15 NCHS Student-Athletes Sign Letters of Intent To Play Sports in College

Fifteen New Canaan High School seniors on Wednesday signed commitment letters to play sports in college starting next year. 

NCHS Athletic Director Jay Egan said during the school’s annual ceremony for the student-athletes that the special day is a celebration for the student-athletes, parents and coaches.

“A lot of commitment on the part of the athletes, a lot of hard work—same thing with the parents,” Egan said as the ceremony started in the Wagner Room at NCHS. 

He added, “Just one comment on collegiate athletics: It’s a great opportunity. So today, I think what we’re celebrating is how hard you’ve worked to give yourself a great opportunity. High school athletics is a fun time in your life. You get to play with your friends, you’re in your hometown. And college athletics is about achievement. And when you finish your four years as a college athlete, that’s something that stays with you and becomes part of you for the rest of your life. And every little thing that you do, all the sacrifices that you make, all the parties you can’t go to, all the weekends you have to travel, it is 100% worth every single second of sacrifice at the end of those four years for what you’ve accomplished.”

Friends and family attended the ceremony, where the student-athletes posed for photos and received a pen (and cookie) to mark the day. 

We asked the student-athletes why they chose their future schools, and put their responses next to photos of relatives in attendance:

Gabe Babayev

• University of North Carolina
• Fencing

“UNC is a great school. They have a great fencing program and a great academic program for what I want to do. They were really interested in me when I reached out and it all worked out.”

Grace Baker 

• University of Notre Dame
• Crew

“It’s an amazing combination of athletics and academics. My brother went there so I was familiar with the schools. As soon as I visited, I knew it was the place for me. I’m excited to be there and be on the team.”

Addie Crowley

• University of Southern California
• Lacrosse

“The combination of athletics and academics was unmatched, and when I got there the team made me feel like home. And the weather, the sunshine—I couldn’t pass it up.”

Jack Haley

• Northwestern University
• Swimming

“I thought it was a great combination of athletics and academics that fit what I was looking for in a school. They have a lot of resources that I could utilize and it was just very supportive overall.”

Chase Harden

• High Point University
• Lacrosse

“It’s a really nice campus and the team has done very well in the past couple of years, so I thought it’d be a good fit.”

 

Will Hayes

• University of Denver
• Lacrosse

“My older brother chose to go to school at CU Boulder. I’m an outdoorsy person, I like to be outside. And besides the amazing lacrosse and the good academics, there’s a lot to do out in Denver, so it’s the best fit for me academically, athletically and socially.”

Bryce Lyden

• University of Michigan 
• Lacrosse

“Awesome place. Best academics. Best culture. Everything I wanted.”

 

 

Charlotte Moor

• Davidson College
• Cross Country/Track

“I went to Davidson in mid-September and just immediately fell in love with the team and the campus. I thought that it was a really great fit for me athletically and academically. I really bonded with the coach and the person hosting me. My mom loved it and she also met some great parents there, too. I think I can thrive in the Davidson environment for the next four years.”

Cece Patterson

University of Notre Dame

Lacrosse

“I think just academically and athletically it was the best of both worlds. I went on my visit early-September of my junior year and just loved it. Visited some other schools around that time and Notre Dame just felt like home.”

Sydney Patten

• University of Pennsylvania 
• Lacrosse

“I loved the urban part of it. I liked being in the city. It’s definitely a different type of thing for me and my family. I was interested in going there. The program is amazing, the people and everything—I loved the coaches.”

Paige Place

• Lehigh University
• Soccer

“I loved the community. I love the campus and it’s close enough to my family. I really loved the coach, too. It’s a perfect fit.”

 

Brayden Robie

• Boston University
• Lacrosse

“I like the school a lot. I like the coaching staff. And I like the city.”

 

 

Emma Row

• Columbia University
• Lacrosse

“I was really drawn to the high level of academics, along with the high level of lacrosse. And I think the team culture, especially starting with my coaches, was appealing to me.”

 

Lauren Smith

• Cornell University
• Javelin, discus and shotput

“Cornell was my last official visit and I absolutely fell in love with the community there. It was the closest school that replicated the family feel that I have on the track team at the high school. I absolutely fell in love with the campus, the coach and the team. It just felt like a close-knit family community.”

Maddie Tully

• Cornell University
• Lacrosse

“I visited there and I just loved the team culture. Obviously the academics are really good and the combination of sports and academics is ultimately why I chose it. And my sisters chose to go there, too, so that helped.”