Senior Owen Ellsworth is committed to the University of Massachusetts, Boston to play Division III baseball, studying business with a concentration in entrepreneurship. 

When did you first start playing baseball?

“I first started playing baseball, I think Little League or T-Ball, probably around five or six years old.”

What is your favorite thing about baseball?

“Probably just the friends I’ve made along the way and the interactions with them, meeting a whole bunch of coaches and overall just learning the aspects of the game.”

What position do you play and what do you most enjoy about playing that position?

“[I’m a pitcher]. I like the sort of one-on one battle with you and the hitter, and just competing, and having a group of your friends out there, fighting for you, and just the team aspect.”

Why did you want to play baseball at the collegiate level?

“I had a bunch of coaches around me, and a bunch of friends that were pushing me. I also had an uncle who played baseball in college, and he really enjoyed it. Everyone around me was sort of pushing me to play. There was one point where I was deciding between football and baseball. Probably around freshman to sophomore year, but ultimately decided to go with baseball because I had more passion for it.”

What about this college enticed you to play for them?

“I love the campus and Boston, can’t complain about that, just being in the city. The coach was really really nice to me on the meet and the campus was beautiful, and I loved the turf field. So it was a huge factor, because it’s one of the only turf fields in [Division III baseball], so it’s a really nice campus, and the business aspect is also what intrigued me.”

What are you most looking forward to in these next four years of your life?

“Obviously playing baseball in college and studying business and, you know, figuring out what I’m gonna do for the rest of my life and making new friends along the way. 
That’s really exciting about college is the fact that, even though I’m local in Boston, I’m going to be seeing new people. I don’t really know anyone that’s going, besides my baseball teammates.”

Do you have hopes to play baseball beyond the collegiate level?

“Yeah, I mean, I think you gotta go into it thinking like, ‘What if,’ you know. If I work hard and do well and something happens. It’s not necessarily a priority, it’s not something that’s at the top of my list, but it would be cool. It would be really cool, but just seeing how it goes.”

Do you have any ideas of majors or other focuses you’d like to pursue at UMass Boston?

“Yeah so my dad owns two companies, a Christmas tree farm and then a pool company, and it sort of inspired me to start up a business and pursue entrepreneurship; just learning how to do that, after being around it all the time. I’ve learned from my dad, so I’d say he was the main factor in that, and also, I feel like I’ve always been interested in the business side and UMass Boston is a good business school.”

Do you have anything else that you think is important to include about your experiences with baseball or your commitment?

“I think we’re going to be a good team and I’m excited to see what we can do in these next next couple games to start us off.”

Senior Max Eigen has committed to run Division III track and field at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA and will study business. 

When did you start running track?

“I started freshman year. I started football my freshman year and the running back coach of the football team was also the track coach at the time. So he told me to do indoor track, and after a successful indoor track season, I decided to stick with it.”

What is your favorite thing about the sport?

“I just love improving and getting a new [personal record]. It is so addicting and it’s one of the greatest feelings in the world. Also, people say meets suck because they are seven or eight hours, but I disagree, because it’s a time to be with your friends and running, which is what I like to do.”

What race do you run and what do you most enjoy about that race? 

“Indoor, I do the 55m and outdoors, I mainly run the 100m. I like the shortest events possible. That’s because my favorite aspect about a race is the block start, just being able to push out and beat everybody off the start.”

Why did you want to play the sport at the collegiate level? 

“I just fell in love with the sport and just being able to go out every weekend and have a chance to improve. So I couldn’t let that only go for four years. I wanted to do another four years of that, so that’s why I decided to do it in college.”

What about this college entices you to play for them? 

“It’s just a great college overall. I’m going for business. They have a really good business program. They have a really good track team too. I actually got a chance to meet a majority of my track team already during my visit. I got to have lunch with them and see how their practices go and stuff. That visit alone was the main reason why I decided to go to Brandeis.”

What are you most looking forward to in these next four years of your life? 

“I’m just looking forward to meeting new people, especially my teammates.
I’m just really curious, what times I’ll be able to run in the future.”

Do you have hopes to play or compete beyond the collegiate level?

“I’m going to take a realistic approach and say no. I may be very good at a Massachusetts level, but it takes one Internet search to realize that I’m nothing compared to the kids in Florida and Texas. So, no, I plan to major in business and then follow that path, which is going to get me more money.”

Do you have any ideas of majors or other focuses you’d like to pursue? 

“Probably just business.”

Do you have anything else you want to include about your commitment or your college or your experiences? 

“Go judges! In four years, my name’s gonna be on the record wall.”

Senior Katy O’Connell has committed to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York for Division III volleyball and will major in Biology.

