Eighteen seniors plan on continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level this coming fall.  These seniors will continue their educations at 16 different Division I (DI) and Division III (DIII) colleges and participate in sports ranging from field hockey, lacrosse, rowing, squash, and volleyball.  Laura O’Connor, Delfina Gonzalez-Lobo, and Alexandra Bastone reflected on how their time at Sacred Heart shaped them into the athletes they are today.  They feel prepared and excited heading into this next chapter of their lives.  

The six seniors on the Sacred Heart Greenwich varsity A lacrosse team will bring their skills and talents to their respective DI colleges this fall.  Laura, Maggie Sullivan, Mackenzie Coleman, Karina Sethi, Kelly Haggerty, and Corbin Callaway all signed their National Letters of Intent (NLI) in November 2022, indicating their commitment to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).  

Maggie plans to attend Colgate University next year and be a part of their women’s lacrosse team, which is currently ranked sixth in the patriot league, according to patriotleague.org.  In the same league, Corbin heads to Bucknell University to continue her career as a defender.  Karina will compete on the University of Vermont’s women’s lacrosse team, ranked third in the America East Conference, according to americaeast.com.  Mackenzie will study and play lacrosse at Elon University in the fall.

Kelly will attend Fairfield University and will also be a part of the women’s lacrosse team, who won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championship this past spring, according to fairfieldstags.com.  Laura will stay in Connecticut at Yale University, where she will be a goalie for the lacrosse team and study biomedical engineering.  She commented on the impact Sacred Heart has had on her as a student-athlete.  

“Sacred Heart has prepared me for the next level both academically and athletically by challenging me in all facets of life,” Laura said.  “The school has encouraged me to be uncomfortable in order to learn and to strive to be a better student, athlete, and person each day.  I look forward to carrying these skills with me to Yale.”

Five graduating seniors will pursue field hockey at the collegiate level.  Delfina, Vivi Caruso, Ines Araujo, Kate Nemec, and Olivia Caponiti contributed to the varsity A field hockey team for four to five years and will bring this experience to their respective college fields.  They also all play together in club field hockey at AGH Field Hockey Club during the off-season.

Ines plans to attend Lafayette University to continue her athletic and academic career as a member of the field hockey team, which stands fifth in the patriot league, according to partiotleague.org.  Kate will bring her skills to the West Coast, heading to Stanford University.  Vivi will participate at the DIII field hockey level at Amherst University and is looking to study mathematics. 

Delfina and Olivia will both compete in the Ivy League over the next four years at Columbia University and Princeton University, respectively.  Princeton ended the 2022 season ranked first in the league and Columbia ranked fifth, according to ivyleague.com.  In addition to playing field hockey, Delfina will be on the pre-medical track.  She reflected on why she decided to pursue field hockey at the next level.

“I chose to play field hockey in college because I fell in love with the game the minute I started playing it,” Delfina said.  “I also love my teammates, especially those at Sacred Heart, and cannot wait to make more connections and everlasting friendships.  I could not imagine my life without the sport.”

Three Sacred Heart squash program members are bringing their talents to DIII programs in the Northeast.  They are playing in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).  Madeline and Sabrina Schwarz plan to continue their academic and athletic careers at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.  Claudia El-Masry aims to carry her skills to the squash courts at Bates College for the next four years.

Two rowing athletes will continue their careers at Northeastern University this fall.  Northeastern won the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) Women’s Rowing Championship in 2021, according to caasports.com.  Outside the boat, Lulu Caruso will major in chemistry.  Isabella Leao, who plans to study physiology, will be a coxswain, coaching the boat through a race.

Anne Cornell plans to continue her athletic career on the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, volleyball team this fall.  Off the court, she will be double majoring in theology and Catechetics.  Alexandra plans to swim at Harvard University, currently ranked second in the Ivy League, according to ivyleague.com.  She remembered the importance of her Sacred Heart experience as both an athlete and a person.

“Sacred Heart has allowed me to develop skills as a swimmer, but more importantly as a student and friend, that have ultimately shaped me into the woman I am today,” Alexandra said.  “I could not be more grateful and honored to be a part of this community.  Surrounding myself with girls who strive to be the best version of themselves and seek to maximize their potential, both in and out of the pool, has been the greatest motivator.  I am beyond excited to start this next chapter of my life.  It has been incredible to represent Sacred Heart as a swimmer.  I think the biggest lesson I have learned throughout my career at Sacred Heart is the importance of doing what you love—whether that be swimming or something else—for yourself.  If you swim for anyone/anything besides yourself and your team, you won’t get far.  Do it because you love it and truly enjoy it.  The family Sacred Heart has been able to foster is unmatched.”

Featured Image by Avery Kim ’24