Suffolk County Student Athlete Of The Week: Smithtown West’s Alyssa Lorefice

SMITHTOWN, NY — This summer, Patch is looking back at the student-athletes who helped define the 2025-26 sports seasons across Suffolk County.

This week’s Suffolk County Student Athlete of the Week is Alyssa Lorefice, a Smithtown West standout who made her mark as a multi-sport athlete, a basketball captain, a top scorer and a future Rutgers University lacrosse player.

Lorefice was nominated by Smithtown West girls basketball coach Katie Schroeder, who said she has known Lorefice since she was young.

By the time Lorefice reached high school, Schroeder already knew she had talent. But Schroeder said she had to grow into the role to become one of Smithtown West’s top athletes.

“She put in the work,” Schroeder told Patch. “She started like a regular freshman would. I knew she was great. She played well in middle school; she scored a lot, but she was behind some upperclassmen and needed to work her way up. She knew the system and she put in the work to be one of the top players.”

Lorefice spent her high school years playing basketball, lacrosse and volleyball.

For the graduating Smithtown High School West senior, being a three-sport athlete meant long days, constant practices, pressure to perform and little downtime. But it also gave her the friendships, memories and purpose that helped define her high school experience.

“It was a lot of work, but it kept me busy,” Lorefice told Patch. “I made a lot of friendships, I worked hard, I had so much fun. If I could go back, I definitely would.”

By her junior and senior years, Lorefice had become one of Smithtown West’s leading scorers. As a senior, Schroeder said, she became the team’s leading scorer.

In basketball, Lorefice earned League III MVP honors, along with All-League, All-Conference and All-County recognition. She played guard and forward, giving Smithtown West a scoring option who could be counted on in different situations.

Schroeder said Lorefice’s ability to score translated across sports.

“She loves to play and compete,” Schroeder said. “She’s a scorer, and she does it on the lacrosse field and she does it in basketball.”

Lorefice said lacrosse is her primary sport, but basketball brought out something different in her.

“I played with heart and I played with grit,” Lorefice said.

That attitude helped her become one of Smithtown West’s most reliable players. Schroeder said Lorefice was not the loudest leader, but she was steady.

As a captain, Lorefice led through consistency, preparation and presence.

“She’s not like a big yeller or screamer or anything, but she is always there,” Schroeder said. “She was a constant power in our program.”

Lorefice said some of her proudest athletic memories include helping Smithtown West lacrosse win a county championship in 2025 and helping build the basketball program during her years with the team.

Lorefice will continue her athletic career at Rutgers University, where she will play lacrosse as a right low attacker.

Lorefice said committing to Rutgers was the moment when years of summer tournaments, recruiting and training began to feel real.

“Committing to my dream school, playing lacrosse, I think that was really awesome,” she said.

She said she would have loved the chance to play basketball in college too, but she has no regrets about the way she approached the sport at Smithtown West.

“I wish I could play in college,” Lorefice said. “But I think my time was well spent playing basketball. Balling out, going in there with a desire to win. I love the sport, and I was very happy to play.”

Away from sports, Lorefice said she was also shaped by her work with the FAST program at Smithtown High School West. The Functional Academic Secondary Transition program is a vocational and life-skills initiative for students with special needs ages 15 to 21.

Lorefice said that experience helped guide her toward her future academic path. At Rutgers, she plans to major in education and special education.

“Working with them was something that hit a spot in my heart, where I was like, ‘Oh my god, I want to do this,’” Lorefice said.

She said education also runs in her family, which made the decision feel natural.

“My whole family comes from teaching and education, so I want to follow in their footsteps,” she said.

Schroeder said Smithtown West will miss Lorefice’s scoring, but also the personality she brought to the program. She described Lorefice as funny and lighthearted, the kind of player who could make an impact beyond the box score.

As she prepares for Rutgers, Lorefice said the years of practices, games and seasons were worth it — not only because of the awards, but because of the people who helped shape her along the way.

“I had awesome coaches throughout my years who really pushed me and got me into the athlete I am today,” Lorefice said.

This summer, Patch is looking back at the student-athletes who defined the 2025-26 sports seasons across Suffolk County. The series highlights standout athletes, team leaders and competitors whose achievements extended beyond the scoreboard.

Do you know a Suffolk County student-athlete who should be featured in a future Student Athlete of the Week profile? Coaches, athletic directors, school district officials and families can send nominations, standout accomplishments and photos to kdaniel@patch.com for consideration.