Congratulations to four Holton seniors for their commitment to play NCAA Division III athletics next year in college! Kristen Bitsberger '18 will run track and field at Hamilton College; Claire Evans '18 will continue her tennis career at Amherst College; Gabby Henry '18 will play ice hockey at Hobart and William Smith Colleges; and Christine Padalino '18 will continue her lacrosse career at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). These girls join classmates Taylor Lawrence '18 and Kaitlyn Pham '18 as NCAA bound student-athletes.
For Kristen, Claire, Gaby, and Christine the recruitment journey started earlier than the normal college process. All four girls knew they wanted to compete at the collegiate level well before this year. These athletes took their training seriously, giving up other sports, sacrificing free time, dedicating long hours to practice, and perfecting their craft. Not only did the girls dedicate themselves to hours of practice, but also to hours of recruiting work. For most of them the process began early in their high school career which included emailing and calling coaches and visiting campuses.
Celebrating their commitment is not just about the day, but it is a culmination of years of hard work. We are proud of Panthers who have found a place where they can both compete in their sport and continue to get a great education.
Kristen Bitsberger '18
Hamilton College
Track & Field
Kristen will attend Hamilton College where she will run cross country, indoor and outdoor track. Coming into freshman year, Kristen knew she wanted to run in college. Throughout the years, she continued to work hard and narrow her focus. She commented that the recruiting process had its ups and downs, but at the end of the day it helped her get into the right school. Before making her decision, she was strongly considering attending Dickinson or Colorado College, but ultimately decided that the overall fit of Hamilton was better suited for her. Kristen commented that, "Holton has taught me how to balance sports and academics and how to prioritize my academics without sacrificing my sports. Holton athletics has provided me with the ability to pursue running at a high-level by entering me in important meets where I gained experience that will be crucial in college." Kristen is a rare 12-season varsity athlete competing on the cross country, ice hockey, and track & field teams. Although all of her coaches have made a positive impact on her, Kristen wanted to specifically recognize Coach Braun and Couch Sallah who "were very supportive and encouraging when I first mentioned to them that I wanted to run in college. All my coaches provided lots of support throughout the process and have really helped me become the athlete and person I am today."
Claire Evans '18
Amherst College
Tennis
Claire will attend Amherst College where she will play tennis. Claire began playing tennis at an early age, along with many other sports. She began playing competitive tennis during her freshman year, and decided to pursue collegiate tennis the summer before her sophomore year. Most girls who play collegiate tennis start playing national tournaments at age 10 or even earlier, so Claire knew she had to play catch-up quickly. Claire put in the hard work over the next three years and earned herself the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level. Initially, she looked at Division I and III schools, but as she narrowed down her list she wanted to primarily focus on academics which ultimately led her to Division III schools. Claire had visited Amherst in 9th grade and had fallen in love with the campus, so it was always a frontrunner on her list. Towards the end of her decision process, she considered Bowdoin, Swarthmore, and Washington and Lee, but ultimately loved the environment at Amherst with the rigorous academic climate and the comforting, fun team and coach. Claire believed that Amherst was the perfect fit with great academics and a high level tennis program. Claire believes that, "Holton's academic demands have hopefully taught me a disciplined work ethic that will help in college as well as provided a close teacher-student relationship that inspires hands on learning and no fear of asking for extra help. Holton's athletics have encouraged me to balance schoolwork, teaching me to manage my time effectively while focusing on tennis." Claire wants to thank Coach Yann for his support throughout Middle and Upper School, outside coaches for their expertise and support, as well as, Mrs. Treadwell for her support during recruitment, and her advisor Ms. Siburt, who dealt with her many injuries and ailments throughout the years! Lastly, Claire wants to thank her parents for taking her to the many national tournaments located all over the country and also helped her with the recruitment process!
