Michael Leo built his Syracuse lacrosse career by contributing from more than one offensive position. He entered college after moving from attack to midfield, increased his production across four seasons, and later received senior-year recognition as an attackman. That flexibility accompanied 164 career points reported by Inside Lacrosse, multiple All-America selections, and a first-round move into professional lacrosse.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Hometown | Seaford, New York |
| High schools | MacArthur and Saint Anthony’s |
| Syracuse seasons | 2023–2026 |
| Positions | Attack and midfield |
| Syracuse career points | 164, according to Inside Lacrosse |
| 2025 recognition | USILA Third Team; Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse Second Team |
| Professional team | California Redwoods |
| PLL draft position | Sixth overall in 2026 |
High School Success Established His Scoring Foundation
Leo began playing lacrosse at approximately six years old. His early development included varsity competition at MacArthur High School as an eighth grader, placing him against players as much as five years older. He later told The Daily Orange that competing at that level helped build his confidence.
He subsequently attended Saint Anthony’s High School, where Syracuse’s official profile credits him with 200 career goals across four seasons. He captained the team as a senior and helped lead it to two Catholic League championships.
His listed honors included Under Armor and Nike All-American recognition, New York Class A Player of the Year, first-team all-state and first-team all-Long Island selections. He was also recognized as a USA Lacrosse All-American, a two-time all-league selection, and Athlete of the Year.
The preparation extended beyond organized games. The Daily Orange reported that he practiced near his Seaford home with buckets containing approximately 150 balls, sometimes continuing late into the evening with his father.
A Pre-Syracuse Position Change Prepared Him for Midfield
For much of his early career, Leo operated from the left wing as an attackman. His quick release and ability to score from that side had become central parts of his game, but Syracuse already had Owen Hiltz filling a similar role.
Before Leo arrived at the university, he began preparing for a move to midfield. That change required him to attack from different angles and handle responsibilities farther from the goal.
He approached the adjustment as an extension of his existing strengths. Leo said his speed helped him transition between the two positions, while trainer Tom Schreiber described him as willing to learn at both attack and midfield.
Working with different Long Island trainers also broadened his technical understanding. Leo explained that hearing their perspectives helped him see how others viewed the game. The instruction included adjustments to his release, additional shot fakes, work with his nondominant hand, and more deliberate setup before initiating a dodge.
Leo Made an Immediate Freshman Impact
Club coach Joe Spallina said the early move to midfield helped Leo prepare for an immediate role at Syracuse. As a true freshman in 2023, he appeared in all 15 games and started 13, including the final nine contests of the season.
He produced 18 goals and eight assists for 26 points. His freshman campaign included nine multipoint performances, six multigoal games and a six-game goal-and-point streak to close the year.
One of his most notable freshman goals came against North Carolina on April 15, 2023. With the score tied, Leo attacked from the right side and scored with 12 seconds remaining to complete Syracuse’s 15–14 victory. Afterward, he said the result demonstrated that the Orange could compete with any opponent.
The moment placed his speed and confidence under late-game pressure. It also gave him an early example of how his background as an attackman could translate into production from midfield.
His Production Increased Across Two All-America Seasons
Leo started all 18 Syracuse games in 2024. He recorded 28 goals and nine assists for 37 points, finishing second among the team’s midfielders in scoring. His postseason contribution included two goals against Towson and three against Denver.
Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse both gave him honorable-mention All-America recognition. The season ended with a 10–8 NCAA quarterfinal loss to Denver, but Leo expressed confidence in Syracuse’s future after the defeat.
He returned in 2025 with even more production. His 32 goals and 12 assists gave him 44 points, the highest total among Syracuse midfielders and the third-highest mark on the team. He recorded 11 multigoal games, including six hat tricks, and scored the regular-season winner against Notre Dame on April 5.
The season brought stronger national recognition. Leo made the USILA All-America Third Team, while Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse each selected him for their second teams. The ACC also named him Offensive Player of the Week on February 4 following a four-goal, five-point performance against Jacksonville.
