Upper School Student-Athletes Prepare for a Busy Fall Season

While the school year didn’t begin until September 5, Sacred Heart Greenwich Upper School student-athletes, coaches, and athletic staff hit the ground running early, as they returned to campus for the start of preseason on Monday, August 21.

The Sacred Heart Greenwich Upper School boasts ten teams across five different sports during the fall season, with a majority of student-athletes having returned early for a two week preseason, as they each prepare for fun and exciting seasons ahead. Just over 180 girls will participate in cross country, field hockey, rowing, soccer, and volleyball this fall. Each team’s season schedule has officially commenced, and will last into November with cross country, field hockey, soccer, and volleyball looking to compete for the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) Championship, and potentially a New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) tournament invitation to conclude their seasons.

For Director of Athletics Laurie Rousseau, who is in her second year in the role, she is most excited to see how these teams develop and grow together during the course of the season.

“I am so excited to see our teams and players grow in their journey wearing a Sacred Heart Greenwich uniform.  This can take place in the form of big wins for our teams throughout the season, but also witnessing our teams coming together towards a common goal is special to see each season.”

Coaches and student-athletes alike are hoping to compete at the highest level within the FAA and NEPSAC. Rousseau has expressed that same desire, and is also looking to provide student-athletes with other memories as well, as she explained her goals for the fall teams.

“I’m looking for our teams to be competitive from top to bottom, but also for our girls to develop life long memories and friendships as they line up together to compete for Sacred Heart Greenwich.”

There is plenty to look forward to on campus with our fall teams, and here is a look at each of the fall varsity teams, as they get set to begin competition.

Cross Country
The varsity cross country team is coming off of a successful 2022 season, in which they finished fourth in the FAA. Head Coach Michelle McCrae is excited for her team to compete again in 2023, as they will be led by returners A. Lillis ‘24, M. Finn ‘25, M. Lodge ‘25, and J. Monahan ‘24.

This team will also boast a number of new runners to watch this season led by A. Kobata ‘26, C. Coviello ‘26, Helena R. ‘24, and C. Bacigalupo ‘25.

The team has already begun their season, which has been highlighted by a successful meet at the Canterbury Invitational on September 23. Coach McCrae and the team have set their sights on preparing to compete for an FAA Championship this November.

Field Hockey
The varsity field hockey team is back and ready to expand on what was a remarkable 2022 season. Led by Co-Head Coaches Alex Gheorghe and Sarah Hill, the field hockey team recorded a 15-4 record last season, while winning the FAA regular season. They finished runner-up in the FAA Tournament, while also earning a spot in the NEPSAC Class A Tournament.

This year’s team will look to build upon that success, as they are led by senior captains E. Marvin ‘24 and P. Sfreddo ‘24, and junior captain C. Nemec ‘25. Both Marvin and Sfreddo are four-year starters, and Nemec is a three-year starter.  A. Clough ‘25, another three-year starter, and S. Stewart ‘24 also return to play key roles in the midfield and on defense. D. Fallon ‘25, goalkeeper T. Harkins ‘25, E. Corcoran ‘26, C Clough ‘27, and W. Rousseau ‘27, are going to be key new players to watch this season as well. 

For coaches Gheorghe and Hill, this year’s team provides a new challenge and opportunity.

“The combination of the veteran players and our new, younger members, give us the unique challenge of developing the squad into a highly skilled, motivated, and disciplined team.”

They will look to continue their winning ways this season, as they work towards success in both the FAA and NEPSAC. A few games to watch this season will be against FAA rival Greenwich Academy, as well as games against some of New England’s best in Taft, Loomis, Hotchkiss, and Westminster.

Rowing
This year’s team is captained by B. Shively ‘24 and S. Sigro ‘24, who will bring some great leadership and experience to the team. C. Junius ‘26, A. Slocum ‘26, and B. Servick ‘25 are key returners, while C. Curry ‘27 is a new addition that is set to have an immediate impact on the team.

Coach Lilly O’Sullivan is excited to get the season going, and to see both the returning and new rowers battle some tremendous competition.

“We have a strong group of girls led by two great captains; Bianca and Sophia. Both of these girls were our captains last spring and have really helped the team to bond and grow closer, while also working hard. With the guidance of our athletic department, we are lucky to have so many opportunities for the girls to continue improving, and work hard.”

The team will have a very busy fall schedule highlighted by the Head of the Charles race on October 21 and 22.

Soccer
The varsity soccer team is looking forward to a fun season ahead, as they prepare to tackle a very challenging schedule. Head Coach Stuart Smith is excited about the season ahead.

“We are going to be exciting to watch and extremely difficult to defend.This year’s team is full of fierce competitors who are hungry for success. We go into every game with the belief that we will win.”

With a mix of strong returning players and talented newcomers, this team will be a fun one to follow as they work towards a team goal of competing for an FAA championship. 

Volleyball

The varsity volleyball team is coming off a very successful 2022 campaign in which they finished with a 16-7 record, including a 9-1 record in the FAA. They finished second in the FAA in both the regular season and in the tournament. Head Coach Beth Wilson-Jordan also led the team to the NEPSAC Class A Tournament as the No. 8 seed, where they were certainly up for the task, battling top-seeded Exeter to five sets before ultimately falling in the game.

The team has a number of key players returning to the lineup this season, led by seniors E. Bernal ‘24, K. Robinson ‘24, and J. Murphy ‘24. Bernal is set to continue playing at BC next year, while Robinson is committed to Duke for lacrosse. Juniors G. Gapen ‘25, E. Forte ‘25, and E. Eckert ‘25, will also continue to play key roles for the team this season. While the team returns a number of key players from last year’s team, Wilson-Jordan is excited about both the newcomers, as well as the development of other players on the roster.

“We’ve added some height to our roster with juniors J. Henry ‘25 and V. Mordaunt ‘25. C. Haggerty ‘24 has been making contributions from the serving line and B. Timlin ‘26 is also contributing on the defensive side this year. We’ve added defensive specialist and setter E. Piriz ‘26 and defensive specialist C. Machen ‘27.”

The team will play another difficult schedule this year, highlighted by critical FAA matchups against King and Greenwich Academy.