Seven Sacred Heart Greenwich seniors pursue their passions as they take the next steps in their athletic careers and signed National Letters of Intent (NLI) November 9.  An NLI is a binding agreement between a student-athlete and an educational institution stating that each player must attend the institution they have committed to for an entire academic year, according to nationalletter.org.  Seniors Corbin Callaway, Ines Araujo, Kelly Haggerty, Kate Nemec, Karina Sethi, Mackenzie Coleman, and Maggie Sullivan will go on to play at Division I (DI) schools for lacrosse and field hockey.  As they start this new chapter in their lives, they looked back on their time playing for Sacred Heart teams and how the bonds, triumphs, and lessons throughout their seasons have impacted them.

Ines and Kate look forward to continuing their athletic career after competing on Sacred Heart’s varsity A field hockey team.  Ines has participated on the field hockey team since freshman year and Kate joined the team in eighth grade.  Both Ines and Kate have committed to DI programs.  Ines, one of the varsity A field hockey captains, will attend Lafayette College, which currently ranks fifth in the Patriot League, according to patriotleague.org.  Kate will continue her athletic career at Stanford University, ranked fifth in the America East League, according to americaeast.com.  

Ines and Kate have experienced tight bonds with teammates while cherishing the lessons they have learned on and off the field.  Ines spoke about how Sacred Heart has impacted her experience with field hockey and the valuable lessons she has learned that she looks to take with her as she moves to the collegiate level.  

“We don’t play for ourselves, we play for each other.  Being as close as we are on and off the field pays off tremendously and it shows,” Ines said.  “My field hockey experience these past four years has been beyond formative.  Through my coaches, teammates, athletic directors, trainers, and everyone who makes it possible for me to play the sport that I love, I’ve learned when to be a listener and when to speak up, to recognize my own flaws but strive to overcome them, and most importantly, learned how to grow and fit into the important roles that we as strong and independent sacred heart young woman are given.  I owe all of my accomplishments to their endless support and dedication because, without them, I would not have been signing today.”

Kelly and Corbin, the 2023 captains of the varsity A Sacred Heart lacrosse team,  will continue as student-athletes in DI programs for the following four years.  Kelly will play at Fairfield University, which finished fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) with an overall record of 13-7 in their past 2022 lacrosse season, according to maacsports.com.  Corbin will continue her athletic career on the field at Bucknell University, which ranked seventh in the Patriot League with a record overall of 6-10 in the past 2022 lacrosse season, according to patriotleague.org. 

Kelly and Corbin will advance their athletic careers, using what they have learned on the Sacred Heart lacrosse team during high school. Both were part of the winning season for the lacrosse team this past spring, along with their teammates Mackenzie, Maggie, and Karina. 

Corbin looks forward to playing in the competitive environment of college lacrosse.  She commented on how the atmosphere of the Sacred Heart team has prepared her for the collegiate level.  

“The Sacred Heart varsity lacrosse team prepared me for the next level by providing me with the life lessons that I will take with me into my time at Bucknell,” Corbin said.  “I have learned that hard work pays off, and that nothing comes without putting you’re all into all you do on the field.  Every single person on the field matters.  The lessons I have learned at Sacred Heart are so valuable, and I know I will use them as I move on to Bucknell for the next four years.”

Mackenzie will play lacrosse at Elon University, which succeeded in ranking sixth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) with an overall record of 5-11 in their 2022 overall lacrosse season, according to caasports.com.  Maggie will play at Colgate University, which ranked fourth in the Patriot League with an overall record of 6-12 in their 2022 season, according to patriotleague.org.  Karina will continue on to play at the University of Vermont, which ranked third in the America East Conference this past 2022 season with a record of 14-5, according to americaeast.com. 

Maggie is excited to carry on her athletic career at college as she prepares for her upcoming lacrosse season.  Maggie further commented on how she believes the support from the Sacred Heart program has set her up to be successful in her collegiate pursuits and what she looks forward to most in these next four years. 

“I think Sacred Heart teams, especially the lacrosse team, prioritize the growth of a team as a community but also individually.  I wouldn’t be the player or person without this team through the wins and losses we have experienced,” Maggie said.  “At Sacred Heart, community is a priority, and this really helps each player fully develops and reach their potential.  I am eternally grateful to be a Sacred Heart lacrosse player, and for the memories, I will cherish forever.”

Featured Image by Zara Black ’23