Commitment day: Vineyard athletes to compete at collegiate level

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Five senior student-athletes from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School signed commitment letters Thursday afternoon in the high school’s gymnasium, accompanied by their families. 

Camille Brand, Felicity Lepine, Elaina Cacchiotti, Kaua De Assis, and Lily Haynes celebrated their achievments to compete in track and field, field hockey, swimming, and lacrosse, at the collegiate level. 

For Brand, a senior and stand-out high jumper who didn’t start competing until her sophomore year, she will be joining the track and field program at Tufts University in Medford Massachusetts. In just three years, Brand broke both indoor and outdoor school high jump records with a personal best of five feet, four inches. 

Brand also qualified for nationals in the high jump three seasons in a row and was state champion in indoor track in 2024. 

 “Spring of junior season was my best season yet. I had a lot of momentum going and I decided I wanted to keep doing this,” said Brand. “[When I committed] I felt so relieved.” 

Brand said it was long-time track and field coach Joe Schroeder who convinced her to try high jump, and it was her parents who convinced her to give the sport a try her sophomore year.  

“Coach Joe Schroeder made me try the high jump so I owe it to him,” said Brand. “It was a lot of hard work in a short amount of time. We practiced five to six days a week and it’s basically my whole life but I love it.”

Lepine, a captain of the Vineyard field hockey team, committed to Nazareth University in Rochester, New York.

Lepine was inspired by her mother, a former field hockey player and coach for the high school, Kristen Lepine. 

“Im excited,” exclaimed Lepine for her commitment. “I realized I loved it my freshman year when I started playing field hockey.” 

Lepine’s confidence grew through playing club field hockey and attending recruiting events. 

“I started playing on two different club teams and went to a lot of recruiting events,” said Lepine. “That’s when I first felt like I started to get noticed and knew I wanted to keep doing this.” 

Elaina Cacchiottie, also a senior captain of the Island’s field hockey team, signed with Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. 

Initially reluctant to try the sport, Cacchiotti found her passion freshman year on the Island’s high school team, later joining club teams to find extra field time.  

“Preseason is always fun,” said Cacchiotti. “The camaraderie is what kept me coming back because I could see my friends all the time; even if it was gross out.” 

Cacchiotti said it was also a showcase in Virginia, where she first was reached out to by coaches. 

“It gave me a lot of confidence when I committed; I didn’t think I’d be able to play college at first,” said Cacchiotti.  

“When Felicity and I were named captains for the field hockey team here, that gave us a lot of confidence,” she said. “Our coach thought we were capable of leading our team and we started looking into playing in college.” 

Cacchiotti’s mother, Michelle Cacchiotti, accompanied her to the gym. 

“I’m just so proud of her, it’s so far away but it’s totally okay… I am just proud.” she said.. “I think being on a team and having that structure is good.” 

Also committing to college programs but unable to make the celebration is senior captain Kaua De Assis from the Islands swim team, and Lily Haynes for the girls lacrosse program. 

De Assis committed to swim for Bridgewater State University and Haynes will be competing at Simmons University in Boston.