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CB East seniors choose colleges

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Abbie DiGregorio has been swimming since she was 8 years old. The Central Bucks East senior found herself facing a familiar dilemma when she reached high school.

“I played lacrosse too, and I wasn’t sure which sport I wanted to keep going with,” DiGregorio said, “but as soon as I joined the high school swim team, it was the right fit.

“The team is like family, and it was a lot of fun. I knew that was the sport I wanted to continue.”

DiGregorio, who finished 19th in the 100 backsroke at least week’s PIAA swimming championships, will continue her swimming career next year at Fairfield University where she will major in psychology. She also considered Gettysburg, Franklin & Marshall and Loyola (Md.).

“The team environment when I visited Fairfield – they were like a family, and it was so high energy,” DiGregorio said. “I just knew that was something I wanted to be part of.”

DiGregorio was one of nine CB East seniors recognized on Thursday, Feb. 23, for committing to play collegiate sports.

Swimmer Zach LeMay, who finished sixth in the 200 freestyle and 17th in the 100 breaststroke at states, has committed to continue his career at The College of William & Mary where he will major in data science. He also considered UMBC and Trinity University (Texas).

“The academic rigor of the school is very enticing to me,” LeMay said of William & Mary. “Also, the team atmosphere on the swim team made me want to go there.

“I love swimming, and I always wanted to continue in college. Once I got to high school and became more serious, it became more of a goal for me to swim in college.”

Connor Thurston earned a bronze medal in diving at the District One 3A meet and fourth place at states. The East senior will continue his diving career at Bucknell University, choosing the Patriot League school from a final list that included La Salle, Drexel, Boston University and Boston College.

“Junior year after states I figured out I had a special niche for (diving), and the program is a really good fit for me,” Thurston said. “The coach is a big part of diving, so having a really good coach is important, and I’ve heard really good things about (diving coach Errol Carter).”

Jillian Thorning, who was part of East’s 400 freestyle relay that finished 12th at states, was torn between swimming or running at the next level.

“In the 2021 cross country season, I really started to like running as something I wanted to do for four more years,” Thorning said. “My team and the environment I was in made it a lot more fun for me at the time, and I realized it was something I could continue.”

Thorning will continue her cross country and track career at High Point University where she will major in biology. She also considered Bucknell and Nova Southeastern.

“I really fit in with the environment and the coach and the team,” Thorning said. “I love the location and the campus, and everything felt right for what I want to study. They have great resources for me to excel.”

Sean Kerrigan will continue his football career at Misericordia University, choosing the Middle Atlantic Conference school from a final list that included Moravian, Hudson Valley and Bloomsburg.

“When I was up on campus, all the students were very welcoming, and it felt like a family there,” Kerrigan said. “The location wasn’t too far from home – it was just far enough.

“I knew I wanted to play in college since I started playing, but the start of my senior year I knew I could do it.”

Reagan Griffith will continue her tennis career at Cairn University where she will major in business/finance. She also considered Arcadia and DeSales.

“Just the people in general, they made me feel like I was at home,” said Griffith. “I started tennis in seventh grade, and the reason I kept going is because all my coaches, my parents, siblings and family were rooting for me. That really helped me determine the sport I enjoy playing, and I have friends in that sport too.”

Three members of East’s lacrosse team – Chris Funston, Ethan Greenlee and Adrien Widdows – were recognized for committing to play collegiate lacrosse.

Funston chose Stockton University from a final list that also included Virginia Wesleyan and Belmont Abbey.

“I chose it for the location, and the team’s really good and also the coach,” said Funston, who will major in marine biology. “It just seemed like a really good fit.

“I’ve been playing lacrosse since second grade, and pretty much as soon as I started playing, I knew that it was probably going to be a big part of my life.”

Greenlee will continue his lacrosse career at the Division I level at Sacred Heart University where he will major in athletic training and exercise science. He also considered Salisbury and Muhlenberg.

“Just the school and the atmosphere – when I talked to people on the team, they said it was some of the greatest experiences they had,” Greenlee said. “In the offseason of my junior year, I really started to kick it in, and I started noticing I’d be able to run with some of the better kids, so I was like – maybe I could actually do something with this.”

Widdows will continue his lacrosse career at Arcadia University where he will major in biology as part of the physician’s assistant program. He also considered Susquehanna and Fairleigh Dickinson.

“The head coach was really positive,” Widdows said of Arcadia. “When I went on my overnight, the team was really nice, and the campus in general is really beautiful.

“In seventh grade, I played up on the eighth grade team, and I played a lot, and I thought, ‘I’m pretty good at this, and I can probably play in college if I put my mind to it.”


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