Lady Mallards soar into Div. I

OCEAN CITY TODAY/LISA CAPITELLI Worcester Prep athletes, seated from left, Sara Noyes, Christina Vosters and Molly Dickerson, pictured with lacrosse Coach Yetive Delaney and golf Coach Kevin Gates, officially announced last Friday that they will compete at the Division I level in their respective sports. Noyes will attend High Point University and play lacrosse. Voters is headed to Penn State University and will compete for the school's golf team. Molly Dickerson will play lacrosse at Loyola College. (Nov. 27, 2009) Last Friday was a big day for three Worcester Prep female student-athletes when it was officially announced that the trio will compete at the Division I level in their respective sports.

Christina Voters will attend Penn State University and has committed to play for the school's golf team. Molly Dickerson is headed to Loyola College and Sara Noyes to High Point University for lacrosse.

CHRISTINA VOSTERS:

Christina Vosters has been playing golf since she was 12 years old. A fouryear member of Worcester's varsity team (ninth through 12th grade), Vosters has also competed in many local, regional and national tournaments outside of school. She said the biggest accomplishment of her high school career was being named Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference Player of the Year three consecutive seasons. She is also a tennis player for Worcester.

"She's just been the best. What more can you say?" said Worcester Coach Kevin Gates. "Every time we need someone to step up, she's there. She's a great golfer, but she's 10 times a better person than she is a golfer."

The Bethany Beach resident officially committed to Penn State in January. She was awarded an athletic scholarship. Vosters said she wanted to go to a large school that was not too far from home. She liked the atmosphere at Penn State as well as the coaching staff and courses available.

"I wanted to go to a school and be able to play my freshman year," she said. "Everything together, I had the best gut feeling about the school. I felt it was the best choice for me."

Overall, Vosters said her four-year experience as a Mallards has been "wonderful" and she is looking forward to competing at the next level. She has met some of her Nittany Lions' teammates and competed in several tournaments with them.

What Vosters enjoys most about playing golf is the challenge, she said.

"You have to work hard to be successful," Vosters added.

Currently, the 18-year-old is undecided about what her major will be but said she likes working with children. Vosters said her objective is to do well and find a major she enjoys.

On the golf course, her goal is to be ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten Conference and help take the team to the NCAA championship.

"She's going to be awesome," Gates said. "I can't wait to see the results when she gets to school."

MOLLY DICKERSON:

This spring will mark Molly Dickerson's fourth season on the lacrosse field for the varsity team. The Mallard attacker has played the sport since she was 4 years old. She has competed in the Beach Lacrosse and Greene Turtle leagues.

"She's a really strong, aggressive attack player who isn't selfish with her play. It's not all about scoring, it's about what she can do for the team," said Worcester Coach Yetive Delaney. "Her athleticism, her commitment to lacrosse... she's just an all-around great athlete."

Although lacrosse is her main sport, Dickerson also participates in soccer and basketball for Worcester.

The 17-year-old officially committed to Loyola in August and said she is excited to compete at the college level. She received an athletic scholarship. When she visited the school, Dickerson said she "just fell in love with it."

"It's such a great opportunity. I can't wait," she said. "I love it. Not just for lacrosse, but the campus is beautiful and the people there are so nice. It's amazing."

The Ocean City resident met some future teammates, who she said were welcoming, and felt she fit in with the girls. Dickerson said she can't wait to step on the field as a Greyhound. She is also excited to play for Jen Adams, who is considered by many to be the best women's lacrosse player of all time and the top young coach in America. Dickerson has attended several camps directed by Adams.

Dickerson plans to major in biology and hopes for a career in physical therapy. Her goal is to learn to balance lacrosse and academics and excel at both.

"I just think she has that inner desire and aggressiveness to do very well in a Division I program," Delaney said. "She's going to be working with great coaches there and she's the kind of player that's open-minded, always willing to learn more and improve her skills."

SARA NOYES:

This spring will be Sara Noyes' second season battling on the lacrosse field for Worcester. A transfer from Salisbury School, she was a major contributor in the center of the field her inaugural year.

"She's a very strong presence in the midfield," Delaney said. "She has draw control, which is the key point of the game, so for her to come in and be able to control the game and where the ball is going to go is just huge for a team."

"When I'm playing, nothing else matters," Noyes added.

Noyes was 7 years old when she started playing the sport. Growing up, she competed in the Beach Lacrosse and Greene Turtle leagues. The 17-year-old is also a member of Worcester's soccer and basketball squads.

Noyes made her official commitment to High Point University in North Carolina in August. She was awarded an athletic scholarship.

"Words can't describe how excited I am," she said. "As soon as I got there I knew this was the place I wanted to go. I loved everything about it. It's not too big, it's not too small and I love the southern hospitality that comes along with it."

Noyes will be part of history at High Point as a member of the school's first lacrosse team in the spring of 2011. The Salisbury resident said she is looking forward to getting the new program up and running. Noyes met several other Panther recruits and thinks the chemistry they have will show on the field.

Her goal is to achieve academic success and build the lacrosse program. At High Point, Noyes is considering a major in art with a minor in education. She wants to be a teacher.

"She has great athleticism on the field and she's commitment to the sport," Delaney said. "Her desire to want to do better, to take what she has already learned, then take it to the next level will help her succeed."

Dickerson and Noyes, who just started their final basketball season at Worcester, will have one last hurrah on the lacrosse field as Mallards, beginning in March. The pair have been playing lacrosse together for 10 years. Delaney said she will look to the seniors for leadership.

"There are a lot of freshmen and sophomores coming up that need the guidance of how this Worcester Prep team is going to work and how hard you need to work when you come out on that field," she said. "I believe [Noyes and Dickerson] will be huge playmakers in all of our games this year."