South Windsor High School is proud of the athletes they produce, and Monday, December 9th marked the day that some of these student athletes were highlighted during their annual College Commitment Ceremony held for them. 

The ceremony was held by the South Windsor High School athletic department, and was dedicated to the Bobcat athletes that plan on continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level next year, after graduation.  

The following students were recognized for at this ceremony:

• Hailey Deptula

Women’s Lacrosse

Siena College

• Siena Mae Hart 

Women’s Softball 

Westfield State 

• Lilah Cabahug

Women’s Soccer

Saint Anselm College (Hawks)

•  Jacob Gombotz

Baseball

Springfield College (The Pride)

•  Madelyn Syme

Women’s Lacrosse

UCONN (Huskies)

•  Nathan Tenney

Football

Endicott College (Gulls)

•  Kyle Katzbek

Men’s Lacrosse

Lake Forest College (Foresters)

•  Jalen Canales

Men’s Lacrosse

Eastern CT State University (Warriors)

•  Christianna Macchi

Women’s Soccer

Mount Saint Mary College (Knights)

Christianna Macchi was one of the seniors who attended the ceremony for soccer, committing to Mount Saint Mary college. She claimed her process to recruitment was a challenge, but was relieved once she received her offer. Macchi also had lots of advice to offer to younger athletes who may be unsure on their future choices.

 “Some advice I would give younger athletes who want to play in college is to start early. I started looking at colleges I wanted to play at since freshman year. I think it is super helpful as it allows you to figure out what you like and don’t like early. It also lets you know what colleges might be interested in you or not so you know which ones to focus on. So when it comes to being a junior or senior you know exactly what you like and also what colleges are interested in you,” Macchi told The Prowl.

Lilah Cabahug choose Saint Anslem because of their healthcare program, specifically nursing, which is something that she is interested in pursuing in the future.

“Not only is the academic part of the school important to me but the women’s soccer program at the school is great. After getting to learn more about the program and meet the team, I instantly saw myself at this school,” Cabahug explained.

Her parents were the ones who made the biggest impact on her soccer career.

“They were the people that were always there for me, my biggest supporters,” Cabahug said. “With that, my coaches at my club guided me through the committing process, without them I wouldn’t have committed.” She also believes that the best part of soccer is her teammates.

“The girls at my club are lifelong friendships that play an important role in my life. They make me want to go to practice everyday and push me to be the best player I can be,” Cabahug commented.

Mady Syme knew she wanted to go to UConn even before she decided she wanted to pursue playing lacrosse in college.

“With both of my parents having gone there while playing a sport themselves, I knew I wanted to do something similar. Once I decided to play lacrosse in college, I started going to a few different camps and clinics, but UConn was the one where I felt like I could grow as a player and fit into the team,” Syme said.

Academically, she knew she wanted to major in animal science, which also limited her college search by a lot.

“With both of my parents having majored in animal science, I knew UConn would be a good fit for my academic needs as well,” Syme explained.

Her lacrosse career started when her older brother taught her how to play.

Without his, my parents, and my younger sister’s continuous support, I would not be the confident player that I am today. Having started playing in kindergarten, I have had many different coaches, and I was very lucky to have been able to learn from each of them,” Syme said.

She also credits Mark and Ed Duclos for their continued support of her during her lacrosse career.

“Mark had started the kindergarten program, and he was a huge influence in my early growth as a player. I was first coached by Ed when playing for my summer and fall club team, and later he was my high school coach freshman and sophomore year,” Syme said. “During this time, Ed helped me gain confidence in myself as a player and believe in my athletic abilities. He was also a huge help during my recruitment process.”

In her 12 years of playing, Syme has been a part of different teams and played with many different girls. She credits being where she is now from receiving the feedback and support from all of her teammates.

“Without any of these people in my lacrosse career, I would not have been able to reach the point of where I am now,” Syme told The Prowl. She is looking forward to playing at the next level and being a collegiate athlete in her near future.

Nathan Tenney explained how Endicott College stood out to him because of its strong combination of academic programs and athletic opportunities. 

“The college offers internship programs which perfectly help with my career goals. On the athletic side, the team culture, coaching staff, and facilities felt like the right fit for me to develop as both an athlete and a person,” Tenney explained. 

Tenney believes that his biggest supporters have been his family and coaches who have encouraged him every step of the way. 

“My coaches provided the support and guidance I needed to become a captain and a better player, while my teammates pushed me to compete at my best. Together, they helped allow me to be able to play at the next level and gave me the confidence to pursue collegiate athletics,” Tenney said. 

Tenney’s advice for young athletes was to surround yourself with people who push you to be better, and never be afraid to ask for advice or guidance.

“It’s also important to enjoy the journey, celebrate small victories, and remember why you love the game,” Tenney said. 

This ceremony will be held in two waves, with the first in December and another in May. These ceremonies give senior Bobcat student-athletes an opportunity to be recognized for their athletic success and commitment. 

Kyle Katzbek also committed to Lake Forest College for lacrosse, and having played the sport for 14 years, is a big accomplishment for him.

“Pursuing lacrosse in college after my time in high school feels exciting. It’s a chance to grow as an athlete and continue playing the sport I love at a higher level.”

These athletes have worked hard for years to have earned the opportunity to play at the collegiate level, and this ceremony was well deserved for the Bobcat seniors.