Elise Pettisani is a 15-year-old sophomore at Eastern, and she just committed to a Division I college.
  While most 10th graders aren’t even thinking about the stressful idea of college, Elise verbally committed to Rutgers University to further her field hockey and academic career in early October.
  It isn’t unusual for dedicated and talented athletes like herself to commit to colleges early, especially girls on Eastern’s field hockey team.
  As of November 14th, Eastern’s field hockey team is 23-0-1, thanks to the strong bonds shared by its members. According to Elise, all of the girls have a great connection with each other and can pick up skills quickly and efficiently.
  Eastern has arguably the best field hockey team in the nation, with 19 straight state titles under their belt. Elise says that she definitely feels the pressure to uphold the reputation, but it makes the game more exciting.
  Considering the high status of the team, it’s no surprise that their practices are vigorous. Elise says she practices for about six days a week for four hours each day and sometimes even more, depending on the season.

  If that doesn’t seem strenuous enough, she also plays for Uprise and Futures field hockey teams- two of the best club teams in the nation, which require practices and games of their own.
  Though her demanding schedule seems like it leaves little time for homework and studying, Elise is determined to keep her grades up. Now that she is committed, she said it’s “less pressure for field hockey, but more pressure to keep my grades up.”
  It may seem like her life revolves around the sport. However, Elise also plays lacrosse in the spring, writes poetry, draws, and spends time with her family and friends.
  Elise started playing field hockey in second grade because of her older sister, Alexis Pettisani, who now plays at Boston University. Though, the main reasons she stuck with it are the aspects of teamwork, versatility, and uniqueness.
  As for why she chose Rutgers New Brunswick, she likes how close it is to home. After seeing how far her older sister went for college, she was inclined to stay close to her roots. She also enjoys the high level of play that they offer at Rutgers due to the fact that they’re a Big 10 school; meaning they are a part of one of the most prestigious Division I conferences in America. Offering advice to others, she says, “Don’t stress about it. There’s a school for everyone.”
  Moving forward, Elise wants to study something in business. She doesn’t see herself playing field hockey after college but rather traveling and helping people in need. She advises other athletes to always play their best because one  never knows who’s watching.