Six members of the Class of 2023 from Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child continued their commitment to athletic competition at the collegiate level by signing National Letters of Intent, or in the case of the Ivy League institutions, committed to the admissions process, on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 (also known as National Signing Day.)

For many sports, especially in Division I, National Signing Day has become a celebration. It is the first day students may sign a binding letter of intent with an institution of higher education. Student-athletes do not need to sign their National Letters of Intent on the first day of the Signing Period, but many traditionally do.

Oak Knoll’s signing event took place in the presence of faculty, staff, and family members in the school’s Tisdall Gymnasium. Dr. Kelly Childs, Oak Knoll’s Athletic Director, opened the event with a quote from Holy Child Founder Cornelia Connelly. “‘You must not hide the gifts God has given, but use them in his service.’” She continued, “Thank you for sharing your talents with us at Oak Knoll, and may you always remember your time as Royal student athletes fondly. We look forward to watching all the great things you accomplish on and off the field!”

The committed student-athletes celebrated today included the following:

Darby Campbell – Field Hockey, Georgetown University
Darby is a three-year member of the varsity field hockey program at Oak Knoll. She is currently serving in the highest student leadership position at Oak Knoll, Student Body President. Additionally, Darby has served as a three-year Athletic Council class representative, and a four-year varsity lacrosse player. This spring she will serve as a lacrosse team captain. Darby’s favorite class at Oak Knoll has been Computer Science. Her favorite Oak Knoll athletics memory is winning the lacrosse Tournament of Champions, which she refers to as “the best day of my life.” Darby has achieved High Honors every semester, in addition to multiple athletic awards including for field hockey: Second Team All-Star Red Division and Second Team All-Union County sophomore year, Star Ledger Non-Public Second Team, All-Union County First Team, All Union/Essex Conference Second Team, and All Non-Public First Team her Junior year. Darby has also received numerous lacrosse accolades after her Junior season, including All State Third Team, All Non-Public First Team, All County First Team, All Conference Second Team, and Stars and Stripes Conference Second Team.  When asked what she will miss most about OKS Athletics, and what she has learned by being apart of our athletics program, Darby said she’ll miss the traditions that are only found at Oak Knoll, playing my favorite sports with my best friends, the feeling of pride that comes with wearing an Oak Knoll jersey, and team dance parties. She plans to take her ability to lead and overcome failure, as well as her mental toughness to college with her next year. 

Lea Good – Field Hockey, Lafayette College
Lea is a four-year varsity member of the field hockey team at Oak Knoll, and a two-year captain. She is a member of the Italian Club and Model Congress, as well as serving as the senior Athletic Council representative. Lea has also been a three-year varsity ice hockey player. Outside of school, Lea volunteers at the St. Joseph’s Food Bank and the Sharing Network. English has been her favorite subject to take at Oak Knoll. Winning the TOC her freshman year and winning state championships with her teammates has been her favorite athletics memories. Lea has received multiple field hockey awards, including three years of First Team All County, First Team Union/Essex Conference, First Team Non-Public, and in her junior year First Team All State from NJ.com, Second Team All American, Max Field Hockey National Top 50 players from the Class of 2023, and most recently this fall was selected to the Max Field Hockey First Team at the National High School Invitational. She attributes Oak Knoll sports programs to not only improving her skills as a player, but also her ability to be a supportive teammate, having a positive outlook when things aren’t going as planned, and how to be an effective leader creating ways to have fun and celebrate small and major milestones and accomplishments.

Emma Ramsey – Field Hockey, Yale University
Emma is a three-year member of the varsity field hockey team at Oak Knoll and currently serving as a captain this fall. She has also been a two-year varsity lacrosse player. She has been a class representative on the Athletic Council for grades 7 through 11, and a member of the Italian Club. Outside of school Emma is a Church Deacon. Her favorite class at Oak Knoll has been Wellness, as she loved learning about leadership and mental health. Her top Oak Knoll athletics memories have been playing in two TOCs her junior year for lacrosse and field hockey, and being able to be a part of those incredibly intense and energetic games was something she’ll remember forever. Emma has received numerous athletic awards her junior year, including Third Team All-American for Field Hockey, Regional All American, Second Team All State, First Team All County and First Team All Conference. Additionally, Emma received Max Field Hockey National HS Invitational Top Performer recognition this fall. She will take with her to college the importance of hard work and perseverance that Oak Knoll athletics has instilled. \

Julia Ramsey – Field Hockey, Cornell University
Julia has been a three-year varsity field hockey player, and a two-year captain. Julia has additionally been a varsity ice hockey player for four years, and a three-year varsity lacrosse player and will serve as a lacrosse captain this spring.  Julia was the Sophomore class president and her favorite class at Oak Knoll was Wellness with Dr. White junior year because she loved her teachings style. Julia’s favorite athletic memory is beating Camden Catholic in the field hockey state championship last fall. Julia has earned multiple athletic awards, including in field hockey as a junior Second Team All State, First Team Non-Public, First Team All County, First Team All Conference, and NFHCA Regional All-American Team. Julia plans to take with her to college the ability to make conversations with everyone because so often these turn into long lasting friendships.  

Kate Siedem – Field Hockey, Brown University
Kate is a three-year member of the varsity field hockey team at Oak Knoll and is currently serving as a captain this year. Kate will also serve as captain of the ice hockey team this winter, of which she has been a four-year member. Outside of athletics, Kate is the Academic Council President and a member of both Model Congress and the Italian Club. Her favorite class at Oak Knoll has been her Spanish class because she enjoys learning how to speak another language. When asked what was her favorite memory of Oak Knoll Athletics, Kate shared beating Camden Catholic 4-1 in the state championship her junior year, as well as winning the first ever Union County Ice Hockey Tournament her freshman year. Kate has earned many awards both athletically and academically during her time at Oak Knoll. She is an AP Scholar, Cum Laude, and has also received the Math Departmental award her freshman year along with the World Language Departmental Award her sophomore year. She was also NFHCA Third Team All American, NFHCA All-New Jersey Region, Max Field Hockey 2021 All-New Jersey Region First Team, First Team All State, First Team All Non-Public, First Team All County, First Team All Conference, and Max Field Hockey Preseason Player to watch. Additionally, Kate received Max Field Hockey National HS Invitational Top Performer recognition this fall. Kate said the biggest things she will miss about Oak Knoll Athletics is getting to know girls in other grades and spending time with her teammates and coaches throughout the season. She credits Oak Knoll athletics with helping her learn time management skills. 

Morgan Willis – Field Hockey, Colgate University
Morgan is a three-year member of the varsity field hockey team. Morgan has also been a member of the varsity ice hockey team for two years along with a member of our varsity softball team last year. Outside of athletics, she is a member of the Knit for the Needy club. Her favorite class at Oak Knoll is Honors Psychology because she loves to learn about why people think the way they do and what factors go into forming one’s personality. Beating Wyoming Seminary at the Max Field Hockey High School Invitational this fall under the lights was Morgan’s favorite Oak Knoll Athletics memory. Morgan has received multiple athletic awards including All Union County First Team, All Union/ Essex Conference Second team, and All Non-Public Second team, along with being named to the Honor Roll here at Oak Knoll. The thing she will miss the most about Oak Knoll Athletics is the closeness of the players. One thing that she will take with her to college from being a member of our athletics program is how to be mentally tough. She has credited her time here with learning how to push through being tired and sore and how to work through hard things. Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child is an independent, Catholic school, coeducational in elementary school from pre-kindergarten through grade six; and all-girls in middle and high school from grades seven through 12. For more information about Oak Knoll, please visit www.oakknoll.org or call 908-522-8109.