That Jacksonville game was his first appearance after the Denver loss. Leo said the quarterfinal defeat had changed the team’s attitude and contributed to a demanding offseason.
His production continued in the postseason. Leo accumulated seven goals and five assists across Syracuse’s 2025 playoff games, including three points in the ACC championship victory over Duke. He later scored a hat trick against Princeton as the Orange advanced to their first NCAA semifinal since 2013.
A Return to Attack Expanded His Senior Role
Leo’s positional designation changed again during his senior season. Syracuse continued to list him as a midfielder, but both the 2026 All-ACC team and USA Lacrosse’s postseason selections classified him as an attackman.
Rather than representing two separate identities, those listings reflect his documented ability to play either role. He spent much of his youth at attack before preparing for college as a midfielder, and Syracuse could use those experiences to meet its offensive needs.
Inside Lacrosse records 35 goals and 22 assists for 57 points across 19 games in 2026. The ACC selected him for its all-conference team, while USA Lacrosse awarded him honorable-mention All-America recognition.
According to Inside Lacrosse’s complete statistical profile, Leo finished four seasons at Syracuse with 113 goals, 51 assists, and 164 points in 65 appearances. He started 63 of those games. Syracuse’s accessible profile did not display its senior-year statistical table, so the completed 2026 and career totals come from Inside Lacrosse.
Creative Freedom Shaped His Playing Style
Leo’s flexibility went beyond switching labels on a lineup. He described thriving in what he called the offense’s “gray area”—moments when a designed action stopped working, and players needed to create something themselves.
Syracuse’s system gave him room to respond to those situations. His experience at attack provided familiarity near the goal, while his midfield development added downhill dodging and opportunities to initiate from farther away.
That freedom also relied on the technical work completed before college. Repeated shooting sessions, instruction from different trainers, and practice with both hands expanded the options available when a possession moved away from its original design.
His partnership with Joey Spallina developed in the same environment. They played together in club lacrosse before Syracuse and worked on the timing needed for Spallina to create from behind the goal while Leo found space as a cutter or dodger. Their familiarity carried into the Orange offense without limiting Leo to one fixed position.
The California Redwoods Began His Professional Transition
Leo entered the professional ranks during his senior season. The California Redwoods selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2026 PLL Draft, making him a first-round selection.
The PLL identifies him as a midfielder, returning to the position associated with most of his Syracuse career. Its contract register lists him with the Redwoods through 2028.
He moved beyond draft status and entered the league’s official statistical record. During his 2026 rookie season, Leo recorded three one-point goals and two assists for five points. The PLL listed his shooting percentage at 16.7%.
His professional transition therefore continued the pattern established at Syracuse: different organizations could deploy or classify him differently, but his role remained centered on contributing to the offense.
His NCAA Eligibility Situation Remains Unresolved
Leo’s next step became less straightforward after his professional debut. In July 2026, USA Lacrosse reported that he joined former Syracuse teammates Joey Spallina, Billy Dwan III, Luke Rhoa and Finn Thomson in legal action seeking an additional season of NCAA eligibility.
By that point, Leo had already signed a PLL contract and appeared in professional games. USA Lacrosse reported that returning to college would require addressing the professional-contract issue, although the PLL declined to comment beyond acknowledging the litigation.
A separate federal eligibility ruling involving other members of the 2022 high-school class added uncertainty to the NCAA’s new five-season framework. However, that decision did not address Leo’s individual case. No confirmed outcome establishing another Syracuse season was included in the reporting.
Versatility Defined His Syracuse Development
Leo’s Syracuse record followed a clear progression. He prepared for college by moving away from his familiar attack position, produced immediately as a freshman, and grew into the program’s highest-scoring midfielder in 2025.
His senior-year recognition at attack added another dimension to that history. By the end of four seasons, he had earned national honors at different levels, contributed to an ACC championship and NCAA semifinal run, and developed a statistical record that led to a top-six PLL selection.
The unresolved eligibility case leaves his immediate path open, but his established career is substantial: four productive Syracuse seasons followed by a documented professional debut with the California Redwoods.