When did you first start playing volleyball?

“I started playing volleyball my freshman year. I started on the JV two team for Algonquin.”

What is your favorite thing about volleyball?

“My favorite part about volleyball is probably the community. I’ve been on so many different supportive teams and I’ve had many coaches who have been so influential. I also just love the atmosphere of the game and being able to lose yourself in each play and work harder and see improvements when you can. I love being able to push myself and embrace all aspects of the competition and teamwork.”

What position do you play and what do you most enjoy about playing that position?

“I play middle, which is the person in the front row up against the net, and their role is to block all three hitters from the opposing team and also hit. I really like it because it has aspects of offense and defense. There are a lot of ways to stay engaged in the game and make a difference, and you have to learn to adjust to the other team. You also work very closely with your setter, which is rewarding. I’ve only ever played middle, too. I’ve been doing it since freshman year.”

Why did you want to play volleyball at the collegiate level?

“I wanted to play volleyball at the collegiate level simply because I just couldn’t imagine myself not playing it at a competitive level. I love this sport so much and I didn’t want to just leave it in the past. I think playing a sport in college in general is a really rewarding experience and helps you find yourself in the sport at the school and grow as an athlete, a person and as a student. It seemed perfect for what I wanted to do.”

What about this college enticed you to play for them?

“First off, I loved the school, the academics were exactly what I wanted. I also had a great connection with the coach and found her very welcoming and I could see her as someone I could work well with. When I got to meet the team, they were all great, and it was an interesting group of girls who would add a lot to the experience.”

What are you most looking forward to in these next four years of your life?

“I’m looking forward to just being able to continue to improve. Starting in freshman year is honestly pretty late for starting volleyball, so I feel lucky that I have four more years to work hard, improve all my skills and get stronger and faster. I’m also looking forward to all the other aspects of college, like academics, becoming a more experienced person and gaining new perspectives.”

Do you have hopes to play volleyball beyond the collegiate level?

“I could see myself coaching in the future, depending on what my career ends up looking like. I do want to stay connected to the sport, I just love it so much.”

Do you have any ideas of majors or other focuses you’d like to pursue at Skidmore College?

“I’m planning on majoring in Biology, probably as a pre-med track. I’m thinking of minoring in either Philosophy or Political Science. I want to take advantage of all the great programs Skidmore has to offer. I’m hoping to pursue the biology-focused path and supplement that with something unrelated but still just as enriching. 

Do you have anything else that you think is important to include about your experiences with volleyball or your commitment?

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity. It’s been a long process and it means a lot to me to be able to continue volleyball.”

Senior Meredith Wu is committed to MIT for Field Hockey and will be majoring in Engineering. 

What position do you play?

“For school I play center forward, and sometimes I play in midfield positions. For club, Cape Ann Field Hockey, I play midfield.”

What do you enjoy about field hockey?

“My competitiveness really made me want to get better at it, and then I joined a club team, and it was the people that made me stay.”

When did you start?

“I started to learn during eighth grade spring.”

Why did you start to play field hockey?

“I started because my friends were playing. It started as a little hobby, something to do after school, and then I realized I wanted to play in high school and I got more into it. The social aspect was what brought me in at first, but I have always loved sports and being outside, so that was another plus.”

What’s your favorite thing about field hockey?

“I like how you don’t really learn any plays, you kind of just play as you go. There isn’t anything to learn except to practice your skills. You’re really just problem solving on the field. No game is ever perfect or exactly the same, and that’s what’s pretty cool about it.”

How has field hockey changed you as a person?

“It has given me confidence throughout the years. It has also put me in a different path because I always thought I was going to go to college and focus on academics, but field hockey pushed me to keep going in college and focus on different aspects of my life and be more of a balanced person, rather than just putting everything into school.”

Why did you decide to play at a collegiate level?

“I made that decision really late, I started my recruitment process sophomore spring, which is when a lot of people start committing. I’ve already put so much effort into it and I couldn’t see myself stopping anytime soon, and it felt like it had become part of my life even though it had only been two years at that point. I wanted to keep going and make new connections in college.” 

What was the recruiting process like?

“It was a mix between club tournaments and making highlight reels in my high school season. The meets were a big part of recording everything and helping me get some film and I was able to make a highlight reel on that. With the club I emailed coaches a lot and went to a bunch of camps.”

Why MIT?

“I don’t think I could get a better academic institution other than MIT, and I also really love the girls on the team, they are all really nice. When I first committed they texted me ‘congrats.’ The coach is also so nice. She is very supportive and she has been there for a while now.”

What are you most looking forward to in the next four years?

“I am excited to meet a bunch of new people and be in a city. Something I looked for in a college was more of an urban campus, and actually having a campus. Also participating in so many activities. College is the place to find yourself.”

