Taylor Novack’s 2-sport dominance at F-M HS prepped her for SU lacrosse
Taylor Novack excelled in both lacrosse and basketball at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, setting up her commitment to SU women’s lacrosse. Courtesy of Taylor Novack
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When Taylor Novack was in sixth grade, her parents told her she had to decide which sport she was going to pursue full time. She was excelling at both lacrosse and basketball, but it was becoming too much of a time commitment for her to continue focusing on both.
“What’s in your heart?” Novack’s father, Ron Novack, asked her.
The answer was lacrosse. So, she chose to prioritize the sport and never looked back. Now, whenever friends or family text Novack to check in on her daily plans, the usual response is, “I have lacrosse.”
Across three seasons, the rising Fayetteville-Manlius senior has amassed 259 career points, posting 72 goals and 33 assists in her junior campaign. Her athletic ability was highlighted with All-CNY nods in both lacrosse and basketball, where she’s played at the varsity level since she was an underclassman. On June 17, Novack flipped her college commitment from Loyola to Syracuse, living out her lifelong dream of representing the Orange.
“She just stood out as an unbelievable athlete,” F-M varsity basketball coach Anthony Bielak said. “She just never stopped. She’s absolutely relentless. I’ve never seen it in another athlete, male or female.”
As a left-handed attacker on F-M’s women’s lacrosse team, Novack’s strongest trait is her vision. Novack said she often sets her teammates up with prime scoring opportunities, and her ability to see the field allows her to connect with her teammates on both ends of the ball.
Ron called her “unselfish to a fault,” while Bielak remarked that her ability to “thread the needle” with her passes is unlike anyone he’s seen before.
Taylor Novack smiles alongside Syracuse’s mascot at a young age. Novack recently flipped her lacrosse commitment from Loyola to SU, fulfilling a lifelong dream to play for the Orange. Courtesy of Taylor Novack
F-M women’s lacrosse head coach Leah Tuck, a former UConn player, explained that Novack’s versatility will prepare her to make a seamless transition into Regy Thorpe’s squad next fall.
Novack isn’t just a flashy goalscorer. She also does the little things. She forces turnovers, leads Fayetteville-Manlius in ground balls and helps on draw controls.
“She’s honestly a great defender. Her one-on-one defense is great, and her footwork is great,” Tuck said. “She’s a basketball player as well, and you can see that come through in her lacrosse game.”
She also acts like a vocal leader for the Hornets. To F-M teammate Brooke Southwick, Novack not only leads with poise on the field, but also sets an example for underclassmen by balancing its high academic and athletic standards.
“(Novack) embodies a beautiful balance between both,” Southwick said.
Novack’s mother, Jacqueline Novack, grew up in Syracuse, so family ties became one of the key factors in her decision to flip to the Orange this summer.
Growing up, Novack made regular trips to the JMA Wireless Dome, modeling her game after players like Emily Hawryschuk and Meaghan Tyrrell. She realized that she, too, wanted to follow in their footsteps.
“I saw them on the field playing, just how close their team was and the family-like culture there,” Novack said. “I wanted to be a part of it.”
Committing to Syracuse felt like a homecoming. She originally pledged to Loyola in the fall of her junior year, but once Thorpe took over as SU’s coach, Novack jumped at the chance to play in her hometown. She loved the idea of remaining close to her family and grandparents, especially her sister, whom she is particularly close with.
“I’ve never seen her more excited than when she committed to Syracuse,” Southwick said. “Syracuse is the place she wants to be.”
Before she joins Syracuse, Novack hopes to claim sectional titles in both basketball and lacrosse. She views her senior year as an opportunity to test her athletic abilities before her freshman year with SU, where she hopes to make an immediate impact.
“The potential in this kid is exponential,” Tuck said. “She will work so hard, she’s a relentless athlete and player, and she’s very focused on lacrosse.”
When she arrives at Syracuse, Novack wants to return the Orange to a national championship stage and hopefully claim the program’s first national title.
But she also hopes to use lacrosse as a way to help the community off the field. Novack said she wants to give back to the Syracuse community, something she already does through her work coaching at a youth lacrosse camp. Everyone around her is confident that she has what it takes to succeed at the highest level of collegiate lacrosse.
“She’s a real special person, not just an athlete,” Bielak said.
