One of Bainbridge’s brightest sports stars will soon be leaving her island orbit to shine in some other universe.
Kelsey Mackin will be attending Chapman University in Orange, Calif. next year. A standout player on the Bainbridge High School’s state championship lacrosse team, she is planning on playing for the Chapman womens lacrosse team. The team won the 2011 Division II National Championship, and this coming year, will become a Division III team.
Before then, however, Mackin will get a chance to play on the national stage.
She has been invited to play at the ESPN All-American Champion Showcase tournament in Orlando, Florida this month, where she will take the field with some of the best high school lacrosse players in the country.
Mackin was one of only 80 high school All-Americans selected for the honor. Her Spartan teammate and fellow All-American Grace Deery-Schmitt was also named as an alternate.
“It’ll be really fun; I’ve never been to Florida or the East Coast. I’m pretty excited about it,” she said.
“It’s incredible. Honestly, it’s such a huge honor.”
The 2012 Champion Girls’ All-American Showcase is Sunday, July 22 through Tuesday, July 24.
Mackin will play as No. 1 on Team Liberty. ESPN will provide broadcast and web coverage of the championship game; the girls’ final will be streamed live on ESPN3 at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 24.
Such recognition has been coming fast and furious for Mackin. She was also recently named to the US Lacrosse All-Academic Team in Washington state, one of just 36 high school student-athletes to receive the honor.
Mackin credited her Bainbridge head coach Tami Tommila for keeping her on track.
“Our coach said, really you can’t only be an athlete in high school. Lacrosse shouldn’t be everything, you need to find a good balance.”
Mackin plans to major in public relations and advertising in the Dodge College of Film & Media Arts.