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It didn’t matter that Peyton Dyl was just 4 years old. When her mother, Hollis Dyl, signed her up for a Baldwinsville lacrosse summer camp, she immediately became the center of conversation among other spectators.

“Who is that little blonde?” Hollis remembers repeatedly hearing.

It was Peyton, a tinier-than-most kid who’d already dominated her neighbors in backyard lacrosse competitions. When conversations persisted at Peyton’s summer camp, Hollis turned to her husband, Jeff Dyl.

“Wow. She might be able to do this.”

Since then, lacrosse has followed Peyton at every stop. As a Baldwinsville High School senior midfielder, Peyton has tallied 125 goals, 19 assists and 68 ground balls across four seasons. The work she put in at a young age has only increased, and when her high school career ends, she’ll head to Fairfield to play Division I lacrosse.

“I don’t think I can remember a time when I wasn’t playing lacrosse,” Peyton said.

Peyton’s passion for lacrosse stems from her brother Carson, who is three years older, and his involvement early on. As lacrosse grew across Baldwinsville, Carson began playing. He regularly attended the JMA Wireless Dome to watch Syracuse’s men’s and women’s games and enjoyed the competitive landscape around local high schools.

Peyton also joined Carson at SU lacrosse matchups. Although she was just learning how the sport worked, she said watching Syracuse’s prestigious programs taught her how much work is required to reach the next level.

Alongside lacrosse, Peyton also played basketball. While she was named the MVP of her eighth-grade team, she quit the sport to focus fully on lacrosse in high school.

Her decision to quit basketball wasn’t easy. Hollis said she and Jeff repeatedly encouraged Peyton to play both sports, but her focus lay on playing collegiate lacrosse. She thought basketball would hold her back.

“If I’m going to put in all of this outside work, it’s because I want a good outcome,” Peyton said. “There’s no other option than to try my best in every situation.”

Upon arriving at Baldwinsville, Peyton had more playing experience than most of her teammates. From watching Syracuse games and playing with Carson, she grasped the maturity needed to excel. Megan Tabor, Peyton’s Baldwinsville head coach, recounted a moment from last season after one of her poorer games.

“She came to me the next day, and she goes, ‘I want you to know, I care a lot about this team. I care about how I’m doing, and I’m really going to focus on being better for everyone,’” Tabor said. “That really spoke a lot to me. She’s not going to settle for anything. She’s going to push herself to be the best that she can for her team.”

Tabor said one of Peyton’s most valuable traits is confidence, which can’t be taught. At the beginning of Peyton’s sophomore campaign, one of Baldwinsville’s top players suffered a season-ending injury. Tabor looked to Peyton to step up, and she walked onto the turf without hesitation.

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By the end of the season, Tabor and Hollis said Peyton understood her role as a leader, which will help her as she transitions to Fairfield.

“I’m just excited to see her play for a program that she loves with a little bit more confidence and settle into being a leader,” Hollis said.

When Peyton’s recruitment began, Fairfield already had a leg up because Carson played on its men’s lacrosse team. But Hollis and Jeff wanted to ensure she wasn’t just choosing the Stags for that reason. Still, committing to Fairfield was a no-brainer to Peyton.

Peyton spent years modeling her workouts after Carson and sharpening her stickwork with him in their backyard. He’s taught her the importance of preparation, and his success — two high school state championships — inspired her. She’s also visited him at Fairfield, helping ease her decision.

“He’s probably my biggest influence,” Peyton said of Carson.

“I remember she said, ‘It checks all of my boxes, and Carson being there is a bonus box.’ As a mom, obviously, it makes me happy that now they’ll have another year together,” Hollis added.

As Peyton’s senior season winds down, those around her have full confidence she has the tools needed to succeed in college. Tabor said Peyton’s “eagerness to improve” is a “huge asset.”

To prepare for her first year with Fairfield, Peyton has run indoor track and continued wall-ball and stick drills outside of games and practices. But what’s impacted Peyton’s career most is her mindset, one that stems from starring at camp and watching Syracuse lacrosse games in the Dome.

“Be positive,” Peyton said. “If you mess up in a game, it’s the best quality to get back up and make a better play the next time.”

Published on April 27, 2026 at 10:34 pm
Contact: kbjamrog@syr.edu