Brownie points for Brown

%28Photo+courtesy+of+Westex.org%29+Calista+Manuzza+signing+with+her+family%2C+friends%2C+and+coaches+on+Monday%2C+November+19th+in+the++High+School+Library.

(Photo courtesy of Westex.org) Calista Manuzza signing with her family, friends, and coaches on Monday, November 19th in the High School Library.

By Denise Domerstad, Correspondent

While almost all of the seniors are scrambling to figure out where they want to go to college and how to work Naviance, senior Calista Manuzza, has been through it all before.

After putting hard work into her field hockey career and academics for years, Calista Manuzza committed to Brown University November of last year. She had been talking to the Ivy League for about six months pretty seriously, but only committed after a big tournament over Thanksgiving Break.

“My first reaction was pure relief, it was all I could focus on.” Calista said. “Obviously, I was also extremely happy and proud of all my work paying off.”

“When Calista told me, I burst out in tears of joy.” Calista’s mother, Lisa Manuzza, said. “I made her brownies that day, her favorite snack.”

Although it may seem like she got lucky with a stress-free senior year and a college already picked out for her, she did all the work seniors are worrying about now earlier in her high school years.

“My high school experience was flipped compared to everyone else,” Calista said. “I had to worry about college and my test scores during my sophomore year.”

“While everyone is ‘freaking out’ at the beginning of the year trying to decide where they will go and if they will get in, I was doing all of this two years ago.” Calista said. “Refreshing my email, seeing who had contacted me, and wondering if I would get through the pre-reads on schools to get in. The stress wasn’t any less than others but it was just in a different time period.”

Calista is happy that a fellow teammate, junior Cameron Kinsella, also committed to Brown University and will be joining her team once again.

“I can’t wait to spend another four years with Calista on my team,” Kinsella said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate.”

Even without her guidance counselor’s advice, Calista was able to commit to an Ivy League college with an 8.3% acceptance rate and the nation’s largest athletic program for women.

“My guidance counselor has changed three times in high school so they haven’t been able to help me with the process very much.” Calista said. “My mom and Coach Cosse have helped me the most with the process.”

“My coach was very proud of me and happy for me,” Calista said. “She had actually talked to the coach at Brown a few times and was a big help in getting me committed. She was very supportive and I can’t thank her enough for the help.”

Although Coach Cosse has been a ginormous part in Calista’s commitment process, she is very humble and gives all credit to Calista and her hard work.

“Her college commitment to Brown is especially noteworthy because it has been her devotion to playing year round and seizing every opportunity she could.” Coach Cosse said. “While I was a small part of that opportunity, the journey has been all Calista’s and her family.”

Despite the stressful experience that comes along with any college application, Calista is excited to see what Brown has in store for her.

“I have high expectations for college.” Calista said. “I am excited to meet more of my teammates and build bonds with them that will last a lifetime. I’m a little nervous about my classes but I know that I will have my team and coaches to lean on when things get harder.”