11 NCHS Seniors Sign Letters of Intent To Play Sports in College

Eleven New Canaan High School seniors on Wednesday signed early Letters of Intent to play sports in college starting next year.

The photos below are from a signing ceremony overseen by NCHS Athletic Director Jay Egan, held early afternoon at Waveny House. 

Egan thanked the All Sports Booster Club for its organization of the annual ceremony, saying it’s “the culmination of a lot of hard work and a lot of effort on the part of these athletes.”

“And not only these athletes but their families, their coaches and all their support people,” Egan said. “So it’s really a day for us all to celebrate what these young people have achieved. And it’s also the beginning of something else for you guys.”

We asked the student-athletes why they chose their future schools. 

Grace Gilman

• Lehigh
• Field Hockey
• “As soon as I started talking to the coaches, it automatically felt like where I needed to be. I think the team culture is incredible and the regrowth that my coach, Caitlin Dallmeyer, is trying to make is, I think, an incredible decision. My brother also goes there and he loves the school so much, so it was an easy decision.”

Kaleigh Harden

• North Carolina
• Lacrosse
• “I’ve always grown up being a Carolina fan. My dad and his family went there and played lacrosse there, too. So I’ve grown up going there and seeing the campus. And so once the recruiting process started, and talking to the coaches and everything, I knew I wanted to go there. And on top of that, my sister is playing there right now. So that’s also exciting.”

Jack Krug

• Bucknell
• Diving
• “I really liked the campus and when I went to meet the coaches and the team, I could see myself being a part of it, the program. We started to make things happen and I eventually signed and decided that that’s where I want to go.”

Claire Mahoney

• Brown
• Lacrosse
• “Brown’s a great fit because academically it’s great, and I wanted a great academic school, but then they also have great athletics, so I didn’t have to compromise either. I could play lacrosse at a high level while also being able to academically have a really rigorous school. So that’s why I chose Brown. And I love the accepting and experimental environment of the school, too, with The Open Curriculum. It’s great.”

James “Cort” McNichol

• Syracuse
• Crew
• “It was a super fun school. When I went on my official [visit], loved the team environment. I love rowing, and I really just want to take my rowing to the next level.”

Hollis Mulry

• USC
• Lacrosse
• “I’ve always wanted to go to California and go far away, and I loved the coaches and the whole atmosphere and the team. And once I met everyone, I knew that that was the place for me.”

Ella Olafsson

• Colgate
• Diving
• “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go D-1 or if I wanted to go D-3, but after doing a team visit there and spending the weekend there, I really loved the team and the environment. I felt like it was a really good fit for me. And overall, I felt that the coaches were very comforting and very supportive. So I felt like it would be a great match for me.”

Dillyn Patten

• Cornell
• Lacrosse
• “After talking to the coaches for a while, I love the program and everything that they’re saying. And I knew of the program already because my mom played soccer at Cornell and my older sister is playing now. She’s a current junior. So I just really fell in love with the school after going to it multiple times and I love the coaches and everyone there.”

Olivia Quinn

• Davidson
• Diving
• “I loved the blend of academics and athletics, and the team is just so close together. The bond they have. When I was visiting other schools, I just really didn’t get the same vibe that I did at Davidson. All the kids are so nice and welcoming and the coach is amazing. He was so sweet. I could just tell that they wanted me on the team, and I wanted to be there, too.”

Zack Ramppen

• West Virginia
• Baseball
• “First off, they got to see me out in Georgia. I got to talk to Coach [Steve] Sabins a couple of times, came to a couple of my games. And when I went out for my official visit, it just didn’t seem like any place was better than that one. So it was kind of an easy decision once I got there.”

Caitlin Tully

• Cornell
• Lacrosse
• “I just knew, it feels like such a family. It’s such a pretty campus and great school and you can really tell that the team is super close. Right away I knew that that was the place I wanted to be.”