By Mike Finnerty
mike.finnerty@surewestsports.com
It’s been another busy week for high school athletes who are making their college selections official.
With the National Letter of Intent early signing period taking place from November 9 to November 16, signing ceremonies continued this week at Del Oro, Elk Grove, Oakmont, Rosemont, and Roseville.
Monday was a busy day in Placer County where signing events took place at Rocklin and Del Oro.
All three athletes signing at Rocklin were volleyball players, with Matt Laughrea heading to UC San Diego, Katelyn Ivy to Sacramento State, and Cailyn Prewitt going to Stetson University.
Last year was a big year in volleyball for Rocklin as both the men’s and women’s teams won section championships.
Del Oro had perhaps the largest contingent of athletes signing Letters of Intent either last week or this week, and leading the way for the Golden Eagles were three softball players that included pitcher, Jordan Courage (Iona College), shortstop Whitney Smith (Fresno State), and third baseman, Hannah George (Delaware).
There were also two Del Oro swimmers in Weston Landre (UC Santa Barbara) and Brian Westlake (Alabama).
Rounding out Del Oro’s group was golfer Austin Smotherman (SMU), and Tatum Jungsten (Albany University).
Other softball players signing this week included Carlee Gray of Elk Grove (George Washington University), Aleshia Ayers of Rosemont (Villanova), Krista Bedford of Oakmont (Adams State University), and Lollie Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s).
The Arden Hills Swim Club hosted a Tuesday evening signing event for Cora Stebbins, Lexie Franz, Paige Sellers, and Nick Kramer.
Stebbins and Sellers, both seniors at St. Francis, signed with U.C. Davis and the University of San Diego respectively. Franz of Rio Americano will join Sellers at the University of San Diego, and Jesuit’s Nick Kramer will swim for Georgetown University.
The SureWest Sports Show will air our interviews with many of these athletes the week of November 28 (Show 142), as well as the final two weeks of December (Shows 145, 146).