BERLIN — Worcester Prep standout lacrosse goalkeeper Sophia Bandorick last week signed a national letter of intent to continue her athletic and academic career at East Carolina University following her final season at the Berlin school.
Bandorick, an All-Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) First Team honoree at the end of her junior year, has chosen East Carolina University as her college of choice after being recruited by other schools. Bandorick started at Worcester Prep as a freshman and led the Mallards to the ESIAC championship last year. After multiple school visits, her decision to choose East Carolina was easy.
“I pretty much knew I wanted to go to East Carolina,” she said. “I looked at schools down south from Florida to South Carolina and once I learned they were starting a program at East Carolina, the decision became easy for me.”
East Carolina is starting its women’s lacrosse program as a club team with its first season this spring. The following year, the Pirates will be competing in the NCAA at the Division I level. Bandorick said she is putting in her work to prepare for the 2018 season at Worcester Prep and hopes to step right into at East Carolina next year.
“I’m kind of an odd goalie because I’m tall and I’m left-handed,” she said. “I’m looking forward to working with the coaches there. I’m hoping to be able to step in and make an immediate impression. For now, I’m just training and putting my work in at the gym so I’ll be ready for my senior season here and ready for the collegiate level next year.”
ECU Head Coach Amanda Barnes is a former goalkeeper and Bandorick hopes to take advantage of her vast experience and knowledge of the position.
“The coaches at East Carolina are some of the best in the country,” she said. “The head coach is a former goalie, so we had an immediate connection. The assistants coached at schools such as North Carolina and Duke.”