Three Lawrenceville School seniors have signed NCAA National Letters of Intent, committing to continue their career as student-athletes at the college level. Harrison Berke (Las Vegas) will attend Bryant University and play men’s lacrosse, Meg Hillman (Stockton, NJ) will attend Loyola University Maryland and compete in women’s lacrosse, and Carl Klepper (Boca Raton, Fla) will attend Mercer University and join the men’s lacrosse program.
Berke came to Lawrenceville as a Third Former, already an all-state high school player from his previous high school in San Antonio, Texas. Berke is also a three-year varsity player at defensive end for the Big Red football team. He expects to play at long stick midfielder on Bryant’s men’s lacrosse team, and plans to major in business.
“Harrison is a very creative, high risk player who loves to make plays. He often out thinks and ‘out quicks’ his opponents. He can be a major contributor for us between the lines as a long stick midfielder and he is poised to be an impact player at Bryant University as well,” said Allen Fitzpatrick, head coach of Lawrenceville’s boys’ varsity lacrosse team.
Whether or not you know the sport of women’s lacrosse, Hillman will always stand out, according to Grace Megaffin, Lawrenceville’s head girls’ varsity lacrosse coach. “She’s consistently one of the best players on the field at any given time because her talent is amplified by her love of the game. The heart she puts into every play she’s involved in is contagious to her teammates and coaches,” said Megaffin.
Hillman has scored 127 career goals and assisted on 74 others, for Big Red. “Her speed, stick skills, and ability to play both sides of the field,” said Megaffin. “Meg has been one of our strongest defenders and attackers for the past three seasons.”
Hillman will be studying data science at Loyola University Maryland, a school she chose because, “I loved the campus and coaches, and the academics were my best fit.” She began playing lacrosse as a kindergartener and has been a member of Lawrenceville’s girls’ varsity squad for the past four years. The midfielder will captain Big Red in the spring.
Lacrosse is not her only sport. Hillman is also a point guard for the Big Red girls’ varsity basketball team and a short sprinter in track, qualifying for Easterns last year.
Klepper came to Lawrenceville this year as a post-graduate student, having graduated from St. Andrews School in Boca Raton, Fla. last June. He was a four-year varsity starter for the Scots, captaining the team as a senior. Klepper, playing at attack, earned All-Region and All-District First Teams in his final two years at the school. He’s looking forward to his first season with Big Red this spring.
Klepper expects to major in business management with a minor in finance at Mercer. “I chose Mercer because it is the perfect fit for me: Great academics, beautiful school, medium sized school, great lacrosse program and coaching staff, and a place I feel like I can call my second home,” he said.
Fitzpatrick said, “Carl is a very tall, powerful, hard shooting attackman who will expand the range of our offense and with the new shot clock rules should give our offense a real boost this year. I look forward to coaching him and helping him develop into a great Division 1 player.”