Dominican University of California women's lacrosse is putting itself on a national stage before hitting the local stage for its inaugural season.

Incoming freshman Morgan Newkirk was at lunch with her mom when her phone buzzed to notify her of an incoming email. The message was from Adrenaline Lacrosse, a company that has been highlighting the top lacrosse players in the West since 2011. At first glance, Morgan brushed it off thinking that it was a marketing email from the company, but upon further investigation, she realized it was more than an ad campaign.

"When I realized it wasn't an advertisement, I freaked out," Newkirk said. "I said to my mom, 'I just got the email to be on the team.' Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be on this team. I actually started crying because it was a dream come true, I was just so excited. As soon as I could, I started calling all the people I knew to tell them."

After the initial emotions had run their course, Newkirk's mom told her that she and her high school/club coach had known for weeks, but they both felt it was most appropriate for her to find out from Adrenaline. Though difficult, both parties were able to withhold the information from her for the course of two weeks before the vaunted news hit Morgan's inbox, news that stated she had been named to the Adrenaline All-American Team.

"I wanted to reveal it to her, but it was more appropriate for her to get the news from the company that named her to the team," Newkirk's high school and club head coach Jose Soto said. "I've been coaching Morgan since the fourth grade, withholding this type of information was really tough."

The Adrenaline All-American game highlights the top talent among all high school aged lacrosse players in the West. Players are divided into north and south squads before going head-to-head in Frisco, Texas, at the Ford Center -- the venue that plays host to the Dallas Cowboys' practices. The event gets national recognition as ESPN sends a crew to broadcast the event, with ESPN 3 being the main destination for live footage of the contest. Morgan is currently the only non-NCAA affiliated athlete named to the team, with all other athletes having committed to NCAA Division I and Division III institutions, meaning that Dominican women's lacrosse has already laid claim to its seat at the table among the national powerhouses.

"This puts us on the radar," Dominican women's lacrosse head coach Joseph Manna said. "When girl lacrosse players from all over the country tune into the game, they are going to hear that there is a player going to Dominican. She is literally putting our program on the map."

To be named to the team, players must have received a nomination based on their on-field accolades. Nominations are then viewed and vetted by a board of scouts, and deserving candidates are emailed their congratulatory news.

Newkirk's on-field resume is as competitive as any top-tier talent in the country. Throughout her high school career, she currently has 384 goals with 258 assists, while also being named a three year varsity captain and four year letterman.

"She has the accolades on the field, anyone can see those, but it's what she does off the field that's more important," Soto said. "She never misses a practice. She's always the first there and she is literally my voice when she steps on the field. Being able to have someone that can quickly and clearly relay information to your players in the moment is so pivotal, and she does that for me. That's going to be the toughest part when she leaves. All of her work, understanding and studying off the field makes her and her teammates so much more productive."

Manna has been relentless in his recruiting during his young tenure at Dominican as he consistently finds ways to place, and keep, Dominican's name on players' radars. His first impression of Newkirk was, echoing words that Soto said, that she's mature and confident on and off the field. Manna commented that he had seen Newkirk's team play with and without her on the field, and the evidence was known – she is a game changer, and she makes the rest of the team around her better. He was surprised that she was not already signed.

"I really enjoyed watching Morgan Newkirk the player, but it was really Morgan Newkirk the person that we were sold on," Manna said. "I know she is going to be a great leader on campus in and out of the classroom."

Newkirk's name on the All-American team is joined by players committed to Division I schools such as Butler, Columbia, Oregon, Michigan and UC Davis, while also seeing accompaniment from players committed to Division III Tufts and Amherst.

"I think at the end of the day, Dominican found the gem in the most furthest and hardest of places to find. When it's all said and done, this girl's name will be remembered and people will remember they passed on her," Soto concluded.