Five Seniors Sign National Letters of Intent

On the first day of the National Letter of Intent signing period, five Agnes Irwin senior student-athletes were celebrated for their commitment to play their chosen sport at the Division I and Division II level in college next year.

The NLI is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an NLI member college or university, requiring the student-athlete to complete one full academic year at the institution.

Wednesday’s signers were:

• Brynn Ammerman — The Ohio State University — Lacrosse
• Paige Crowther — University of Oregon — Lacrosse
• Aren Dardarian — Drexel University — Field Hockey
• Alyssa Hardin — Marshall University — Soccer
• Avery McMullin — Queens University of Charlotte — Lacrosse

“We are so incredibly proud of these five young women who are signing NLIs to play their sport in college today” remarked Athletic Director Courtney Lubbe. “They are students and athletes, but most importantly, young women of great character. They have accomplished so much in their time at Agnes Irwin and will accomplish so much as they join their college programs. Continue to represent yourselves, your families and your school with pride and continue to be a role model for your younger Agnes Irwin classmates.”

Brynn Ammerman will play lacrosse at The Ohio State University next year. A four-year, two-sport varsity athlete in soccer and lacrosse, Brynn received the Agnes Irwin Coaches Award in lacrosse. She finished the 2019 season with 43 goals and 58 assists, giving her the 2nd highest assist total in the area and helping her to earn All-Delco recognition. “On the lacrosse field she has developed into a triple threat in the offensive end….Brynn can dodge, she can receive/finish and she can feed," said Varsity Lacrosse Coach Lauren Wray. "It is rare to have an attacker that has all these skills and executes them so flawlessly on the field. Brynn’s vision and her ability to distribute the ball to her teammates is vital for our team’s success. She makes everyone around her better with her passes and selfless play.”

Paige Crowther will attend the University of Oregon and play lacrosse. A three-sport varsity athlete in field hockey, basketball and lacrosse, Paige will play goalkeeper at Oregon. In addition to her athletic contributions, Paige serves on the Athletic Association and was a basketball captain in 2019-2020. In 2019, her 46% save percentage helped her earn All Main Line and All-Delco honors. Wray said of Paige: “I am so incredibly proud of how much Paige has grown over the past four years, and her toughness and competitiveness has propelled our team to the next level defensively. Whenever the game is on the line, Paige always delivers— rising to the challenging and playing some of her best lacrosse in those big moments.”

Aren Dardarian will attend Drexel University to play field hockey. A three-sport varsity athlete in field hockey, basketball and softball, Aren will play goalkeeper for the Dragons. An honor roll student and active member of the Agnes Irwin community, Aren is a captain of the Varsity Field Hockey team and a member of the Athletes Helping Athletes club. “I’ve watched Aren grow into a great leader, co-captain and starting goalkeeper of the varsity field hockey team," remarked Varsity Assistant Coach Emily Janis. "She is a great teammate who is always willing to work hard and set a positive tone on and off the field. She is the backbone of our defensive unit.”

Alyssa Hardin will play soccer at Marshall University. Alyssa joined Agnes Irwin as a junior and was the Co-MVP of the soccer team in her first season. In her debut season for the Owls, she scored 13 goals and assisted on 12, helping her earn 2nd Team All Inter-Ac honors. This fall, she leads the team in goals and serves as a captain. Varsity Soccer Coach Mike Welsh said of Alyssa: “On the field, Alyssa is one of the most tenacious players I have ever coached. She has such an infectious work-rate and will to win, she is willing to out-work anyone on the field and put her body on the line for her team. As a coach, it is great to see her recognized for her goals and assists, but I always appreciate the other side of her game - like chasing down defenders, winning tackles and winning important headers.”

Avery McMullin will attend Queens University of Charlotte and play lacrosse. A varsity athlete in lacrosse, soccer and cross country in her time at Agnes Irwin, Avery will play defense for the Royals. In addition to her responsibilities as a student and athlete, Avery is a member of the Athletic Association and has been a tour guide for the past three years. “Avery is a fierce 1v1 defender and her agility and pure athleticism allows her to match up with any attacker," shared Wray. "She is also a threat in transition with her speed and ability to weave through opposing teams players to bring the ball out of our defensive end. It has been an absolute honor to coach Avery and get to know her these past few years. Queens is getting a phenomenal lacrosse player, but even more importantly, they are getting a student-athlete with tremendous character, integrity and spirit to add to their community.”

These five athletes are among nine Agnes Irwin seniors who have already verbally committed to the admissions process and continuing their sports in college as of November 11, representing 13% of the senior class.

The students are:

• Brynn Ammerman — The Ohio State University — Lacrosse
• Kelly Cooper — Middlebury College — Field Hockey
• Paige Crowther — University of Oregon — Lacrosse
• Aren Dardarian — Drexel University — Field Hockey
• Grace Flaherty — Bates College — Squash
• Alyssa Hardin — Marshall University — Soccer
• Jordan Healy — Dartmouth College — Lacrosse
• Avery McMullin — Queens University of Charlotte — Lacrosse
• Ruthie Njagi — Swarthmore College — Tennis