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It wasn’t a third-grade girls’ lacrosse game in Prior Lake, Minnesota, without a thud and some screams. Like a flock of parrots, every parent watching barked the same question to Jessie Salentre.

Why isn’t your daughter in the penalty box?

When someone mentioned Mackenzie Salentre, Jessie’s daughter, it was often in response to her hard-nosed playstyle. Growing up, Mackenzie was notorious for her checks and physical play. Her ice hockey coaches gushed over how she positioned her body to deliver a vicious hip check.

But when she was constantly called for penalties, things got out of hand. So she joined Minnesota Elite, a local club lacrosse team, where she could ignite a bruising body bouncer and get away with it.

Mackenzie’s aggressive playstyle was commendable but not sustainable. She refined her defensive technique from vicious to cunning as her career progressed, winning the mental game over the technical one.

It’s been on full display since transferring from UAlbany to Syracuse for her fifth collegiate season. In 18 starts this year, Mackenzie’s 38 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers rank tied for second and third on the Orange, respectively. As one of Syracuse’s top defenders, that skill set remains key with the NCAA Tournament starting Friday against Loyola.

“She started to get more artful about it,” said Minnesota Elite club director Maria Longley. “You can’t teach that mindset. That tiger, that competitive spirit in her is why she’s doing so well.”

When Mackenzie suits up for SU, it’s hard to know her approach has changed. Izzy Lahah is often constituted as its go-to poker. In Syracuse’s zone defense, Mackenzie is asked to play reserved and nimbly extend her stick to force turnovers. It’s the opposite of the reckless physicality she used to convey.

There were times when that style seemed unalterable. Parents joked to Jessie that, if Mackenzie wasn’t in the penalty box, she wasn’t trying. When Mackenzie deviated from those tendencies, Jessie said it hurt her team.

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At the club level, though, Mackenzie could play the scrappy style distinguished in the Midwest. But because Minnesota isn’t a lacrosse hotbed like Long Island or Connecticut, East Coast recruiting was difficult.

“We have to work really hard to be seen,” Longley said. “Some people aren’t willing to take a chance on a raw, athletic, defensive-minded kid.”

Raw perfectly described Mackenzie. Even if it meant a ludicrous stick slap or decking someone, she did it in a heartbeat. That’s the kind of motor she needed to escape Minnesota, undeterred by poor weather conditions.

“We would literally shovel off our fields for tryouts,” Mackenzie said. “It’s a lot more about effort, coachability and athleticism in Minnesota versus players on the East Coast that are very technically skilled.”

Luckily for Mackenzie, not many natural midfielders play with such intensity. At times, though, that was one of her greatest drawbacks. When she was frustrated — which, per Jessie, happened easily — you could tell by her body language.

“There’s times she’ll go balls to the walls,” Jessie said. “If someone pissed her off, she’ll knock them out. You can tell, ‘Oh, someone pissed her off.’”

That impulse affected her relationship with sports at Prior Lake High School. During sophomore year, Mackenzie snuck her phone out at intermissions of varsity ice hockey games to call Jessie because she lost passion for the sport.

“I hate playing hockey,” Mackenzie would say.

“Suck it up,” Jessie would respond.

As a senior, Mackenzie missed varsity lacrosse tryouts and spent a bulk of the year on junior varsity. When she returned to varsity soon after, she tallied 34 goals, seven assists and 18 caused turnovers en route to a state title. The cherry on top was her title-winning goal.

Her defensive mindset was established months prior, though. She’d committed to UAlbany to play under Syracuse legend Katie Thomson. Longley’s connections with “everyone,” per Mackenzie, opened that door.

Longley was the confidence booster Mackenzie needed before high school. The two created a mutual trust when Mackenzie was in seventh grade, and it extended into high school. Even when Mackenzie struggled with playing time, Longley recognized her potential. Longley offered to coddle Mackenzie as a “second mom” while she fostered new skills, frequently consoling her on the sidelines during games.

