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St. Margaret's Student-Athletes Commit to Top Colleges and Universities During Fall Signing Period
Five Tartan student-athletes from the Class of 2023 will continue their academic and athletic careers at a range of prestigious colleges and universities.
St. Margaret's Episcopal School is pleased to announce that five student-athletes from the Class of 2023 have committed to play intercollegiate athletics next year during the fall national signing period. Seniors Shane Aitken, Jordan Denes, Lauren Lam, Makena Lim and Minka Martinez, will continue their academic pursuits, as well as play their respective sport, at an impressive group of colleges and universities.
Shane Aitken, University of California, Irvine
Shane Aitken has committed to study and play volleyball at NCAA Div. I University of California, Irvine.
Shane, a four-year varsity captain, is a member of the Tartans' 2022 CIF-SS Championship squad. Shane has also competed at the club level and has gold-medaled in 2018 and bronze-medaled in 2019, 2021 and 2022 at the Junior Olympics. Shane was named All-American in 2022.
At St. Margaret's, Shane has served as a Peer Counselor and participated in Padres Unidos. Shane has also helped distribute Thanksgiving meals to United States Marine Corps members.
Shane plans on majoring in business administration at UCI.
Jordan Denes, McDaniel College
Jordan Denes has committed to study and play lacrosse at NCAA Div. III McDaniel College in Westminster, Md.
At St. Margaret's, Jordan has been a four-year member of the lacrosse and football programs, and has been an integral piece in the Tartans' pursuit of a CIF-SS title in both sports.
Jordan intends to major in business at McDaniel.
Lauren Lam, Hofstra University
Lauren Lam has committed to study and play lacrosse at NCAA Div. I Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
Lauren, a four-year starter for the Tartans, is a two-time Div. I All-CIF awardee as well as a 2021 USA Lacrosse All-American & All-Academic nominee. At the club level, Lauren is a four-time Under Armour All-American West team member, a 2020 and 2022 US Lacrosse National Team member, a 2021 and 2022 Nike American Select team member and a US Lacrosse National Team Development Program invitee in 2022 to name just a few of her long list of accomplishments in the sport of lacrosse.
Lauren has also been a three-year member of the St. Margaret's varsity basketball program.
Lauren volunteers with Family Assistance Ministries, Dana Point's annual Turkey Trot, and is an Admissions Ambassador at St. Margaret's. Through her pursuit of Eagle Scout honors, Lauren has received the Boy Scouts of America Presidential Volunteer Service Award four times, a Veteran of Foreign Wars Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year award and the BSA Torchbearer Award.
Lauren intends on majoring in business analytics at Hofstra.
Makena Lim, University of Georgia
Makena Lim has committed to study and play volleyball at NCAA Div. I the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga.
Makena is a three-year member of the Tartan Volleyball program and helped guide St. Margaret's to league championships in 2019 and 2021. In club competition, Makena is a 2022 Under Armour Ranked National player, a 2019 and 2021 Under-Armour All-America attendee and participated in the USA National High Performance Invitational Traning Program in 2018 and 2019.
Makena volunteers her time as a board member for RTwelve, Inc. and as a member of the Peer Counseling program at St. Margaret's.
Minka Martinez, Penn State University
Minka Martinez has committed to study and play lacrosse at NCAA Div. I Penn State University in University Park, Penn.
Minka, a four-year starter in lacrosse for the Tartans, was an All-CIF and All-Orange County award winner in 2022. At the club level, Minka has played for Victory, Mad Dog and Renegade lacrosse clubs.
Minka has volunteered her time with Special Camp and as a coach for Renegade Lacrosse Club.
“On average, only 7 percent of high school athletes advance to play at the collegiate level. Last year, over 18 percent of the St. Margaret's senior class achieved that milestone. This impressive group participating in the fall ceremony has created the necessary momentum to achieve similar results this year. But there is no shortcut to excellence, and we admire the tremendous effort they invested in chasing this lofty goal," said St. Margaret's Executive Director of Community Health and Athletics Patrick Bendzick. "We are proud of all of them and look forward to following their very bright collegiate careers."
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Shane Aitken, University of California, Irvine
Shane Aitken has committed to study and play volleyball at NCAA Div. I University of California, Irvine.
Shane, a four-year varsity captain, is a member of the Tartans' 2022 CIF-SS Championship squad. Shane has also competed at the club level and has gold-medaled in 2018 and bronze-medaled in 2019, 2021 and 2022 at the Junior Olympics. Shane was named All-American in 2022.
At St. Margaret's, Shane has served as a Peer Counselor and participated in Padres Unidos. Shane has also helped distribute Thanksgiving meals to United States Marine Corps members.
Shane plans on majoring in business administration at UCI.
Jordan Denes, McDaniel College
Jordan Denes has committed to study and play lacrosse at NCAA Div. III McDaniel College in Westminster, Md.
At St. Margaret's, Jordan has been a four-year member of the lacrosse and football programs, and has been an integral piece in the Tartans' pursuit of a CIF-SS title in both sports.
Jordan intends to major in business at McDaniel.
Lauren Lam, Hofstra University
Lauren Lam has committed to study and play lacrosse at NCAA Div. I Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
Lauren, a four-year starter for the Tartans, is a two-time Div. I All-CIF awardee as well as a 2021 USA Lacrosse All-American & All-Academic nominee. At the club level, Lauren is a four-time Under Armour All-American West team member, a 2020 and 2022 US Lacrosse National Team member, a 2021 and 2022 Nike American Select team member and a US Lacrosse National Team Development Program invitee in 2022 to name just a few of her long list of accomplishments in the sport of lacrosse.
Lauren has also been a three-year member of the St. Margaret's varsity basketball program.
Lauren volunteers with Family Assistance Ministries, Dana Point's annual Turkey Trot, and is an Admissions Ambassador at St. Margaret's. Through her pursuit of Eagle Scout honors, Lauren has received the Boy Scouts of America Presidential Volunteer Service Award four times, a Veteran of Foreign Wars Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year award and the BSA Torchbearer Award.
Lauren intends on majoring in business analytics at Hofstra.
Makena Lim, University of Georgia
Makena Lim has committed to study and play volleyball at NCAA Div. I the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga.
Makena is a three-year member of the Tartan Volleyball program and helped guide St. Margaret's to league championships in 2019 and 2021. In club competition, Makena is a 2022 Under Armour Ranked National player, a 2019 and 2021 Under-Armour All-America attendee and participated in the USA National High Performance Invitational Traning Program in 2018 and 2019.
Makena volunteers her time as a board member for RTwelve, Inc. and as a member of the Peer Counseling program at St. Margaret's.
Minka Martinez, Penn State University
Minka Martinez has committed to study and play lacrosse at NCAA Div. I Penn State University in University Park, Penn.
Minka, a four-year starter in lacrosse for the Tartans, was an All-CIF and All-Orange County award winner in 2022. At the club level, Minka has played for Victory, Mad Dog and Renegade lacrosse clubs.
Minka has volunteered her time with Special Camp and as a coach for Renegade Lacrosse Club.
“On average, only 7 percent of high school athletes advance to play at the collegiate level. Last year, over 18 percent of the St. Margaret's senior class achieved that milestone. This impressive group participating in the fall ceremony has created the necessary momentum to achieve similar results this year. But there is no shortcut to excellence, and we admire the tremendous effort they invested in chasing this lofty goal," said St. Margaret's Executive Director of Community Health and Athletics Patrick Bendzick. "We are proud of all of them and look forward to following their very bright collegiate careers."
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
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