Gaby Henry '18
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Ice Hockey
Gaby will attend Hobart and William Smith Colleges to play ice hockey. Gaby began playing ice hockey when she was six years old and decided it was something she wanted to pursue at the collegiate level by the end of her sophomore year. At that point, Gaby considered playing Division I hockey, but after talking it over with her coach she "decided that DIII was the way to go. At a DIII school, [she] could compete at a high level without sacrificing the time [she] wanted to invest in academics and clubs." In order to reach this goal, Gaby needed to join a Tier I ice hockey team that would require a huge commitment, ultimately making it impossible to play ice hockey at Holton. This rigorous schedule, in addition to her other Holton commitments, helped prepare Gaby for life as a student-athlete. Gaby commented that, "Holton has a rigorous academic curriculum that has made me a much better student. With my current team, I travel frequently and miss a lot of school. However, with the past four years I have spent at Holton, I've learned the importance of time management and prioritizing tasks." Before deciding on Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Gaby considered Bowdoin and Colby Colleges. At the end of the day, the atmosphere, people, and academics won Gaby over - especially the emphasis HWS places on the programs that are important to Gaby, environmental studies and a nationally ranked study abroad program. Gaby also mentions, "The environment in the classroom is very similar to Holton, with an emphasis on student-led discussions and small class sizes averaging 16." In addition to being prepared for the strong academic program, Gaby feels ready to compete at the next level. "Holton has encouraged me to try new things. All of the sports teams are challenging and friendly that being a part of each team is rewarding in both an athletic and social sense. I especially enjoyed my time on Holton's crew team, as it taught me so much about the value of teamwork and the importance of strong and positive communication. l will always treasure the memories and lessons I've learned during my time on the Holton crew team. My Holton coaches have inspired me to remain positive and persistent. Coach Acerra, Coach Piacenza, Coach Wilde, and Coach Dan were great role models to me on the crew team. Additionally, my out of school coaches were also incredible. Kush Sidhu, Aubree Moore, Kim Weiss, Brynja Bogan, and Marina Alessi reminded me to never stop grinding and to always fight until the very last minute. Their lessons have made me into a more resilient hockey player and a more confident individual."
Christine Padalino '18
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lacrosse
Christine Padalino will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and play lacrosse. Christine began playing lacrosse in first grade, but as she entered high school she knew she wanted to play lacrosse in college. The recruiting process has been a long one for Christine. Sending continuous email updates every time she played, she was able to get to know a number of different programs and coaches to aid her decision process. Throughout the process, Christine considered playing at the Division I level, but decided she wanted a place where academics are at the forefront and she found the right fit. Although she knew she wanted to play lacrosse in college, she didn't want it to dictate her college process. Therefore, Christine turned down offers to commit early focusing instead on the whole experience. Christine believes she found that balance at MIT, "I love that it gives me all the opportunities I am looking for in a school, and I get to play lacrosse in college. I felt like I was truly getting all I had been looking for in a college." Christine anticipates the academics at MIT to be challenging, but believes "Holton put me in a position to thrive academically through teaching me time management, good study habits, and writing skills all in a rigorous environment." Additionally, "After playing three seasons a year, Holton definitely prepared me for the collegiate level as I know what it's like to always be "in season." Holton athletics gave me confidence on and off the field while also helping me to identify my weaknesses and strengthen those areas." Christine is a rare 12-season varsity athlete as a member of the field hockey, ice hockey, and lacrosse teams. Christine's love of athletics may even influence her to consider walking onto the field hockey team next year. Christine has been fortunate enough to have a number of coaches throughout her time at Holton who have impacted her on and off the field. She wanted to specifically thank, "Coach McCormick for always being there for me to pop my head in and chat even if for just a minute about anything going on that I needed to talk about, recruiting or otherwise. She kept me on track while also taking into account what I really wanted out of my college experience, not just what would be best for me in athletics, but for me in general. I cannot thank her enough for her support over the past four years. She helped to shape me into the person I am today without a doubt."