Greg Levinsky
Mackenzie Clarke paid close attention to the vibe in the University of Connecticut field hockey locker room before its season opener in late August against Saint Joseph’s University.
On an unofficial recruiting visit, the 16-year-old Belmont High School junior and standout midfielder on the Marauders field hockey team noticed the Huskies’ loose but serious nature. A pre-game karaoke session preceded an upset performance where the unranked Huskies squad downed the number13 team in the country. Last Tuesday evening, with her positive visit in mind, Clarke verbally pledged to continue her education and field hockey career at UConn.
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“Meeting the team, being in the locker room with them, and getting to know the coaches a little more was really nice,” Clarke said. “Deciding between the schools, UConn showed a lot of interest.”
Verbal commitments are defined as a non-binding agreement between a high school athlete and college coach, made before a student-athlete becomes eligible to sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI). They are usually made in the fall of the athlete’s senior year. Per NCAA regulations, UConn coach Paul Caddy cannot comment on Clarke’s commitment until she signs the NLI.
Clarke, the niece of legendary Watertown field hockey coach Eileen Donohue, first picked up a field hockey stick at age three during her aunt’s summer camp. She loved the sport and started playing club field hockey in third grade for Salem, New Hampshire-based Northeast Elite. She joined the Belmont school teams as soon as she could, playing freshman team field hockey in eighth grade.
Once eligible for the Belmont varsity, Clarke immediately found her niche in the midfield. As a Boston Herald All-Scholastic last season and reigning team MVP, Clarke earned Middlesex League All-Star honors in her first two years of high school field hockey. Clarke posted team-bests in goals (21) and assists (22) last fall, earning MAX Field Hockey All-New England Second Team honors as the program posted a 14-3-1 record and finished 11th in the Division 1 MIAA Power Rankings.
“She’s only a junior, but there hasn’t been a field we’ve been on yet where she hasn’t been the biggest leader on the field,” said Belmont coach Jess Smith, who said Clarke will be the seventh Belmont field hockey player to reach the Division I level during Smith’s 21-year tenure. “She leads by example, taking over when she needs to step up the speed and get her teammates going. Sometimes, she gets determined to score a goal, and she does that.”
Through Belmont’s first six games this fall, the co-captain has 13 goals and 5 assists for the Marauders (4-2).
Smith calls Clarke the team’s “quarterback,” a moniker Clarke said she loves. It’s Clarke’s field vision, Smith said, that sets her apart. Frequently, Clarke fires a pass before Smith even sees it, demonstrating a mental acuity and ability to see the game a few steps ahead of everyone else.
“[Quarterback’s] a great name to take after because it’s kind of like I’m leading the team in some way,” Clarke said. “I love taking control of the game, letting everyone know where to go on the field, and having leadership on and off the field.”
Clarke also plays lacrosse for Belmont High and played ice hockey her freshman year. She may return to the Belmont/Watertown girl’s ice hockey team this winter.
MAX Field Hockey ranks Clarke as a top-150 recruit nationwide in her 2026 class. Clarke plays right back for her club team and is unsure whether she’ll play right back or midfield in college.
UConn, a member of the Big East Conference, boasts five NCAA Tournament Championships in the program’s illustrious history. They’ve qualified for 20 of the past 22 conference championship games and currently rank number 14 nationwide in the most recent National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I National Coaches Poll. Clarke will be a college freshman when fellow Belmont native and her cousin Olivia Donahue, who prepped at The Pingree School, is a senior.
“UConn was one of my top schools going into the process,” Clarke said. Their official relationship started with a “really positive” sign: the Huskies coaching staff reached out to Clarke on June 15, the first day they could within NCAA guidelines. A handful of other schools in New England reached out, too, but Clarke opted for UConn for a host of reasons, including the program’s history, sprawling campus, and school’s academic offering for her intended career in communications and social media management.
“In all honesty, now that she’s got that verbal commitment, she’s able to enjoy the game more and worry less about the stats if there’s a college coach at the game,” Smith said. “I’m so excited to see what she does this year and next year. I think she’s really going to enjoy her high school experience more with this. She’s really in a great place to take on high school and enjoy it.”
