Lowville’s Haenlin commits to SU

LOWVILLE — Six years ago, Taylor Haenlin watched Chelsea Berry sign a scholarship to play Division I women’s soccer at Syracuse University, hoping that someday, she’d do the same thing.

That day came on Wednesday, as the Lowville senior made her commitment to Syracuse official by signing her scholarship in front of teammates, family and friends at the Lowville Academy high school auditorium.

Berry’s presence at the ceremony was extra special for Haenlin.

“I have always looked up to Chelsea Berry,” Haenlin said. “When I was sitting in the audience watching her sign, I was like ‘Wow, maybe I can go to Syracuse someday.’”

Haenlin now officially joins her idol as the only two girls soccer players from Lowville to play for the Orange in coach Leo Sammon’s 24-year tenure.

Berry has been an assistant coach with the Red Raiders for the last two seasons, which Haenlin said was a major benefit as she prepared for her collegiate career.

“It was really helpful seeing her insight and a different point of view,” Haenlin said. “She’s really given me a lot of advice about the ins and outs of Syracuse, about what you need to know and what you need to do.”

Haenlin has had plenty of time to pick Berry’s brain after verbally committing to Syracuse last February. She has been anxious to get the papers signed since then.

“I couldn’t sleep last night, I was so excited,” Haenlin said. “I was ready for it to come, it’s been over a year since I decided and now that this day is here, it’s kind of hit me that this is real.”

Haenlin first reached out to Syracuse coach Phil Wheddon in an email during her freshman year. She then gained exposure by traveling the country year round with a club team in Syracuse, and attending countless camps and tournaments with some of the nation’s top players from her age group through the Olympic Development Program.

“It’s not an accident or luck that she’s here,” Sammon said during his introductory speech. “She’s earned it.”

Haenlin passed Berry for first place on the school’s all-time scoring list this season, and finished her high school career with 113 goals and 93 assists.

Haenlin, who made the Times All-North first team in each of her five varsity seasons and received Frontier League most valuable players honors this year, plans to move to defense at Syracuse. But Haenlin believes that she can find a role wherever the team decides to play her.

“I think it’ll be a good fit,” Haenlin said. “When I went for my visit, I felt like I fit with the team well. I love the coaches and I love the school.”

Syracuse went 7-8-3 last season and ended with a 3-1 loss to Georgetown in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament. The team went 6-5 in the Big East, its most conference wins since 1998 and the second-highest total in school history.

Haenlin, who used her podium time to simply thank her supporters in the Lowville community, plans to major in physical therapy. She ranks third in her class with a 97.73 grade-point average.