Seven Seniors Commit to Play Their Chosen Sport Next Year

Seven Seniors Commit to Play Their Chosen Sport Next Year

Joined by family, coaches, teachers and classmates, seven senior student-athletes were honored on Friday, January 21 for their commitment to play their chosen sports at Division I and Division III colleges and universities next year.

The honorees were:

  • Lily Botta - Catholic University of America - Field Hockey
  • Ashby Evans - Miami University of Ohio - Field Hockey
  • Devon Glaser - Dartmouth College - Squash
  • Samantha Hark - Trinity College - Lacrosse
  • Alex Lesko - Trinity College - Lacrosse
  • Julia van der Zwan - Cornell University - Rowing
  • Quinn Wollard - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Lacrosse 

“I am so proud of these seven senior student-athletes who have committed to play their sport at the next level,” said Athletic Director Courtney Lubbe. “These girls exhibit excellence both as athletes and as students, and they represent the best of Agnes Irwin Athletics. They have worked hard to achieve their goal of being recruited and have served as tremendous role models for their teammates and younger Agnes Irwin students. We are so excited to see them continue to play in college and will continue to be their biggest fans.”

Lily Botta will play field hockey at Catholic University of America. She is a four-year member of the Agnes Irwin Varsity Field Hockey team and was named Honorable Mention All Main Line in 2020 and 2021. In addition to her field hockey accomplishments, Lily earned High Honors in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and was awarded a Catholic University Merit Scholarship. She is a talented artist, and has worked as a youth art teacher in the community. Varsity Field Hockey Coach Morgan Paese said of Lily: “Lily is one of the most technically sound players I have ever coached. Her touch on the ball is like a magnet to the stick and she is able to execute the most advanced skills in our sport. And even with all of those tools in her pocket, she keeps her play mostly simple and effective on the field, which every coach loves.”

Ashby Evans will play field hockey at Miami University of Ohio. She is a four-year member of the Agnes Irwin Varsity Field Hockey team and has signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her field hockey career at Miami. Ashby was named captain of Agnes Irwin team as a senior, and earned Honors in 2019, and Highest Honors in 2020 and 2021. In addition to her academic and athletic achievements, Ashby is a member of Athletes Helping Athletes and is co-head of the Walk Her Home club. Varsity field hockey coach Morgan Paese said of Ashby: “She inspires both her coaches and teammates with her determination, grit, and team-first attitude. As a co-captain, she has helped lead our team to a great season full of success and friendship. She values our team culture and has worked hard to make everyone feel welcome.”


Devon Glaser will play squash at Dartmouth College. Devon is a four-year member of the Agnes Irwin Varsity Squash team and has been a member of the team during a time of unprecedented success for AIS squash. She was a member of the 2020 Inter-Ac Championship team, and a member of the 2019 and 2020 teams that placed 2nd at the U.S. Squash High School Nationals. She is ranked 22nd in the country by U.S. Squash for the girls U-17 bracket. In addition to her accomplishments on the court, Devon has earned Honors and High Honors as a student. Director of Squash Fabio Cechin said of Devon: “Devon has been a member of the Agnes Irwin Middle School and the Upper School squash teams since 6th grade. She is an amazing team player and always displays excellent sportsmanship. Being named a team captain signifies the trust and confidence her teammates have in her playing ability and her leadership ability. She has learned so much from AIS squash and, and in turn, has passed along that knowledge to our younger students through coaching clinics and lessons. She has been a model for the younger generation Agnes Irwin athletes and will continue to be a role model as she goes to Dartmouth.”

