Samantha Lynch Signs to Play Lax
at Notre Dame
She’s one of the best high school lacrosse players in the country and soon she will be moving to a much larger stage. Huntington High School senior Samantha Lynch has signed an NCAA Division I letter of intent to play lacrosse at the University of Notre Dame on a scholarship.
“I was so excited to finally sign my national letter of intent to play lacrosse at Notre Dame this past week,” Ms. Lynch said. “As early as my first visit to the University of Notre Dame, I was excited by the energy and spirit present on campus. Notre Dame is able to offer me everything from excellent academics to a top ten lacrosse program.”
The senior said she hit it off with Notre Dame head coach Christine Halfpenny. “Coach Halfpenny and the team were extremely welcoming and I believe that Notre Dame is a great all-around fit for me,” Ms. Lynch said. “As of right now, I am planning on majoring in either engineering or pre-health.”
The teenager classes this year include AP Physics, AP Calculus BC, AP Government and Politics, AP Literature and Composition, AP Microeconomics and Spanish V. Ms. Lynch is also involved in a credit bearing career internship with high school math teacher Patricia Avelli in a Pre-Calculus BC class.
Ms. Lynch began playing lacrosse as a first grader every Monday in a clinic sponsored by the Huntington Village Lacrosse Club. She eventually moved on to a HVLC travel team in elementary and middle school, playing alongside Alyssa Amorison, Fiona Gier, Anna Tesoriero and Cassidie Giammanrino, who are among her present day varsity teammates.
“Although I played since I was little, I really didn’t consider playing lacrosse in college a possibility until the summer before freshman year,” Ms. Lynch said. “That was the year I began traveling to lots of tournaments and camps and realized it was something I love to do.”
The Lynch family has always been fans of Notre Dame. “In fact, our Christmas card from 2010 is a picture of my family at the Pinstripe Bowl when Notre Dame played Army at Yankee Stadium,” Ms. Lynch said. “When I began to consider schools to play at, Notre Dame was at the top of my list. Looking back now, I consider myself so lucky to have been accepted to my dream school.”
“Ms. Lynch transferred to Huntington High School from Our Lady of Mercy Academy after previously attending St. Patrick’s School on Main Street in the village. Since coming to the Blue Devils she has starred on the soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams.
“I would just like to take the opportunity to thank the Huntington High School community-teachers, faculty, staff, coaches, classmates, friends and especially teammates for welcoming me as a transfer student last year and immediately making me feel at home,” Ms. Lynch said. “I’d especially like to thank Mrs. [Georgia] McCarthy and Ms. [Kitty] Klein, who both played an important part in my decision to come to Huntington High School. Everyone has helped make my last two years very memorable.”
Mrs. McCarthy, Huntington’s district director of athletics and Mrs. Klein, the district’s director of guidance and testing services, K-12 are both thrilled that Ms. Lynch is headed for one of America’s great universities.