Woodlands Academy swimmer signs college letter of intent

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart senior Mary Pinn, of Lake Forest, has committed to join the NCAA Division I swimming program at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, next year. Holy Cross is a member of the Patriot League, whose other schools include Army, Navy, Boston U., Bucknell, Colgate and Lehigh.

Pinn, who competed in IHSA girls' sectional swimming meets during all four years at Woodlands Academy and swam year-round for the Scouts Aquatics swim club with senior Scouts coached by Carolyn Grevers, signed a letter of intent during a May 10 ceremony at the all-girls college-prep high school in Lake Forest.

She's hoping to focus on the 500-freestyle, 200-freestyle, 200-backstroke and 100-freestyle events at Holy Cross. During her high school career, Pinn

scored noteworthy sectional meet achievements in three of those events: 100-freestyle, 100-backstroke and 200-freestyle.

"Mary has worked incredibly hard to get to where she is today," said Rosemary Briesch, Woodlands Academy athletic director/swim coach. "I'm so proud of her accomplishments here at Woodlands and know she will contribute greatly to her college program."

Both Pinn and her family credit Woodlands Academy with providing a "supportive, encouraging environment" in which to pursue and achieve both academic and athletic goals. They say they wanted a college that would continue Woodlands' values of faith, service and leadership - and "College of the Holy Cross stood out as the winner."

Academically, Pinn plans to pursue a chemistry major and pre-med track at college.

Founded in 1858, Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day and boarding high school for young women. It's part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools that spans the United States and 40 other countries. A nonprofit, Woodlands Academy's identity is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. For more information about Woodlands Academy, please visit www.woodlandsacademy.org