Are you planning on playing field hockey past the collegiate level?

“I don’t think so, I know there is an adult league that I could join as an adult, but I would have to see.”

What major are you planning on going into?

“I applied for BioMedical Engineering, but I am planning on switching to Chemical or Nuclear Engineering.” 

Senior Kyriakos Ciccone is committed to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York to play Division III Men’s Lacrosse, planning to study economics,political science or both. 

When did you first start playing lacrosse?

“In second grade. My dad played before, so he kind of influenced me to play.” 


What is your favorite thing about lacrosse?

“I just like the fast pace of the game… It’s just a fun sport.” 

What position do you play and what do you most enjoy about playing that position?

“I play defense. The thing I most enjoy is communicating, getting the ball, going up and scoring. That’s what I like the best because it doesn’t happen often as a defenseman, but that feels the best for sure.”

Why did you want to play lacrosse at the collegiate level?

“I didn’t think I was going to until I was a sophomore and I started taking lacrosse seriously, like club lacrosse and stuff. Then when I started taking it more seriously, I just started to enjoy it more and I knew it was really something I wanted to do at the collegiate level. The past couple of years, I’ve been having a lot of fun with it, so I knew it was a good choice to make if I was able to play it.”

What about this college enticed you to play for them?

“I was looking for a smaller liberal arts school to begin with. I was just looking around, emailing colleges that I knew were pretty good schools and they were one of the schools that showed a lot of interest in me. I visited there and I really liked it and I played some lacrosse there at a camp and the coach really liked me. I really liked the coach, I really liked the camps and stuff and it’s not too far of a drive. All of the lacrosse kids on the team seemed really nice, so I thought it was a good option for me, and I thought it fit me really well.”

What are you most looking forward to in these next four years of your life?

“I’m looking forward to obviously having fun just being with people.”

Do you have hopes to play lacrosse beyond the collegiate level?

“No. There are some professional lacrosse organizations. But no, I don’t think I wanna go that far.”

Do you have any ideas of majors or other focuses you’d like to pursue at Vassar College?

“Honestly, I have no idea right now. With most liberal arts schools you can go undecided. As of right now, probably economics or political science, but I’m not entirely sure.”

Do you have anything else that you think is important to include about your experiences with lacrosse or your commitment?

“If you want to do something like playing collegiate sports, just be committed to it and just make sure it’s the right decision, make sure you’re having fun. Don’t just commit to be like, “I’m playing a sport.” Don’t just do it for the attention. Actually do something you love, and something you’d really wanna do for the next four years, because it’s a big commitment.”

Senior Dylan Lochhead follows the lead of her sisters to Boston, MA, committing to Boston College (BC) to further her education endeavors and continue competitively competing as a Division I soccer player.

When did you first start playing soccer?

“I was around two because I have three older sisters, and when I was two, my older sister was 10. We would always like to play soccer together, and they kind of got me into it. Then when I was growing up, we’d all play together, and I got really into it.”

What is your favorite thing about soccer?

“I really like the connections I’ve made with my teammates and the bonds I have with the girls I’ve played with. It’s also something that’s really relaxing, because the skills and technical ability are something that are within my control. So it’s nice to work on and get good at it; I know it’s something I can do well.”

What position do you play and what do you most enjoy about playing that position?

“I play as an outside left back, which is technically defense, but basically to sprint up the field and make crosses too. So it’s a lot of running, which kind of sucks. I like my position. I definitely like playing wide. but I like the forward aspects of it.”

Why did you want to play soccer at the collegiate level?

“Well, I’ve always kind of known that I wanted to go to BC because my whole family has gone there. I’ve also known that I wanted to play soccer in college if possible, so when everything kind of aligned perfectly, I was like, ‘yeah, why wouldn’t I do that?’”

What about this college enticed you to play for them?

“The main priority for me was definitely academics first. I knew a lot about the school obviously, with all my sisters going there. I knew that their academic program was something that I was very interested in. Then when they just got a new coach [for the soccer team], I felt he has a really good vision for the program and I’m excited.”

What are you most looking forward to in these next four years of your life?

“It’ll be a big adjustment, but I’m excited to start fresh in a sense. I feel it’ll be refreshing and nice.”

Do you have hopes to play soccer beyond the collegiate level?

“We’ll kind of have to see how it goes. Definitely, if it fits into my life plan after. My aspirations for my career will probably be first, but I’m not gonna turn down any opportunities.”

Do you have any ideas of majors or other focuses you’d like to pursue at Boston College?

“I’m majoring in psychology, but on a pre-law track, so my overall goal is to be a lawyer.”