Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/22/09
From Press Releases
Notre Dame’s Kelly McCallion and Springfield-Delco’s Maddie Poplawski head the list of seven recruits for Penn coach Karin Brower for 2009-2010.
This year’s freshmen class is very athletic,” said Brower. “We have a number of midfielders to help give us depth in that position, but also will see where their strengths are and where they can make the most impact. We have graduated 12 starters in the last two years and we hope that this class will vie for some starting positions and significant time this year. We are looking forward to developing them this fall so they can impact our program next season.”
The class is comprised of midfield/attack: Meredith Cain (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair), midfielders Caroline Bunting (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley), Caroline Connor (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich Academy), Lizzy Price (Princeton, N.J./Princeton), defense/midfield Chloe Heckman (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial).
The 2009 Quakers were undefeated in the Ivies and made their third consecutive appearance in the NCAA championship weekend. Penn ended its season with an epic double-overtime semifinal loss against the eventual champion, Northwestern.
A brief breakdown of each player is provided below.
Kelly McCallion
Midfield/Attack
Academy of Notre Dame de Namur
Narberth, Pa.
High School: Scored 255 goals and 123 assists … Two-time first-team All-America … Two-time Upper Atlantic national team … Three-time first-team All-Inter-Academic League … Four-time All-Main Line … Four-time All-Delaware County selection … Two-time first-team All-PhillyLacrosse.com … Ranked by Inside Lacrosse as a top rising senior and later to the collegiate freshman watch list … Three-time team MVP … Team most dedicated award as a freshman … Delaware County scholar-athlete award … Inter-Academic Aimee Williard award … Played for Phantastix club team … Also lettered in field hockey and basketball … Named to field hockey senior all-star team … Twice earned honorable mention All-Main Line in both sports … Student Council member … Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Award winner … Community aid in Costa Rica … Sister Rose Carmel Award.
Personal: Daughter of Maribeth and Robert McCallion … Has two brothers, Robert and Joseph, and one sister, Nora … Mother played basketball at Philadelphia Textile (now Philadelphia University) … Father played lacrosse and football at Lebanon Valley College … Brother, Robert, plays lacrosse at Army … Grandfather, Joe Rogers, and uncle, Joe Rogers, are only father-son duo in Villanova basketball’s hall of fame … Cousin, Patrick Rogers, captain Penn men’s lacrosse team in 2006 … Enrolled in College of Arts and Sciences.
Why Penn? “I chose Penn because I felt I could grow as a student and as an athlete. I knew that the high level of academics, playing for a top-tier lacrosse program, and contributing to the Penn community would challenge me to reach my potential. I immediately felt at home with the coaching staff and the team. They are incredible people and I wanted to be a part of that. Mostly, I was impressed with Penn’s traditions. I wanted to be a part of that for the next four years and to instill those traditions in the next players to set foot on the famous Franklin Field.”
Maddie Poplawski
Midfield
Springfield
Springfield, Pa.
High School: Four-time PIAA District I champion … Scored 179 goals, 61 assists, 194 ground balls and 215 draw controls … Co-captain as a senior … Two-time first-team All-America, Academic All-America, first-team All-Delco and first-team all-central … Second team all-central as a sophomore … Named PA Sports Hall of Fame-Delaware County Outstanding Scholar Athlete of the Year … First-Team All-Phillylacrosse.com and All-Phillylacrosse.com Honorable Mention Player of the Year … Delaware County all-star team as a sophomore … Two-time Upper Atlantic national team … Participated on national tournament senior division all-star team … Also lettered in soccer and indoor track and field … Co-captain of both teams … Two-time second-team All-Delco and coaches’ Most Improved Player award for soccer … Freshman award and 2009 MVP award for track … 2009 Springfield High School Outstanding Female Athlete Award … 7th Congressional District Scholar-Athlete of Springfield High School … National Honor Society president … Community Service Club … Executive Student Council president … National Art, Science, World Language and English Societies … Steve Stefani Dance Marathon for Pediatric Cancer … Alex’s Lemonade Stand volunteer … Delaware County Excellence in Youth Award.
Personal: Daughter of Christina and Mark Poplawski … Has one sister, Alexandra … Mother played lacrosse and field hockey at Temple, also played for the 1989 World Cup team and won gold … Father played basketball at Temple … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Why Penn? “I chose Penn for its successful lacrosse team, its strong academics and I really enjoy how close the school is to my home.”
Caroline Bunting
Midfield
Wellesley
Wellesley, Mass.
High School: Scored 171 goals and 100 assists in career … First team All-America … Globe and Herald all-scholastic … Three-time South sectional semifinalist … South sectional finalist senior year … Captain as a senior … Two-time Bay State first-team all-star … Bay State second team as a sophomore … Played for Mass Elite club team … Also lettered in soccer and ice hockey … Participated in Youth Action Council … Four-year honor roll student.
