Before arriving in Bethlehem, Luke Winkler’s resume suggested an early impact for coach Will Scudder’s program.
The midfielder played for Professional Lacrosse Hall of Famer Roy Colsey at Ridgefield High School in Ridgefield, Connecticut. There, he earned First-Team All-FCIAC and Second-Team All-State honors in 2021.
A four-star recruit by Inside Lacrosse and a Connecticut Class L state champion, Winkler later completed a prep year at the Salisbury School in Salisbury, Connecticut. The team finished that 2023 season ranked No. 10 nationally by Inside Lacrosse.
The accolades pointed upward.
Then it stalled.
As a first-year at Lehigh in 2024, Winkler rarely saw game action. His only appearance was in the team’s contest on April 13, 2024, against Colgate. In the 9-7 Lehigh victory, the midfielder didn’t record a stat.
For some players, that pause lingers. Winkler said he used the experience as further preparation.
He said after realizing the upperclassmen were better and more experienced than he was, he made a point to soak in every lesson in order to learn and improve.
The knowledge paid off.
Winkler broke into the rotation as a sophomore and became a top offensive contributor, finishing with 21 goals and six assists in 14 games. His 21 goals were tied for the second-highest total on the team in 2025, matched only by Andrew Kelly.
Now a junior, Winkler has become a leader, helping set the tone offensively. While Lehigh dropped its home opener 12-11 to Bucknell on Saturday, the midfielder helped Lehigh briefly swing momentum in their favor when he scored two straight goals to ignite a five-goal run for the Mountain Hawks.
Winkler’s teammates and coach Will Scudder describe him as a hard worker.
“He’s been committing to the weight room, to developing himself as an athlete and then honing in on what he does best, which is shooting the ball,” Scudder said.
Winkler said he emphasizes off-the-field connections with the underclassmen.
He said this might be a simple team bonding activity to watch NFL Redzone or the United States hockey team play Canada in the Olympics, as they did last week.
“Getting the guys over to your house, and if it’s just making dinner, it’s just hanging out, we always invite the younger classmen to hang out and feel comfortable,” Winkler said. “We’re all family here.”
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