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Sayville’s Meghan McLaughlin commits to play lacrosse at Army

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The moment she stepped on campus at West Point, Meghan McLaughlin knew she would attend the U.S. Military Academy and play college lacrosse for Army.

The Sayville High School junior recently committed to play for the NCAA Division I program, beginning in the spring 2022 season.

“I knew this was where I needed to be. Everyone at West Point is so focused and goal oriented, which is a quality I value in myself,” said Meghan, 16, who was also recruited by Colgate, Georgetown, Binghamton and Columbia. “Army’s academic reputation is unbeatable and it is among one of the top schools in the nation.

“And the opportunities that I will be afforded after I graduate from West Point are incomparable to any other school in the nation,” she added.

Meghan has played varsity lacrosse for Sayville since she was in eighth grade. Last year, playing attack, she tallied 17 goals and 20 assists, earning a spot on Suffolk County’s Section XI All-Tournament team.

Following her two remaining high school seasons, she will join an Army program that has been quickly on the rise since its inception in 2016. The team was 14-5 in 2019 and ranked No. 32 in the nation.

Off the field, Meghan is junior class vice president at Sayville High School, holds a board position in Model United Nations, and is a member of the National Art Honor Society and World Language Honor Society.

“I’m extremely proud and excited that all of the hard work I have put in on the field, in the classroom, and in my extracurriculars has paid off,” said Meghan, who also plays soccer for Sayville. “Army is an amazing school with unbeatable academics and athletics.”

Meghan, whose Army experience begins next summer when she tackles the challenges of Cadet Basic Training at West Point, remembered what led her to begin playing lacrosse, back when she was in fourth grade.

“I played goalie in soccer at the time, and my parents wanted me to play another sport that would keep me in shape, since you don’t run a lot as a soccer goalie,” she said.  

“The people that I’ve met and the lifelong friendships I’ve created playing lacrosse are great. More importantly, lacrosse has taught me valuable life lessons, like the value of hard work,” Meghan continued. “Lacrosse has given me so many opportunities that I am extremely grateful for. Without lacrosse, I would not have been able to go to a school as amazing as West Point.”
 

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