McLean High softball coach Maurice Tawil announced that senior shortstop Lauren McColgan has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball at Div. 1 George Mason University. McColgan will play her senior season at McLean this spring. She has been the Highlanders’ starting shortstop since her arrival in 2007 and will be a team captain for a second year in a row.

Over her first three years at McLean, McColgan accumulated numerous recognition awards. Specifically, as a junior in the spring season of 2009, McColgan’s outstanding performance was rewarded as she was named Liberty District Player of the Year, First Team All-Northern Region, and All-State. She led the Highlanders with a .494 batting average, .578 on-base percentage and 23 stolen bases out of 24 attempts.

During the recruiting process, Coach Tawil told GMU head coach Joe Verbanic, “I hope Lauren McColgan does for your program what she has done for our program.”

McColgan started playing ball when she was eight years old. She played for McLean Little League from 2000-to-2004. In ‘04, she was on the All-Star team that made it to the World Series in Portland, Oregon for the first time in McLean history. In the fall of 2004, McColgan joined the Vienna Stars travel team.

For the past five years, while playing for the Stars, McColgan has played in many high profile tournaments and has done some extensive traveling. Her travels include tournaments in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Colorado, Oregon and Illinois.

McColgan, also known as `Mac,’ currently plays on the 18-under Vienna Stars Gold team, coached by Tony Rollins.

Other schools that were interested in McColgan included Bucknell University, LaSalle, Fairleigh Dickenson, Longwood, Coastal Carolina and Providence.

McLean High’s Hanna Longwell will play women’s lacrosse at Colgate University. The Colgate Raiders are the reigning 2009 Patriot League Women's Lacrosse Champions.

"I am so excited to have committed to Colgate University," said Longwell. "I love the coaches and the welcoming atmosphere on campus and can't wait to be part of the team. I feel really lucky to have the opportunity to make a contribution at a school with such excellent academics and such an extremely competitive lacrosse program, and I am thankful for all the support that I have gotten from my high school and club coaches during the recruiting process."

Anne Inzerello, McLean's head varsity lacrosse coach, is impressed with Longwell's efforts and ability.

“When I first met Hanna her freshman year at tryouts, she shook my hand and introduced herself,” said Inzerello. “At that moment I knew two things. First, she was one of the smallest goalies I had ever seen. And second, that she was tough. As I got to know Hanna better throughout that first season and the years to follow, I learned many more things about her. Not only is she both tiny and tough, she is tenacious as well.”

Longwell has given her best to continue to improve as a player and as a teammate.
“ Hanna works hard and accepts nothing less than perfection,” said her coach. “As a result, she is very goal-driven. But she doesn’t give her goals lip service alone, she practices and plays to achieve them. She constantly tries to improve herself and encourage teammates. She inspires and motivates those around her with her words and example and gives them the support they need to accomplish their own goals. She has a positive attitude that is contagious. She can buoy her defense and cement and motivate a team in disheartening circumstances. Hanna seeks challenges and loves nothing more than great competition. She exudes a supreme confidence on the field, but is never cocky. She just simply doesn’t know how to be intimidated. Hanna’s achievements and merit have been recognized by many and in various venues over the years. As the starting goalie on varsity since her freshman year, she has been watched and admired by many during her high school career.”

Longwell’s lacrosse achievements include: First Team All-Liberty District every year; team MVP as a sophomore; and All-Northern Region Goalie of the Year as a junior.

“As coaches, we feel very lucky to have had Hanna play for us and we are looking forward to her final season as a senior,” said Inzerello. “We are excited for the next chapter in her lacrosse career and know that Colgate is very lucky to have her. Congratulations, Hanna.”

Longwell is a captain of both the varsity lacrosse and cheer teams, and has competed as a member of the gymnastics team. She is currently on target to earn 13 varsity letters during her high school career, qualifying her for McLean's prestigious Angus Award. McLean Director of Activities, Tom Herman, believes that this may be a school record for the most varsity letters earned.
Hanna has devoted an enormous amount of time to lacrosse training, practices, camps and tournaments. In addition to high school lacrosse, she has played for Capital Lacrosse, M&D Lacrosse, Potomac Power, McLean Magic and Stars Lacrosse, at one point playing on four travel teams simultaneously.
Crediting McLean Youth Lacrosse Coach Bucky Morris for sparking her interest in lacrosse in the third grade, Longwell received excellent instruction and began honing her skills early. As an 11-year old, she was selected to the U-13 National Festival Team, and to the U-15 National Festival Team as a 12 year old. She was goalkeeper for Morris's undefeated 2006 NVYLL McLean Youth League U-15A Champions during their 11-0 season. Over each of the past three years, Longwell has earned a spot on the US Lacrosse Women's Division National High School Team for the Mid-Atlantic Region.

The Longwell’s are keeping it all in the family. Hanna will join her sister, Alexis, at Colgate. The elder Longwell, a 2009 graduate of McLean, is currently a soccer goalkeeper for the Colgate Raiders. Younger brother, Robert, is a freshman at McLean.

Sean Fitzgerald, a McLean High senior, recently signed to play college baseball at Notre Dame. Last spring, Fitzgerald was named the Liberty District Pitcher of the Year. He earned both First Team All-Liberty District and Northern Region accolades, while also earning Honorable Mention All-State honors.
A year earlier, as a sophomore, Fitzgerald was named both First Team All-District and Second Team All-Region as a utility player. And as a freshman in 2007, he made Second Team All-District utility.

Fitzgerald is McLean’s all-time career leader in wins entering his senior year with 19.

McLean High senior Chris Russo recently signed to play college baseball at the Virginia Military Institute. Russo, as a junior last spring, earned First Team All-Liberty District recognition as a second baseman, and was Honorable Mention All-Region. In 2008, as a sophomore, he was named Second Team All-District (utility).