Unparalleled Cuneo is Inquirer's S.J. Senior Athlete of the Year

Eastern's Austyn Cuneo owns three national field hockey records, including most career goals with 328. She never lost a high school field hockey game, going 105-0-1. She finished her career by scoring at least one goal in 70 consecutive games, another national record. Cuneo is a member of the U.S. Under-19 team and has played games throughout the world, including Holland and Belgium.

While she is proud of all that she and the Vikings accomplished during her career, Cuneo says one of her biggest honors doesn't involve field hockey at all.

"Being voted captain in lacrosse was one of the highlights of my career," Cuneo said. "It showed my teammates cared and showed that I was committed to the game."

Cuneo's second sport of lacrosse would be a first one for many others. She was an Inquirer second-team all-South Jersey selection as a midfielder.

Since she stepped on the field as a freshman, Cuneo was always known as a field hockey performer, but there was more to her than just being a record-breaking scorer. She wanted to be known as somebody who gave her best effort in any endeavor.

"I didn't want people saying she played lacrosse for fun," Cuneo said. "I wanted to give my coaches and teammates my all so they didn't think I was a one-sport athlete."

Want another career highlight from Cuneo?

She was named the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year by the South Jersey Coaches Association.

"That was such an honor because it shows that you are an all-around student-athlete," she said.

It's important to Cuneo to be known as a well-rounded individual, and she has earned that distinction with her performance in and out of the classroom.

With a mind-set focused on only the task at hand, Cuneo often willed her way to greater heights. It has earned her yet another accolade as The Inquirer's South Jersey Senior Female Athlete of the Year.

Cuneo says she is proud of her national scoring record, and rightly so. In this event she obliterated the field.

Cuneo set the mark as a junior when she scored her 193d goal. To put it in perspective, she has scored 135 goals since setting the mark.

"What she does inside the circle is something we have never witnessed at the high school level, and I am not sure anybody is coming close to that record," said Eastern coach Danyle Heilig. "She has amazing ability to finish balls inside the circle and it is truly a gift."

It's a gift that has been refined with years of practice. Cuneo first began playing the sport in first grade, begging her mother, who was a middle school field hockey coach, if she could take the field.

"I just loved it from the beginning," Cuneo said.

It shows.

She has earned a field hockey scholarship to North Carolina, a perennial national power.

"When you watch Austyn play, she doesn't see the goal, she sees the space," said North Carolina coach Karen Shelton, who has guided the Tar Heels to six NCAA championships. "Most players look for the goal, but she finds where the goalie is not [standing] and she shoots for that space."

Cuneo committed to North Carolina during her sophomore season, but it was a difficult decision to let go of lacrosse at the next level.

"There were games where she couldn't emotionally or physically give us more than she did," said Eastern lacrosse coach Katie Lee. "It was amazing to watch."

Lee said that Cuneo could have been a Division I lacrosse player, and an impact one at that.

Of course, while she may not be expected to score 328 goals in college, Cuneo is expected to be an impact player at North Carolina.

And that impact could extend one day to the Olympics, something another former Eastern and North Carolina player, Rachel Dawson achieved.

"I think about the Olympics constantly," Cuneo said. "But it's going to take a lot of hard work and it's within reach but it will depend on how much I want it."

If the past is any indication, Cuneo will want it very much.

Because with all she has accomplished, her immense skill may be only be exceeded by her will to succeed at anything she puts her mind to accomplishing.

@sjnard