Sachem North freshman midfielder Carolyn O’Brien has verbally committed to play lacrosse at Ohio State University.
O’Brien, who will graduate in 2019, is currently the youngest student-athlete to commit to a college in the entire school district.
She was also considering the University of Southern California, the University of Michigan, Stony Brook University and Towson University before making the decision to head to Columbus.
“I immediately fell in love with everything about the campus,” she said. “It has a great atmosphere and I felt at home while visiting.”
Ohio State plays in the Big Ten and is quickly becoming a strong contender in women’s lacrosse. Last year the Buckeyes lost to Penn State in the Big Ten championship, but gained a bid to the NCAA Tournament where they lost to Notre Dame in the first round.
It’s a relief for her to commit so early. Now she can turn her attention to achieving goals throughout her high school and travel lacrosse careers.
“Committing early is a huge weight lifted off your shoulders,” she said.
O’Brien feels good about Sachem North’s ability to compete throughout the next few years in Suffolk’s Division I. There are a number of talented girls on the roster who are committed to playing college lacrosse, including Eve Calabria (Bucknell), Sam Russo (Delaware), Madison Hoffer (North Carolina), Alexa Punzone (Pace), and Brittani Sergio (Mercy).
“I think our team chemistry is a major factor as well as our overall team skills” she said, “this will hopefully carry us far this season.”
This is the second major signing in the O’Brien family in recent years. Sean, her older brother and a former standout on the boy’s lacrosse team at Sachem North, plays at West Point.
-Words by Chris R. Vaccaro