Sachem East Hosts College Signing Ceremony

Eight student-athletes from Sachem High School East were honored with a ceremony Wednesday as they announced their college commitments.

Rachel Paul (Georgetown) and Melanie Notarstefano (Fordham) represented the girl’s track and field and cross-country teams at East.

The girls lacrosse program had four players make their commitment announcements: Amanda Shelton (Dominican) (Limestone) (Mercy) and Casey Hines (Dean).

Anthony Vaccaro (Dowling) and Dan Grebe (Molloy) will both be playing college lacrosse.

Paul and Notarstefano have received the most notoriety of the group with their steady and consistent performances in all three track seasons for the last two years. They have helped raise the profile of the Sachem East running program.

“It’s been great having both of them in the program because they have really helped pull it up to another level,” said Sachem coach Pete McNeill. “A lot of kids see their abilities, their work ethic, their attitudes and love for the sport. They have set a good example.”

Paul is set to run at Georgetown, the defending NCAA champions in cross country, and saw eye-to-eye with the team after her visit.

“I want to go professional and get the best out of my next four years in college and really felt like their goal and my goal were the same,” said Paul, who was also recruited by Providence, Villanova, Boston College and Washington, "and I could get to where I want with this team.”

Notarstefano was looking for a school that could challenge her athletically and academically, so combining her business major with track led her to Fordham,

“I’m really happy with my choice,” she said. “It was very difficult to choose. Now that I’m finally done, I can focus on myself and track in the spring.”

Others like Guiliano reflected on what it meant to be alongside teammates during the ceremony held in the little theater at Sachem East.

“It’s a good feeling seeing everybody grow as a team and seeing everyone go off to where they’re going,” she said. “It’s a good experience to have an opportunity to go where you want to go.”

Sachem East Athletes Who Signed

• Rachel Paul, Georgetown, track & XC
• Melanie Notarstefano, Fordham, track
• Dan Grebe, Molloy, lacrosse
• , Dowling, lacrosse
• , Dominican, lacrosse
• , Limestone, lacrosse
• , Mercy, lacrosse
• Casey Hines, Dean, lacrosse