Former Oak Knoll lacrosse teammates Riley Campbell ’20 and Keelin Schlageter ’20 have reached a milestone few high school athletes ever imagine: competing professionally in the Women’s Lacrosse League.

Today, both balance careers in finance with competing at the highest level of their sport. Campbell, who works in New York City, plays for the New York Charging, while Schlageter, also a finance professional, competes for the California Palms.

Campbell and Schlageter’s professional debuts mark another milestone for Oak Knoll’s nationally recognized lacrosse program, which has a longstanding tradition of preparing student-athletes for success at the collegiate level and beyond.

Campbell and Schlageter were members of Oak Knoll’s 2019 Tournament of Champions championship team and served as co-captains of the Royals’ 2020 squad. Beyond athletics, both were active campus leaders — Campbell serving as Peer Leader Coordinator and president of the Charity Water Club, and Schlageter leading the Athletic Council while founding Oak Knoll’s first triathlon club.

Looking back, both women credit Oak Knoll and longtime Head Coach Rachel Lasda with creating an environment where excellence was expected, but success was always measured by something larger than individual accomplishments.

“I always point to my Oak Knoll lacrosse experience as one of the most impactful examples of being part of a team,” Campbell said. “We were successful because everybody cared about the outcome of the team. Everyone bought in.”

For Schlageter, some of her most meaningful memories weren’t championships at all.

“Our team knew how to work hard while having fun together,” Schlageter recalled. “Many of my most cherished memories were actually off the field with my teammates.”

That mindset prepared both athletes for the demands of Division I competition and, ultimately, professional life.

Campbell continued her career at Harvard University before using an additional year of NCAA eligibility at Northwestern University. Schlageter competed at the University of Notre Dame, where she helped continue one of the nation’s premier lacrosse traditions.

“I felt overprepared,” Riley said. “Oak Knoll pushes you academically, but it also pushes you athletically. By the time I got to college, I felt ready to be a student-athlete.”

Today, both have translated those lessons into successful careers in finance while continuing to compete at the highest level of their sport — a balance they say Oak Knoll helped prepare them to achieve.

Although both envisioned careers in business after college, neither expected professional lacrosse to become part of that journey.

After graduating from Notre Dame, Schlageter shifted her focus away from lacrosse before receiving an unexpected invitation to join the California Palms.

“I jumped at the opportunity and haven’t looked back,” she said.

Campbell’s path was also unexpected. Shortly after beginning her full-time career, a former coach invited her to join the New York Charging for the league’s inaugural season.

For both women, playing professionally represents more than personal achievement. It also reflects the rapid growth of women’s lacrosse and the opportunities now available to the next generation.

“It’s important for younger athletes to have professionals to look up to because that wasn’t possible when I started playing,” she said. “I hope we can inspire the next generation, grow the game, and continue raising the level of women’s sports.”

“When I was growing up, becoming a professional lacrosse player wasn’t something you even imagined,” Campbell said. “Now, seeing little girls waiting for autographs and wearing our jerseys is the best thing. If you give women’s sports attention, people respond.”