Personal: Daughter of Cathy and Lloyd Bunting … Father played football and lacrosse at Brown … Grandfather, Lloyd Bunting, was four-time All-America at Johns Hopkins and was elected to National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1975 … Has one sister, Abby … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Why Penn? “I loved the campus when I visited for the first time and the Arts and Sciences school gives me many opportunities to explore and cultivate my interests. I am also looking very much forward to getting better and learning from a top lacrosse program and excellent coaches.”
Meredith Cain
Midfield/Attack
Upper St. Clair
Pittsburgh, Pa.
High School: Two-time team captain … All-America as a senior … All-America honorable mention as a junior … Three-time first-team WPIAL all-star and WPIAL Section 3 all-star … 2009 Almanac Athlete of the Year finalist … Winners Edge Camp Player of the Year as a sophomore … Played for Intrepid club team … 2007 National Draw all-tournament … 2008 Champion’s Cup all-tournament … 2008 Upper Atlantic Team 3 National Tournament … Also lettered in field hockey and was WPIAL all-section selection … Student council member … St. Lucy’s Medallion for Volunteer Service … Kids Helping Kids, outreach program to the Dominican Republic … Environmental Club treasurer … Athletes Taking Action participant.
Personal: Daughter of Patricia and Kevin Cain … Has one brother, Ryan … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Why Penn? “Penn has everything I was looking for in a college: outstanding academics, a beautiful campus, an amazing lacrosse program, and a really close-knit team. After working with the coaching staff at various camps, I was sure that Penn would be the right choice.”
Caroline Connor
Midfield
Greenwich Academy
Greenwich, Conn.
High School: Scored 76 goals and 47 assists … All-America as a senior … Fairchester Athletic Association all-league as a senior, honorable mention as a junior … Team was three-time FAA league and tournament champion … Western New England prep champion as a sophomore, co-champions as a junior … New England champions … Played for CT Lacrosse Futures club team … Participated in CT Super Juniors … Also lettered in field hockey, was FAA all-league honorable mention … Earned award for sportsmanship, skill and spirit in lacrosse and field hockey junior and senior years … Cum Laude … Volunteer teacher at JFK Magnet School in Port Chester, N.Y. … Two-time Alliance Francasie award.
Personal: Daughter of Kathleen and Thomas Connor … Father played lacrosse at Hobart College, mother played lacrosse at Trinity … Has one brother, Tom, who plays lacrosse at Notre Dame … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Why Penn? “From the moment I stepped onto Penn’s campus, I fell in love with it. The campus was beautiful and the people seemed so genuinely happy to be there. It has a great balance of academics, athletics, and school spirit. I couldn’t ask for a better place to spend the next four years.”
Chloe Heckman
Midfield/Defense
Centennial
Ellicott City, Md.
High School: 2009 All-America honorable mention … Two-time academic All-America … Team captain … 2009 first-team all-county, first-team all-Galaxy, All-Metro honorable mention … 2008 second-team all-Galaxy, all-county … 2008 regional champions, halting Mt. Hebron’s 183-game win streak and 11-year run as state champs; personally scored three goals and an assist … 2008 state semifinalist … 2007 Under Armour Underclassman All-America … Two-time Mid-Atlantic national team … Played for M&D LAX … Also captained cross country, earning all-county honors twice and second-team all-state … Howard County Association of Student Councils Vice President … Graduated first in her class … Yearbook Editor-in-Chief … Class of 2009 Board President … National Hispanic Heritage Youth Award Gold Medal Winner … National Honor Society member … Princeton Book Award Winner 2008 … National World Language Honor Society … Maryland Distinguished Scholar … National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar … National Merit Scholar.
Personal: Daughter of Millie Diaz-Heckman and Scott Heckman … Has one sister, Juliana … Enrolled in Wharton.
Why Penn? “Penn was always my number one choice based on its prestigious academic and athletic reputation. The first time I stepped on Franklin Field, I was 100% certain it was the place for me.”
Lizzy Price
Midfield
Princeton
Princeton, N.J.
High School: Two-time first-team CVC … Second-team CVC as a sophomore … Two-time Princeton Packet first team … Two-time All-Galaxy (tri-state) … Received student athlete award and Bobby Campbell Lacrosse Award as a senior … Played for Tri-State club team … Played for Upper Atlantic fourth team … Also lettered in soccer, named rookie of the year … Volunteered at Operation Smile and Interact.
Personal: Daughter of Theresa and Paul Price … Has sisters Becca and Catherine … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Why Penn? “Penn offered me the ability to play lacrosse at a highly competitive level without compromising my academic goals.”
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