Samantha Hark will play lacrosse at Trinity College. Samantha is a four-year member of the Varsity lacrosse team, and received the AIS Coaches Award in 2021. She was named to the PASLA All-Academic Team in 2021, was the Main Line Athlete of the Week in April, 2021 and is a three-year starter on the AIS defense. Samantha has earned Honors and Highest Honors as a student, and is the Head of the Athletic Association at Agnes Irwin. She is a member of the 2021 Inter-Ac Tournament Championship team. She will join AIS classmate Alex Lesko ‘22 on the Trinity Lacrosse team. Coach Lauren Wray said of Samantha: “Sam has been a starting defender on the lacrosse team since freshman year, and it's hard to imagine our defensive unit without her presence next year. I am so thankful to have a leader with her intuition and poise on the field quarterbacking our defense. Sam’s communication and decisive decision making on the field is the key to our success.”

Alex Lesko will play lacrosse at Trinity College. She is a two-sport athlete at Agnes Irwin, playing varsity tennis and lacrosse. Alex is a member of the 2021 Inter-Ac Tournament Championship team. She was named the Agnes Irwin Tennis Co-MVP in 2021 and earned All Inter-Ac honors twice for the AIS tennis team. In addition to her tennis athletic achievements, she was named co-captain of the team as a senior, earned Highest Honors, serves as co-head of the Walk Her Home club, and is a member of Athletes Helping Athletes. Coach Lauren Wray said of Alex: “Alex completely dedicates herself to improving her game through taking advantage of every lift, run, clinic or winter/fall league game. No excuses - Alex always shows up for the team. All of those extra hours she has put in have paid off. Her improvement has been incredible and Alex should be extremely proud of her accomplishments. I hope that our younger players are watching Alex and learning from her example.”

Julia van der Zwan will row at Cornell University. Julia’s boats have had tremendous success on the water, including placing 2nd at PSRA City Championships twice (Freshman 4x, Varsity 4x). As a freshman, she was a member of the 1st Place Freshman 4x at Stotesbury Regatta, the largest scholastic regatta in the county. She competed at the Canadian Henley in 2021. Julia was named team captain as a junior and a senior, and was named the Agnes Irwin Crew MVP in 2019 and 2021. She is the head of the STEM club, and has earned Honors and High Honors as a student. Varsity Crew Coach John Hayburn said of Julia: “If you are building a team, you start with Julia van der Zwan. Julia is the engine of our team, the one that will push, push, and when she is tired, legs burning, lungs on fire, she will still give you her best. Julia has proven to be the glue to the team. She is the one that always embraces the workouts, and will always have a smile on her face.”

Quinn Wollard will play lacrosse at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She is a three-year member of the varsity lacrosse team, and is a member of the 2021 Inter-Ac Tournament Championship team. Quinn is co-head of the CAD team for Agnes Irwin Robotics. She has earned Honors and High Honors as a student. Coach Lauren Wray said of Quinn: “Quinn is a quick and tenacious attacker who is a threat to dodge or feed around the crease. She has fire and grit, and she never backs down. Quinn’s work ethic has been a great example to our team. I am extremely proud of her growth as a player over the past four years. I know she will be successful on the field and in the classroom at RPI.” 

These seven student-athletes are among 17 Agnes Irwin seniors who have verbally committed to the admissions process and continuing their sports in college as of January 21, 2022, representing 22% of the Senior Class.

The students are:

  • Lily Botta - Catholic University of America - Field Hockey
  • Reilly Brennan - Colgate University - Swimming
  • Katherine Ernst - Vanderbilt University - Lacrosse
  • Ashby Evans - Miami University of Ohio - Field Hockey
  • Isabella Fusco - Towson University - Soccer
  • Devon Glaser - Dartmouth College - Squash
  • Samantha Hark - Trinity College - Lacrosse
  • Jackie Heinerichs - Drexel University - Lacrosse
  • Alex Lesko - Trinity College - Lacrosse
  • Colby Macaione - Georgetown University - Lacrosse
  • Cate Parsells - Georgetown University - Lacrosse
  • Chloe Saulnier - University of Southern California - Rowing
  • Julia van der Zwan - Cornell University - Rowing
  • Marissa White - University of North Carolina - Lacrosse
  • Sydney Wilson - University of Florida - Lacrosse
  • Carly Wilson - University of Florida - Lacrosse
  • Quinn Wollard - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Lacrosse 
     

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