Caitlyn Becker and Leah Klotz have been playing lacrosse in Highland since they were in first grade.

Last week, they took the next steps in their futures together.

Becker and Klotz, both senior members of the Highland girls’ lacrosse team officially signed their commitments to play lacrosse in college on Wednesday at Highland High School. Becker is headed to Division II Adelphi University.

“It’s really a great lacrosse program,” Becker said. “They’re in the Top 5 or Top 10, and the coaches are great. I haven’t had a chance to meet the team yet, but I’ve met the coaches and really liked them. I’m excited to work them.”

While Becker is going south to Garden City, Klotz is heading north up Interstate-87 to Plattsburgh to play for the school’s Division III program. She first visited the campus during her junior year and verbally committed earlier during her senior year.

“It has a really good environment and the girls on the team are really close and nice, and I feel like they work well together,” Klotz said. “I felt like it’d be a good place for me to go and keep playing in college.”

According to data provided by Highland girls’ lacrosse coach Ian Becker, also Caitlyn Becker’s father, of the 3.3 million girls that played high school sports, only 98,014 players played girls’ lacrosse. According to the NCAA only 13,481 of those athletes go on to play women’s lacrosse.

“So, when you look at Caitlyn and Leah sitting here, just know that very few athletes continue to play sports in college,” coach Becker said. “Being a student athlete is no small task. Caitlyn and Leah have both played multiple sports, as well as been active in clubs at the school. They really have no off time.”

Caitlyn Becker will join an Adelphi team that is off to a 3-0 start as of Friday, after finishing 13-7, and reaching the North-east 10 semifinals, where they lost to No. 2 Le Moyne College. They got a measure of revenge when they beat Le Moyne in the NCAA first round, before falling to No. 1 Pace University in the second round.

Klotz will join a Plattsburgh team that won its first game of the season, 18-5 over Russell Sage College on Feb. 27. The Cardinals posted a 7-8 record last year.

Becker hasn’t met any of her future teammates yet, but Klotz has, and even knows Plattsburgh junior Maddy Garcia, who graduated from New Paltz.

“I know a couple of the girls on the team already,” Klotz said. said.

They’ve both been key members of the Highland girls’ lacrosse program for several seasons and have helped guide the Huskies last year to the Section 9 Class D title game, where they were beaten by James I. O’Neill.

They have higher goals this year.

“Hoping we can win the section final this year,” Becker said. “Hopefully this year, we can get that gold medal.”

Whether they win that gold medal or not, when the season ends, so will their time playing lacrosse in Highland. Becker said she’ll miss playing for her father, who has doubled as her coach since she started playing lacrosse.

“He doesn’t treat me any differently,” Caitlyn Becker said. “It’s really useful because after the games I get to take a ride home with him and we get to talk about the games at home. I really enjoy it.”

They both agree that they’ll miss the players they’ve grown up with since they were old enough to pick up lacrosse sticks. Becker and Klotz have been playing together since first grade.

“It’s definitely going to take a toll when you’ve been playing with girls for 10-plus years,” Klotz said. “I feel like it’s definitely going to be hard leaving everybody, but playing together is definitely the biggest part.”