On Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021, North Penn seniors Danielle Preston & Emily Varilla were recognized for committing to continue their lacrosse careers at the collegiate level.
Danielle Preston – Bloomsburg University (Lacrosse)
Major: Early Childhood Education
Final list of colleges: Bloomsburg, West Chester, Shippensburg, Millersville
Reasons for choosing Bloomsburg: “I chose Bloomsburg because of the distance from home, and when I went on my visit, I just knew the team was like family. I’m very excited.”
Coach Heather Mellon says: “It’s been a tough year for a lot of athletes with the NCAA giving kids an extra year of eligibility, so for those breaking through and able to get to the next level, it’s
awesome. Dani is going to Bloomsburg University. She has been – as well as Emily – a very important part of our team. She’s a two-year varsity player, going on three. She’s a midfielder – she’s fast, she’s quick, she’s aggressive. We could always rely on Dani in our transition to get the ball up field. There were many situations last year where we struggled to pass the ball out of the defensive end, so it was - give the ball to Dani and let her run. It’s not typically what you want to do, but that’s what we did, and she sprinted all the way up the field, took care of the ball for us and got the job done. She was excellent at that. She’s also a very hard worker both on and off the field, she’s a leader, she’s very coachable and she just has this great personality that everybody likes. She gets along with the whole team. I’m expecting big things from her offensively and defensively this year. She can play both ends of the field, so I’m very excited for that. Bloomsburg is going to be very lucky to have her next year. Congratulations, Dani.”
About Danielle:
Favorite food: Mashed Potatoes
Favorite movie: 13 Going on 30
Favorite TV show: Outer Banks
Emily Varilla – La Salle University (Lacrosse)
Major: Secondary Education
Final list of colleges: La Salle, Holy Family, St. Joseph’s, Monmouth
Reasons for choosing La Salle: “I chose La Salle because of its amazing academics, how close it was to home, and I loved the team atmosphere from the minute I met them. The coaching staff is so nice, and I just fell in love with them, and the school felt like home.”
Coach Heather Mellow says: “Emily is the last of three Varilla sisters that have come through the program since I’ve been here. Prior to Emily arriving at the high school, I had heard through the grapevine – ‘Wait until you see the youngest girl.’ I was like, ‘I don’t know – the other two, Kaitlyn and Kristin, were pretty good in their own right, so it’s kind of hard to believe the youngest one
would be even better.’ She rolled in her freshman year, and she did an outstanding job. She was a starter for us as a midfielder as a freshman, she played center, which is a tough position just like it is in other sports. She is super fast, super quick, aggressive, and really an outstanding defender. If we need someone to mark up against the other team’s best player, Emily is the girl for the job. She gets it done. Her freshman year she earned first team all-league honors, which is pretty impressive. Sophomore year she didn’t have a season, but she made first team all-league in soccer, which shows what kind of athlete she is. Her junior year she was first team all-league for lacrosse, and she’s just as good off the field as she is on the field. She’s a smart kid, and she also was named to the PASLA All-Academic team. Along with Maddie Waldspurger, Emily was named North Penn High School Outstanding Female Athlete her sophomore and junior years. I expect huge things from Emily this year. She’s a great kid, she’s fun to have on the team, she’s a hard worker. If I need anything done, she’s the kid that I go to. She is going to be hugely missed, but first, we have to get through our season, and we have big plans. Congratulations, Emily.”
About Emily:
Favorite food: Chick-Fil-A
Favorite movie: Safety
Favorite TV show: The Ranch
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