Yarmouth senior Grace O’Donnell, the latest in a long line of Clippers girls’ lacrosse standouts, will take her skills to Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., next school year. O’Donnell, who scored 30 times last season en route to making the All-Conference team and earning Yarmouth Spring Female Athlete of the Year honors from The Forecaster, was originally leaning toward Bates College, but ultimately chose Trinity, due in large part to the relationship she developed with Bantams coach Kate Livesay.
“I’m really excited and super content and happy with Trinity,” said O’Donnell. “I like the campus. They have great athletic facilities. Everyone calls the coach their second Mom. She’s been great and honest with me through the whole process.”
O’Donnell felt that it wasn’t until her junior season that she felt she had what it took to play at the next level.
“It hit for me last year, when I went to a (college) showcase in the winter and started getting recognition from coaches,” O’Donnell said. “That jump-started the process. I love lacrosse so much. I can’t imagine not playing.”
Trinity, which plays in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, along with the likes of Bates, Bowdoin and Colby, is currently ranked second in Division III women’s lacrosse.
“It’s such a competitive program,” O’Donnell said. “The coach made it clear that I’ll have to work to get playing time.”
“I think Grace is a very exciting player.,” said Livesay. “She’s extremely skilled and very unselfish. We expect her to contribute in the midfield, specifically in the area of draw controls and on the attack. She has a great game sense and we are excited to see how that plays out at the next level. I would say our expectations are high.”
Yarmouth coach Dorothy Holt also feels that O’Donnell has what it takes to succeed in college.
“Grace has worked very hard to get her game to the next level,” Holt said. “She trains on her physical conditioning year-round. She’s a prime example of a true team player. I’m extremely happy and proud of her and can’t wait to watch her play.”
O’Donnell, who watched from the bench as a freshman as Yarmouth won the 2011 Class B state championship, is bound and determined to lead this year’s Clippers back to the pinnacle. Especially after Yarmouth gave Waynflete a scare before falling, 7-4, in last spring’s state game.
“I’m so excited for the season,” O’Donnell said. “There’s an aura around us this year. We can’t wait. Playing in this program has been incredible. As a freshman, I looked up to players like Becca Bell, Natalie Salmon, Devin Simsarian and Danielle Torres so much. Seeing their passion and joy and competitiveness motivated me to work hard.”

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