2 Millbrook Athletes Sign with NCAA DI Programs

The Millbrook School athletic department focuses on developing well-rounded athletes who play to win but compete with integrity. It’s a formula that has produced many NCAA athletes over the years, including Courtney Shifrin ’27 and Mary Van Pelt ’27, who both signed to DI programs on Thursday afternoon.

In a ceremony in the Class of 2018 Meeting Room attended by coaches, family, and friends, Courtney signed her name on the dotted line to play ice hockey at Assumption University, while Mary inked an agreement to take her riding skills to Texas Christian University’s equestrian team.

Before Mary signed, Director of College Counseling Shannon Vollmer read a letter from her trainer at Beacon Hill Show Stables, Stacia Klein Madden. “Congratulations on the incredibly exciting accomplishment of signing as a DI equestrian with TCU,” she wrote. “Watching you grow as a rider and young woman has been such a pleasure to us all. Your dedication, determination, hard work, and love for the sport have brought you to this special moment, and you should be so proud of everything you have done to get here.”

As Courtney, who entered Millbrook this year as a VIth former, prepared to sign, her new ice hockey coach Erika Shapey-Freymann shared a few words. “I just want to say how incredibly proud we are, and we’re so grateful that you chose to spend your last year, the best year, at our school. We know how hard you work. We see it on and off the ice…and we’re lucky to have you with us for this year.”

Millbrook Athletic Director Vinnie Sorriento ’96 was also at the ceremony. He congratulated the two athletes and their families, noting the discipline required to achieve their DI dreams.

“There’s a lot of effort and time that goes into this—car rides, weekends away, the energy and the effort you have to put in every single day to show up,” he said. “It all culminates in this moment. So, congratulations. This is just the beginning of your next step, right? So, make us proud. We’re going to be watching. Play hard and keep working hard. Keep striving for your goals.”

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