Four Seniors Commit to Play Their Sport Next Year

Joined by family, coaches, teachers, and classmates, four senior student-athletes were honored on Tuesday, January 24 for their commitment to play their chosen sports at Division I and Division III colleges and universities next year.

The honorees are:

• Kennedy Kelleher - University of Chicago - Soccer
• Bailey McQuaid - Trinity College - Squash
• Clare Minnis - University of Virginia - Squash
• Eliza Vander - Johns Hopkins University - Field Hockey

“We are so proud to recognize four stellar seniors today for committing to play their sport in college,” said Athletic Director Courtney Lubbe. “These young women, Kennedy, Bailey, Clare, and Eliza, are true student-athletes in every sense of the term. They are dedicated and accomplished students, and high performing athletes who have major impacts on their teams. They have worked very hard to achieve their goals to be recruited and earn spots in these programs. Congratulations on your commitment to play in college!” 

Kennedy Kelleher will play soccer at The University of Chicago. She is a soccer team captain and five-year member of the Varsity Soccer team. As a club player for FC Delco, she was named Top Drawer Soccer’s New Jersey Tournament standout in 2022 and a U17 Best XI player.  She was selected to represent the East Region Pool for the past six years for the Olympic Development Program for the past six years, and was chosen to play internationally in Spain and England. An accomplished athlete and student, Kennedy earned Highest Honors in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade, and is engaged in the most rigorous course load possible at Agnes Irwin for a senior student-athlete. She has served as an Athletic Association representative for Agnes Irwin since 9th grade. Coach Katherine Nickols says, “Kennedy embodies excellent sportsmanship: she plays almost every minute of every game, always striving to help the team in any way necessary to each unique game. She’s the type of player who often creates assists rather than scoring goals. In the classroom, Kennedy occupies a similar space. Her excitement to learn, dedication to her studies, and positive demeanor brighten the learning environment.” 

Bailey McQuaid will play Squash at Trinity College. She is a team captain and has been a member of the Agnes Irwin Squash program since 6th grade. Bailey earned the Most Improved Player Award in 2022 after climbing 7 ladder spots in one season. A strong scholar-athlete, Bailey earned Honors as a freshman, and High Honors as a sophomore and junior. She is a four-year member of SKIRT, and a three-year member of both Tour Guides and CAG. Director of Squash Fabio Cechin says, “Bailey has been a member of the Agnes Irwin Middle School and the Upper School squash teams since 6th grade. She was a three sport athlete through 10th grade, but after her sophomore year she decided to dedicate herself to squash and set a goal to play in college. All of the tournaments, the early morning workouts, and all of the hours on the court have paid off as Bailey has achieved her goal of going to play at Trinity.”

Clare Minnis will play squash at The University of Virginia. Clare joined the Agnes Irwin School as a sophomore and quickly made an impact, earning the team’s Most Valuable Player Award in her first season. As a senior, she was named a team captain. Clare has become an accomplished player while maintaining a challenging academic course load. She earned a national ranking as high as 12th in the country for Girls U-19 while earning High Honors in both sophomore and junior years. Director of Squash Fabio Cechin says, “Clare holds the honor and the challenge of playing at the number one spot on the team. She was named team captain this season - which signifies the trust and confidence her teammates have in her playing ability and her leadership ability. Clare brings intensity and a competitive spirit to every single practice and match.”

Eliza Vander will play field hockey at Johns Hopkins University. Eliza has been a member of the Varsity Field Hockey team since her freshman year. In her senior season, Eliza earned All-Delco and All-Main Line honors, and was named the team’s Most Improved Player. An accomplished student, too, Eliza was recognized as an All-State Individual GPA Award winner. She has completed over 160 hours of community service, and is Head of the Girls Grant Making Club at Agnes Irwin. Coach Nicole Gerdes says, “I’ve had the pleasure of coaching and watching Eliza play in both high school and club field hockey and it has been amazing to watch her develop as a player. She is a tremendous student-athlete…helping teammates in need, dedicated to improving her skills, and never giving up. You can always count on Eliza to recover back on defense for her team and fight until the end.”

These four athletes are among eight Agnes Irwin seniors who have already verbally committed to continuing their sports in college as of January 24 — together, they represent an impressive 11% of the senior class.

The eight students are:

• Lauren DeRose - University of Iowa - Field Hockey
• Natalie Hofer - Colgate University - Swimming
• Kennedy Kelleher - University of Chicago - Soccer
• Bailey McQuaid - Trinity College - Squash
• Clare Minnis - University of Virginia - Squash
• Jamia Nelson - The University of South Florida - Softball
• Katie Repp - Fairfield University - Lacrosse
• Eliza Vander - Johns Hopkins University - Field Hockey