UAlbany commit Adalyn Bouley chases sectional title with Auburn High School
Adalyn Bouley cradles a lacrosse ball. As a senior, the UAlbany commit is aiming to guide Auburn to a sectional championship run. Courtesy of Jeffrey Gasper
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Auburn junior Adalyn Bouley searched for her freshman teammate Maggie Cuff as the clock hit zero in its 2025 Section III Class B Championship loss against Watertown. Tears ran down their faces when they realized they’d only share one more year on the field.
Adalyn motivated her peers to improve, like Cuff. Adalyn guided underclassmen through 4 a.m. workouts and practices centered on footwork and offensive dodging, two areas where Adalyn aspires to excel.
“She’s not afraid of anything,” Cuff said. “She’s one of my role models.”
Adalyn’s emergence as one of Auburn’s leaders has translated to success on the field. Three years after she got her start on Auburn’s varsity squad as an eighth grader in 2022, she recorded a team-high 48 goals as a junior. Additionally, she tallied 65 draw control wins and 23 groundballs, powering the Maroons to the section championship game.
Her stardom also led to her college commitment to UAlbany, where she’ll be coached by Syracuse legend Katie Rowan Thomson.
“What makes Adalyn so special is that she truly embraces the team-first mentality,” Auburn head coach John Alberici said. “It’s all about team goals. It’s all about team glory, and she’s gonna do whatever her team needs her to do.”
It wasn’t always clear Adalyn would stand out in lacrosse. Her father, Tim Bouley, introduced the sport to her and her older sister, Ella Bouley. Adalyn immediately immersed herself in Auburn’s program in first grade. As her career advanced, Adalyn began to take lacrosse more seriously, joining Orange Crush Lacrosse — a travel program in DeWitt — in 2022.
Adalyn and Ella, who are four grades apart, shared the field in their eighth grade and senior seasons, a moment their mother, Susan Bouley, described as one of her proudest. Playing alongside her sister gave Adalyn confidence, too, as Ella pushed her to improve every day.
Still, she was often overshadowed by older teammates. She totaled seven goals and eight ground balls but wasn’t at the level she hoped.
Adalyn Bouley darts toward the net in a matchup against Watertown. Bouley led Auburn with 48 goals and 65 draw controls in her junior season. Courtesy of Victor Breeze
It wasn’t until her junior year that Adalyn’s responsibility increased. A small senior class opened the door, and Adalyn took advantage.
Alberici said Adalyn trusted her time would come, leading to her breakout. Bouley was instantly called upon to be more of a scoring threat, Alberici said, emerging as one of the Maroons’ most reliable contributors.
Beyond being one of Auburn’s most prolific scorers, Adalyn often dismisses the attention that comes with it. Her hope is to be remembered as someone who puts the team ahead of herself.
She tries to teach her teammates to do the same.
“It’s not all about your stats. It’s more that you all work together,” Adalyn said. “It’s a team game, not an individual game.”
Cuff said Adalyn’s team-first mentality is evident in her gameplay. She’s always ready to put Auburn’s needs in front of her own, Cuff said.
“Her teammates see her work ethic, see her selflessness and the fact that she’s willing to do whatever it takes for team glory,” Alberici said.
Adalyn prides herself on her hustle and intense training. That’s included offseason workouts, focusing on improving her evasiveness and agility.
Throughout high school, Adalyn has also watched Ella’s career with Daemen University’s inaugural program unfold. Wanting to follow in her footsteps, that led to her own commitment to UAlbany in September of her junior year.
The Great Danes made waves last year by snatching the America East title as an underdog and advancing to their fifth-ever NCAA Tournament.
“I was a little bit scared to see other people committing,” Adalyn said. “But once I got to Albany, it just felt right.”
While Adalyn is excited for her future, her focus remains on her senior season. She’s excited to be the face of a young Auburn team, teaching underclassmen whose position she was in just two years ago.
Whether it’s making one last championship run with Auburn or donning purple and gold for UAlbany, Adalyn isn’t focused on stardom. She’s concentrated on the next game, the next goal and the next chance to lift those around her.
