Four Seniors Sign National Letters of Intent

On the first day of the National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing period, four Agnes Irwin seniors were celebrated for signing an NLI to play their chosen sport at the Division I level in college next year.

This fall’s signers were:

• Lauren DeRose - University of Iowa - Field Hockey
• Natalie Hofer - Colgate University - Swimming
• Jamia Nelson - University of South Florida - Softball
• Katie Repp - Fairfield University - Lacrosse

“We are so proud of these four student-athletes signing National Letters of Intent to play their sport in college,” remarked Athletic Director Courtney Lubbe. “These young women represent the best of Agnes Irwin, and demonstrate our core values in their athletic, academic, and extracurricular activities at AIS. They have strong character, are dedicated to their school community and teams, are respectful of their teammates, coaches and teachers, and excel in their athletic endeavors. The recruiting process is a challenging one, and requires a tremendous amount of work and dedication. We are so proud to celebrate Lauren, Katie, Jamia, and Natalie's achievements and congratulate them on their college commitments!” 

Lauren DeRose will play Field Hockey at The University of Iowa. She is a two time field hockey team captain and a four year varsity starter for the Owls. In 2021, Lauren received Team MVP honors and was also selected for the All-State First Team, Inter-Ac First Team, All Delco First Team, All Main Line First Team, Max Field Hockey All Region 2nd Team, and NFHCA National Academic Squad. Academically, she has received highest honors in 9th, 10th and 11th grades and has served as an Athletic Association representative for Agnes Irwin. “Lauren has been a dedicated leader and extremely coachable player,” said head varsity coach Nicole Gerdes. “She has a strong sense of pride and has especially helped younger teammates learn the game and improve their skills.” 

Natalie Hofer will swim at Colgate University. She is a team captain and currently holds the school record in the 100 meter breaststroke, 100 yd breaststroke, and 50 meter freestyle. Last season, Natalie placed 3rd in the 100 breaststroke at Eastern Championships, and had an 8th place finish in 200 breaststroke at the Middle Atlantic Senior Championship. She was an Inter-Ac All-League selection and earned a spot on the 2nd Team All-Delco and 2nd Team All Main Line teams for the 2021-22 season. Academically, Natalie earned high honors in 9th, 10th and 11th grades and graduated from the UPenn Social Innovators Program in 10th grade. “In the classroom, Natalie brings an enthusiastic attitude and diligent work ethic,” said Senior Class Dean Lindsey Hurst. “Natalie is not only an accomplished swimmer, but serves as a mentor to younger swimmers and is dedicated to all parts of our school community.”

Jamia Nelson will play softball at The University of South Florida. During her junior season, Jamia earned 2nd Team All Inter-Ac and 2nd Team All-Main Line Honors. She was also selected to the All-Delco Honorable Mention team in 2022. In addition to her commitment with the Agnes Irwin softball team, Jamia has balanced playing for the Newtown Rock and Chaos softball clubs. Academically, Jamia received honors in 9th grade and high honors in 10th and 11th. “Having been Jamia’s advisor for the last three years, I’ve witnessed her perseverance and tremendous growth,” said history teacher Katherine Nickols. “She is a student, an athlete, and a person, who leads by example with how she treats others. Jamia is incredibly humble — she is grounded in her own values and personal identity, rather than invested in competing for attention or accolades. Jamia is truly a team player in everything she does.”

Katie Repp Katie Repp will play lacrosse at Fairfield University. Katie has been a varsity member of the girls lacrosse team since her freshman year and is a multi-sport athlete at AIS also playing varsity soccer. She is the Carter A. Mannion ‘81 athletic award recipient for the class of 2023. In the 2022-23 academic year, Katie was chosen to be the Head of the Athletic Association. In addition to her commitments to the lacrosse program at AIS, she plays for the Philly Blast lacrosse club. Academically, Katie received high honors and honors during the past three years of upper school. “Katie is an approachable and dedicated senior leader, both for our lacrosse team and in the greater Agnes Irwin community,” said varsity lacrosse coach Lauren Wray. “On the field, she has incredible vision and is always looking to assist her teammates. She has a team first mentality and I have been extremely grateful for her leadership and selfless play.” 

As of November 9, 2022, these four athletes are among eight Agnes Irwin seniors who have already verbally committed to the admissions process and continuing their sports in college, representing 11% of the senior class. Congratulations! 

The 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