By Jack Neese

In an interview with The Match about playing college sports, Owen Lingerfelt (‘26) said that, “many people only see the end result of the journey to committing to a college, and not necessarily all of the pain and sacrifices athletes obtain through the course of their time in high school.”

Committing to a college for athletics is no easy task. High school athletes strive to excel in both the classroom and on the field, striving to maintain efficient time management and the act of balancing social life with individual goals. Student athletes are tasked to spend several hours talking to coaches, making and sending highlight reels, going on several college visits, both near and far, all to decide their future. Being a student-athlete is an extensive and tedious process that requires hard work and dedication, stretching the limits of any normal teenager.

For Jack Callaghan (‘25), Collegiate’s varsity starting quarterback, committing to play Division I football was no easy accomplishment. Callaghan, originally the backup to Owen Fallon (‘22), did not start until his Sophomore year, where he was met with increasingly high expectations and large shoes to fill. That season, the Cougars went 4-6.

After that season, Callaghan said that “was ready to take the next step.” He started training two times a week with a local quarterback training program, Undefeated, led by former college quarterback Malcolm Bell, who had a remarkable career at North Carolina Central University, winning three consecutive college championships. Through these sessions, Callaghan “evolved into the quarterback I am today by developing my mechanics and footwork,” while also knowing how to break down film and understand defensive coverages. Another significant decision Callaghan made that year was to reclass into the class of 2025, which gave him another year of eligibility as a high school quarterback and a wider variety of college attention.

While at first, the recruitment process was slow for Callaghan, he “stayed patient and knew my hard work would eventually pay off.” He knew he wanted to go to an “FCS school, instead of a larger ACC or SEC school,” as this is where he would get more looks from colleges. He started looking at local schools, such as “The University of Richmond, the University of William and Mary,” along with Stony Brook University, where he was getting offers later in his Junior year. Callaghan looked for “strong academics, a supportive coaching staff, and an overall good team bond” in the schools he toured. 

Photo courtesy of Jack Callaghan.

Walking on the University of Richmond field, only six miles east of his home, Callaghan said, “it felt different, it felt like home.” Several days after visiting the campus one final time, Callaghan committed to the University of Richmond.

While college football tends to gets more attention than college lacrosse, many of the same rules and guidelines are followed by coaches and players, making the recruiting process very similar. For Bella Little (’25), committing to play lacrosse at the Division I level took a similar route, including the amount of work and dedication. She spent countless hours working alone, perfecting skills, footwork, and her individual understanding of the game.

Starting lacrosse in the 1st Grade at a local clinic, Geronimo, Little fell in love with the “quick gameplay, and high intensity.” While also being a competitive swimmer, Little was conflicted about which sport to pursue, as they “constantly overlapped, draining me of free time and energy.” She soon realized after a series of conversations with parents and coaches, “Lacrosse was the sport for me,” and spent her time solely on lacrosse.

Photo credit: Jack Neese.

As a defender for Collegiate’s varsity girls lacrosse team, along with the Yellow Jackets South club team, Little drew significant attention during the summer circuit, “playing in as many six games per weekend.” While many coaches and different Division I teams admired her work ethic and hustle, one school in particular stood out to her: Georgetown University. Since she was young, Little “always loved going up to D.C, shopping and spending time around the campus,” so when they offered her to come visit shortly after September 1, she immediately said yes.

When she walked into Georgetown, she “felt welcomed” and understood that she wanted to be a part of the team, as the “dynamic between all coaches and players felt real and honest.” This was a large part of her decision to commit to Georgetown.

Although only a Junior, Lingerfelt has had a different journey through his commitment process in golf. Starting to play at Collegiate on the junior varsity team in 7th Grade, Lingerfelt “did not develop a strong connection with the sport of golf until later around the summer of my Freshman year.” Lingerfelt constantly looked up to older golfers, such as Jack Barnes (‘23), Tucker Smith (‘23), and Tyler Brand (‘23), all of whom are currently playing NCAA golf.

Unlike lacrosse and football, golf focuses more on individual performance and less on team dynamics, but still requires a similar practice schedule to lacrosse and football. Lingerfelt “spends two hours on the range or course each day, working on swing patterns and tempo,” which has led to more “consistent rounds,” Lingerfelt noted. 

Photo courtesy of Owen Lingerfelt.

Lingerfelt started playing in competitive tournaments in the summer going into his Sophomore year. Lingerfelt noticed that, “the more South I was, the more fierce the competition was.” But Lingerfelt has a very competitive edge, hating the word “losing,” and continuously wanting to get better. This urge is what Lingerfelt thinks will “set me apart from everyone else.” 

While Lingerfelt is only a Junior, the commitment process has been slow for him. Like Callaghan in football, he started playing “competitive a little later than the average college golfer, putting me behind in the recruiting process.” Despite being late to the process, Lingerfelt has scheduled visits with a few Division III schools. Although this is a step in the right direction for him, Lingerfelt looks to “hopefully get more notice this fall and summer at more intensive tournaments, playing harder competition.”

While the processes for Callaghan, Little, and Lingerfelt all have differences, they share many similarities of hard work and dedication to their sport. For all, they face challenges in the upcoming years regarding roster changes, and the introduction of NIL into their sports, which could have both positive and negative consequences for them.