Maggie Sachs’ basketball team at The Park School is mired in the middle of the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland’s C Conference at 7-7. Not exactly something to get excited about.

Still, Sachs is smiling this winter.

While many high school seniors anxiously await a college acceptance letter, Sachs has already committed to play lacrosse for Stanford. She chose the prestigious California school over Brown and Middlebury.

“Stanford is definitely going to be a very exciting experience,” she said.

This story continues below
Advertisement

In her three-year varsity lacrosse career, Sachs has compiled 81 goals and 42 assists, mostly as a midfielder. She broke out last season with 56 goals and 26 assists for a Bruins team that went 16-3 and won the IAAM B Conference title.

“She’s sensational,” Park lacrosse coach Robin Cardin Lowe said. “She will go through a wall for you. She’s incredibly athletic with her movement, and she’s very aggressive. Her field vision has improved dramatically, and she has become much more involved offensively.”

Sachs’ club lacrosse coach, Susan Whitman, has been equally impressed.

“I think Maggie has a great chance for an excellent career in D-I,” Whitman said.

Sachs, who currently is averaging about four points per game at guard for Park’s basketball team, also keeps herself quite busy apart from athletics. The Maryland Distinguished Scholar nominee sports a 4.1 weighted grade-point average and has a strong background in music. She started playing both lacrosse and the cello at age 7. She also sings in Park’s a cappella group, “Eight Notes.”

“She’s a bright, bright kid,” Cardin Lowe said.

While lacrosse and academics are what will take Sachs across the country in the fall, music has taken her around the globe. She plays with Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra and has traveled with the group to China and Italy.

Sometimes, her passions collide.

“When I returned from Italy, I had go straight from the plane to a two-day-long lacrosse tournament,” Sachs said.

Her sophistication and unique experiences might explain why she hopes to major in foreign communications with a minor in music.

“When I visited Stanford, there was such a diversity of people and ideas, and that’s why I chose it,” Sachs said.