After playing soccer for 15 years through town and club programs, Walpole High School senior Sarah St. George committed to play Division II soccer at Bentley University next year. She received an offer in early October of her senior year, and she officially committed on Feb. 6.

“Bentley is close to Boston, and their team is pretty good, so I knew it was perfect for me. They even made it into the NCAA tournament this year, which is a pretty big deal,” St. George said. “It really was the full package in my eyes, and I honestly could not see myself going anywhere else.”

St. George started playing soccer when she was three years old at the Walpole Recreation soccer clinics. As she got older, there was more competition throughout the program when teams started to be based off of skill level. In seventh grade, she was discouraged when she was moved down to the B team and even considered running cross country in high school instead of playing soccer, because of the fear that she was not good enough. Instead of giving up, she became determined to prove herself as a soccer player. She decided to play soccer in high school and started on junior varsity as a freshman. St. George then knew she made the right decision and began to think about continuing her soccer career in college. 

“I remember a specific moment in my sophomore season after a really good game and one of my teammates asked if I had considered college soccer. That really got me thinking,” St. George said.

Throughout high school, St. George mostly played right outside back, a defensive position. This year, as a captain of the varsity soccer team, she was able to showcase her leadership skills as well as her soccer skills. The soccer team had a losing record this year, but St. George raised the spirits of her teammates and motivated them throughout the season. 

“[St. George] is a born leader and she is not afraid to take charge, which is something I truly admire about her,” senior captain Hallie McLaughlin said. “She always gives inspiring huddle speeches before games and is constantly encouraging players on the field.”

Before committing, St. George knew she wanted to major in business, specifically marketing, and Bentley is one of the top business schools in the nation. Bentley University had everything St. George was looking for: a Division II soccer team, a business school that is ranked among the nation and a location that is close to Boston.

“Going forward, I hope to play as much as I can my freshman year. I really just want to push myself and become the best player I can be,” St. George said.