White Plains High School lacrosse standout Caitlyn Hyatt looks forward to Division I

For White Plains High School senior Caitlyn Hyatt, athletics, academics and curiosity about the natural world have shaped her high school experience and will guide her next chapter in college.

The four-year varsity lacrosse player and two-year varsity field hockey athlete will attend the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where she plans to major in biology and compete in Division I lacrosse.

“I’ve been playing sports my whole life,” said Caitlyn, who began swimming competitively around second grade. She competed through middle school and continued on the high school swim team during her freshman and sophomore years before ultimately shifting her focus to other sports.

A lifelong White Plains resident, Caitlyn has grown up in the district, attending Mamaroneck Avenue School, Eastview Middle School, Highlands Middle School and now WPHS. She has a younger sister who is currently a freshman.

Sports have always played a major role since her childhood, but lacrosse became her primary athletic pursuit.

Caitlyn first developed an interest in the sport around fourth grade and began playing club lacrosse in sixth grade. She played middle school lacrosse in seventh grade, joined the junior varsity team in eighth grade and then advanced to varsity as a freshman.

She served as a team captain during her junior and senior seasons and led the team in goals and points during her junior year. She primarily plays midfield and frequently takes the draw, a critical role in which two players battle for possession at the start of play.

The lacrosse standout will graduate with more than 100 career points and has earned numerous honors, including 2024 All-League, 2025 All-League, 2025 All-Section, 2025 The Journal News/Lohud Westchester-Putnam all-star honorable mention and 2025 NYSSWA All-State honorable mention
Caitlyn also competed in basketball earlier in her athletic career and began playing field hockey during her junior year of high school.

While sports have been a defining part of her life, Caitlyn also discovered a strong passion for science during high school. She credits biology teacher Siobhan Flanagan with helping spark that interest.

“I took biology with Ms. Flanagan freshman year and later marine biology with her,” Caitlyn said. “That’s when I started really falling in love with science. She made learning fun. Her class was upbeat and interesting, and I already liked the subject, so it made it even better.”

She now plans to pursue biological research, potentially working in environmental science or medical research.

“It would be cool to help with medicines or scientific research,” Caitlyn said. “I also like the environment, so maybe something connected to that.”

This year she is taking AP Environmental Science, Forensics, Calculus, Syracuse University Project Advance English, a Farm-to-Table government and food economics course, and physical education. A forensics class has been particularly interesting to her, including lessons on the science behind historical investigations.

“We talked about the JFK assassination and the science behind things like ballistics,” Caitlyn said. “It’s interesting learning the science behind events like that.”

She said athletics helped her develop the scheduling skills necessary to balance a demanding schedule.

“I’d say sports are integral to my life,” she said. “They’ve taught me things like time management and pushing through challenges.”

Caitlyn often uses free periods during the school day to complete assignments before practices or games. “It’s about staying focused and doing a little bit at a time,” she said, adding that the discipline will help her transition to college.

Outside of school, Caitlyn enjoys leisurely strolls.

“I like going on long walks or scenic walks with friends or family,” she said. “Sometimes we’ll walk along the beach in Mamaroneck or just walk around town.”

She also enjoys creative hobbies such as watercolor painting and photography. In fact, one of her photographs — a tranquil coastal scene featuring a boat partially hidden behind bushes — was selected by her teacher for display in an art show downtown.

“I just thought it looked really calming,” she said.

Her family enjoys traveling together as well. They frequently vacation in Cape Cod and have also visited Delaware beaches, Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains and the Dominican Republic.

One of Caitlyn’s most challenging moments during high school came when her grandmother suffered a broken neck and temporarily lived with the family while recovering.

“It was upsetting to see,” Caitlyn said. “She’s one of my favorite people.”

After months of recovery and physical therapy, her grandmother has improved and now watches Hyatt’s games — sometimes in person, sometimes online.

“That support system helped all of us get through it,” Caitlyn said.

When she received recruiting interest from UMass Lowell shortly after the NCAA’s September 1 contact period, she saw the opportunity she had been working toward. “I’ve always wanted to play Division I lacrosse,” she said.

With a strong academic foundation, a decorated athletic career and a passion for science, Caitlyn is eager to face her next challenge. Her goals remain simple: continue growing, competing and exploring the scientific questions that first sparked her curiosity in a high school bio classroom.

“I’ve had a really positive experience here,” she said. “The teachers, coaches and friends have all helped me get to where I am.”