29 SHP Student-Athletes Commit to Collegiate Sports

For the 18th consecutive year, Sacred Heart Preparatory (SHP) in Atherton, California, will send 15 or more student-athletes to play at the intercollegiate ranks. The Class of 2024 will send 29 student-athletes to play in 11 different sports.

 

“Over the past four years, these exceptional young men and women have redefined excellence, pushing SHP athletics to new heights through their unwavering commitment and exemplary leadership,” said SHP Assistant Principal for Athletics Jason Armstrong. In the classroom, 13 of SHP’s varsity sports programs were named Central Coast Section (CCS) Scholastic teams—a school record. The school’s teams won seven varsity league championships and earned 20 CCS Playoff berths (of 22 total sports programs).

 

This year’s class has two rowers—Benjamin Morganroth, who currently holds the Norcal Club lightweight record in the 6k and 2k, will head to Yale University, and team captain coxswain Isabella Tapper committed to the University of Pennsylvania.

 

The SHP boys’ basketball team captured its third West Bay Athletic League (WBAL) title in four seasons and will send two-time first team all-league player JP Kerrigan to play for Macalestar College, and two-time all-league player and FWBAL boys’ basketball player of the year TJ O’Brien to Chapman University.

 

The SHP football team’s third place league finish clinched an automatic berth into the CCS football playoffs and an appearance in the Division II Quarterfinals. The team will send two boys to play in college—single-season sack record holder Teo Casares to Brown University and starting quarterback Jack Scully to Macalester College.

 

In boys’ golf, the team’s nine wins overall and eight league wins were both the highest in program history. Luca Suarez, a two-time first team all-league golfer, has committed to St. Andrews College.

 

A model of consistency, the SHP boys’ lacrosse team went 6-1 in the West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) for the seventh consecutive season, finishing the season ranked in the state’s top 10. The team will send five boys to play in college: 2023 WCAL most valuable player Ian Dykes will head to Duke University; three-time WCAL first team all-league honoree Blake Hetherington will play for Harvard University; three-time all-WCAL honoree Graham Kaestner will head to Johns Hopkins; two-time WCAL first team honoree Anthony Noto has committed to Brown University; and three-time all-league honoree Alexander Shen will head to MIT.

 

The SHP girls’ lacrosse team made history, claiming the program’s first WBAL league championship since 2021. The team will send 2024 WBAL all-league honoree Tessa Espinosa to play for Denison University.

 

Over the last two seasons, the SHP boys’ soccer team claimed an undefeated regular season, a WBAL championship, and a CCS championship, and will send two-time first team all-WBAL selection Colin Johnson to play for Cornell University.

The SHP girls’ soccer team completed one of its finest seasons, finishing the year 15-4-1 overall and claiming its first league championship since 2017. The team will send three-time WBAL all-league honoree Megan Sweeney to Rice University, and four-time WBAL all-league honoree Molly Tinsley to Loyola Marymount University.

The SHP swim team has claimed 14 straight WBAL championships and will send all-American Cole Ballard to the University of Southern California.

 

Boys’ track and field were named a CCS Scholastic team for the second year in a row, and the team’s cumulative GPA of 3.75 was the second highest of SHP’s 22 sports programs, led by Aneel Bulchandani, recipient of this year’s track and field team Gator award, who has committed to Pomona College.

SHP girls’ volleyball team earned berths into the CCS open division tournament and NorCal open division tournament for the second consecutive year and will send an impressive five student-athletes to play at the collegiate level: three-year player Sophie Castaillac to Sarah Lawrence College; three-year letterwinner Jillian Amaro to MIT; three-time all-league recipient and 2023 WBAL most valuable player Isabelle Marco to the University of Utah; three-time all-league honoree Mia Radeff to the University of Notre Dame; and two-time all-league honoree Naomi Watson to Boston College.

The nation’s third-ranked SHP boys’ water polo team will send three student-athletes to play in college: team captain and recipient of the prestigious Steve Stearns CCS sportsmanship award Carl Crum to CalTech; Cal-Hi sports boys’ co-scholar athlete of the year and CCS boys’ water polo player of the year Tyler Hogan to Harvard University; and two-time all-WCAL player and Cal-Hi sports boys’ co-scholar athlete of the year Andrew Spencer to UCLA.

 

The SHP girls’ water polo team finished the season as MaxPreps’ second-ranked team in the nation, with two-time first team all-league honoree Margaret Brandin committed to Princeton University, three-year letterwinner Jacqueline Hickingbotham headed to Pitzer College, and two-time all-WCAL player Charlotte Summe to play for Villanova University.

 

“Each of these student-athletes will carry with them the lessons and experiences of their time here at Sacred Heart Prep,” said Armstrong. “We look forward to following your journeys and celebrating your achievements in the years to come.”