By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/25/10
Harriton junior attack Carli Sukonik has made a verbal commitment to play Division I lacrosse at Lehigh University.
Sukonik, a captain, scored 77 goals this year (and now has 217 overall) while helping the Rams finish 13-7 and gain their first playoff win in over 20 years. Sukonik was named Honorable Mention All-Central League.
Sokonik will play for a team that went 14-4 and lost in the Patriot League championship game this year under second-year coach Jill Redfern (Ursinus College).
“I Chose Lehigh because I really connected with coaches Redfern and (Kelley) Putnam,” she said. “I also hit it off with the players. Lehigh has terrific athletic facilities for a school of its size, and the lacrosse program is rapidly on the rise.
“Plus, it has strong academics and a major that truly interests me. I plan on majoring in Design Arts, an interdisciplinary program that combines elements from all three undergraduate colleges. (Liberal Arts, Engineering, and Business).”
Sukonik, who plays club lacrosse for Ultimate Goal, also considered Boston University, Penn, Cornell and Penn State. She will join two other Philly juniors that have committed to Lehigh: Downingtown East attack/midfielder Emily Solenberger and Academy of Notre Dame midfielder Bree Buysee.
Sukonik has had equal success of the field. She has a 4.3 GPA and is a member of the National Honors Society.
She also has done volunteer or service work for the Jewish Relief Agency, the Interfaith Hospitality Network, the Religious Action Center and BookSmart while teaching youths in various lacrosse workshops.
Sukonik said she is excited about her senior year since the Rams will not lose anyone to graduation and returns a nucleus that has played together for three years.
“We had a very successful season and our first playoff win for a long time,” she said. “We don’t have any seniors and we’ve come a long way since many of us started together as freshmen.”
