Photographs courtesy Klepper Family
Queen Anne’s County senior stars in the classroom and on the lacrosse field
If Flagler College Women’s Lacrosse Coach Grant Kelam wants to bring in a talented player to his program, one of the first places that probably comes to mind is Queen Anne’s County High School. Two graduates of the high school, juniors Ella Pinder (midfield) and Jessica Wright (attack), have been invaluable to Flagler. Kelam built his lacrosse program around them.
“We started the program in 2022,” Kelam recalls. “Those two coming here have given us street credibility because they were very good players.”
Well, another standout Queen Anne’s County player is senior and three-sport athlete Riley Klepper. And she is on the way to Flagler.
She possesses the same experience and track records of Pinder and Wright. Kelam makes it clear that he coveted Klepper. “We wanted her to be the first commitment of the 2026 class and she was,” Kelam says. “She is a do-it-all type of player being so versatile. She plays tenacious defense, can really run the field, and has a nose for the goal.”
Picking Flagler, located in St. Augustine, Florida, wasn’t a hard decision for Klepper. Her knowledge of the lacrosse program—learned from Pinder and Wright—weighed heavily in her decision. Flagler also appealed to Klepper for academics. She plans to major in business and wants to have a career in marketing.
“Visiting there definitely helped me make a decision,” explains Klepper, who also played basketball (Unsung Hero Award in 2023) and soccer (All-Bayside Conference in 2023) at Queen Anne’s. “I saw how much they were growing as players and how much they were enjoying it. I was able to talk to them about it a lot. That was very helpful.”
Kelam says Pinder and Wright will be like siblings to the 5-foot-4 Klepper when she steps on campus. The Centreville resident may play attack after suiting up at midfield for Queen Anne’s and the renown M&D Lacrosse Club.
“I think it will really help her adjust to the team atmosphere,” Kelam explains. “Having like two big sisters on the team that think very highly of her and know her from high school and playing club with her will have a dramatic impact.”
After playing six years for the M&D Lacrosse Club, Klepper joined the Queen Anne’s varsity lacrosse team as a freshman and what an impact she had. Klepper scored 37 goals to rank third on a team loaded with upperclassmen.
She missed most of the following season because of a knee injury but bounced back to lead the team in draws (74) and finish second in goals (38), as the Lions advanced to the Class 2A state championship game. The Bayside Conference named her to its first team for a stellar season.
“She is the backbone of the team,” Queen Anne’s Girls Lacrosse Coach Kesley Fitzgerald says. “She is an integral part of transitioning the ball from the defensive end to the midfield and attack. She gets everything settled and under control to set up her teammates. She does all the things for a coach to have a successful program.”
Photographs courtesy Klepper Family
The 18-year-old Klepper focuses just as sharply on her academics and extra-curricular activities as she does on sports, where she co-captains both the lacrosse and soccer teams. You could call her the closest thing to the perfect student athlete. Klepper carries a weighted 4.2 grade point average and took five advanced-placement classes in high school.
“I have always taken pride in my education,” Klepper says. “The first thing I do is knock out my schoolwork because that is very important to me—having good grades. Then I will have time for three sports.”
Klepper couldn’t get enough of clubs at school, either. She joined eight, including the National English Honor Society and the National Business Honor Society while serving as senior historian for Student Government Association and Best Buddies Club Vice President.
On top of that, she volunteers for the Centreville Methodist Church Food Pantry, and Haven Ministries Shelter as well as an assistant coach for a club and rec team.
“Everything she does off-the-field, she does with a lot of heart, passion, and hard work,” Fitzgerald says. “As an athlete, she is always giving 100 percent.”
Kelam adds, “Very few lacrosse players in my program go that extra step and donate all that time for extra-curricular activities and athletics. That’s where she really sets herself apart.”
