmdel coaching staff to realize they had something special.
“We knew she was talented coming into the season, but it became clear very early that she was special,” Ackerson said. “During our preseason scrimmages and the opening weeks of the season, she was making saves against high-level shooters that most freshmen goalies simply don’t make. As the season progressed, she continued to perform against some of the strongest competition in the Shore Conference, and it became obvious she was having an impact well beyond what is typically expected from a freshman.”
What separated Betz from many freshmen was her ability to improve while already performing at a high level.
“The biggest area of growth has been her confidence and command of the game,” Ackerson said. “Her shot-stopping ability was always there, but throughout the season she became much more vocal, decisive, and comfortable directing the defense. Her understanding of angles, game situations, and defensive communication improved tremendously, allowing her to become a complete goalie rather than just a talented shot stopper.”
For Holmdel, Betz’s emergence was a major reason behind a 13-7 season and a Constitution Division championship. For the rest of the Shore Conference, it served as notice that one of the area’s top goalkeepers had already arrived.
Finalist
Brynn Angelozzi, Fr., Southern (28 goals, 6 assists, 34 points, 45 ground balls, 40 draw controls, 30 forced turnovers)
