With the stroke of a pen, Niskayuna High School senior Brooke Knowlton made it official – she will play for the Boston College Eagles' Women's Soccer program next year.
By signing a letter of intent with the NCAA Division I school, the high school soccer standout will receive a full scholarship that covers tuition, room and board, and other expenses for up to five years.
“I looked at a lot of different schools across the country,” she told the local news media, “and decided on Boston College because academically, athletically and geographically it made sense.”
Knowlton was joined by her parents, Jean and Glenn, Niskayuna head girls’ soccer coach Bryce Colby, school district officials, and dozens of friends and well-wishers for National Letter of Intent Day, a day during which student athletes across the nation officially declare the college or university that she or he will attend the following fall.
Niskayuna’s top-scoring forward with 40 goals this season, Knowlton also led the Suburban Council in goals. As a co-captain of the Silver Warriors, Knowlton was instrumental this year in the team’s sectional victory over first-ranked Shenendehowa and their trip to the New York State semi-finals after advancing past Bethlehem in the Section II Class AA title game.
In 2006, Knowlton was named High School All-American and also a Youth All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. She has played soccer in Niskayuna since she was 11 years old.
Knowlton becomes the seventh Niskayuna High School student athlete in the past 10 years to receive a full scholarship to participate in Division I A athletics, including NFL wide receiver Andre Davis in 1997.

(February 2007)