From Somers to New Haven: McCartin Hits the Ground Running at Yale

SOMERS, N.Y. - After graduating from Somers High School in 2023, Lauren McCartin definitely upped the education ante by taking her higher learning at Yale University.

Serious business, she probably kept her head in the books and stayed home every night with the rest of the college. Not quite, asserted the former Tusker, “Contrary to popular belief, Yale is a very fun school.”

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But the unexpected turned out to be the real curriculum, according to the freshman’s first year learning curve.

“College life has taught me to be independent and adventurous. I have loved getting to know new people, and I am grateful for all my new friends and teammates at Yale,” said McCartin.

On the other hand, adventure can still be pretty unsteady without the right supporting cast, and she was not in short supply.

“Off the bat, I felt immediately at home. The culture at Yale is unlike any other. My teammates and coaches surprised me when they met me at my dorm as I arrived. It was great,” McCartin beamed.

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First thing's first, spring lacrosse allowed the student to get acclimated to the academic environment, and Somers laid the foundation.

“In high school, playing three sports and taking a rigorous schedule help prepare me for Yale,” she revealed.

So optimizing her time took precedence. “I realized I needed to keep a tight schedule in order to effectively manage both school work and practice,” said McCartin.

The pressure won’t likely abate either. On the pre-med track, and majoring in molecular cellular and developmental biology, she aspires to do cancer research both at Yale and abroad.

Even so, another type of differential caused her first academic bump in the road. “I took a challenging calculus class in the first semester,” she said.

Not a High School Academic All American for nothing, the student did what she had to.

“The professors and TA’s were very helpful in supporting us,” said McCartin.
So settled in, the fall and winter let her get a jump on the spring season through the lacrosse training packet and conditioning regimen.

The same goes for the teammates who helped her get adjusted before even stepping on the field.

Of course, she found there’s no substitute for the real thing  “The speed, intensity and talent of the players is on a different level in college,” said McCartin.

The X’s and O’s were another matter too. “The game is more strategic. Since the athleticism is similar amongst many of the teams in the Ivy League, strategy is a huge key to success of who wins the close games,” said the middie.

Bulldogging it or not, her first sniff of the field put her on an edge. Fortunately, she didn’t have to face the uncertainty alone. “Definitely nerve-wracking at first, but playing with such supportive teammates and talent definitely helped,” she said.

However, the camaraderie only went so far. “I broke my thumb after our second game, so that was disappointing,” McCartin lamented.

Not so bad, she credits her coaches and trainers for getting her back on the field before Yale concluded a very successful season. “We started off unranked and ended up as the 6th team in the nation. We fell just one game short of the NCAA championship weekend when we lost to Syracuse,” said McCartin.

Undefeated in the Ivy League too, facing a little old school wasn’t bad either. “It was really exciting to play against my old Somers teammate Noelle DeMarinis when Yale played Columbia,” she clarified.

Nonetheless, McCartin is looking forward. ”I want to continue to work hard this summer and throughout the off season in order to achieve another successful season in 2025,” said McCartin who is currently in England studying at the London School of Economics.

Big steps from such a small place, she knows how hard the leap is for any 18-year-old who is about to embark. “I would say it’s normal to be nervous,” she assured.

But experience has taught her that the chance taken Is well worth the risk.

“If you put yourself out there, it will really pay off in the end,” McCartin concluded.

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