Mackenzie Salentre sets her feet and flashes her stick at the Virginia Tech attack in Syracuse’s 13-3 victory on March 6. The defender’s crafty defensive repertoire has led her to scoop 38 ground balls and cause 21 turnovers in her final collegiate season. Charlie Hynes | Staff Photographer

Longley also reminded Mackenzie she was the “full package” when Pittsburgh and San Diego State ghosted her during her recruitment. But through it all, Longley encouraged Mackenzie to drop her over-the-top playstyle.

“If Mack’s going after a player, you just squint,” Longley said. “In Minnesota, you would squint going, ‘Oh no, it’s going to happen. She’s going to take a person out.’ Being more artful, more disciplined, more balanced on defense and just being smarter about things was her progression.”

When Mackenzie played club tournaments with college recruiters in attendance, they approached Longley, flabbergasted by Mackenzie’s “energy” to cause a turnover.

After harnessing her relationship with Longley, Mackenzie became a brand-new player. She was poised, helping her win two state titles.

“She has two personalities,” Longley said. “She’s got this really interesting dichotomy of really chill off the field and an absolute tiger on the field.”

Mackenzie’s newfound composure continued once she arrived at UAlbany. After redshirting her freshman year, she posted 15 caused turnovers and 24 ground balls, while starting on the Great Danes’ interior backline as a sophomore.

The magnum opus of Mackenzie’s time with UAlbany was her 2024 America East Defensive Player of the Year honor, which culminated from 18 starts, 29 caused turnovers and 34 ground balls. She nearly matched those marks last year while UAlbany reached the NCAA Tournament.

“She brings a lot of experience playing at the University at Albany,” Syracuse head coach Regy Thorpe said. “She’s played in some big games and NCAA playoffs, so we brought her in for that.”

Mackenzie said coming to Syracuse for her graduate year was a no-brainer — after Thorpe made the move first, of course. She was in awe of how easy it was to connect with Thorpe, first at Florida. When Mackenzie attended the Final Four last season, Thorpe, then a Florida assistant coach, spoke with potential transfers.

While the Gators bowed out to eventual champion North Carolina, Mackenzie decided she may join Florida after receiving advice from former Great Danes teammate and Gators midfielder Sarah Falk. Her crafty style suited the defensive-minded Thorpe in Gainesville.

Then, Thorpe took the job at SU and urged Mackenzie to follow him. There was just one issue.

“He couldn’t find her phone number,” said Donald Salentre, Mackenzie’s father. “It took him four different contacts to get a hold of her. He really went out of his way to find Mackenzie.”

But Mackenzie was following Thorpe no matter what. Even though Mackenzie didn’t find out until Syracuse’s season opener, Thorpe was always going to start her on a deep Orange backline, too. Thorpe laid the groundwork for Mackenzie’s transition to suit her new approach.

“At UAlbany, we played man to man,” Mackenzie said. “The zone defense we play here is one I’ve never played in where you pressure from behind the net. At UAlbany, I played behind the crease. Now, I play up top.”

Playing on the back-right corner isn’t the biggest difference in Mackenzie’s game at Syracuse. The ground balls are still there, with her season-best five fittingly coming against the Great Danes.

Rather, it’s her grace. Longley can’t be on the sidelines for Mackenzie to vent to anymore. She probably can’t get away with texting Jessie during games, either.

But now, Mackenzie doesn’t need to force herself into a playstyle she doesn’t recognize. She’s still a bruiser. She’s still physical. Every time she causes a turnover, the nostalgia of her youth returns. Only this time, there’s no penalty.

The ball’s loose. Instead of ruthlessly eliminating the opposition, she stops. There’s an aura to it; the breathtaking, unproblematic poach that gets the same job done.

“It was a role I was ready to step into,” Mackenzie said.

Published on May 5, 2026 at 2:04 am
Contact Jason: jaglick@syr.edu | @jason_glick