While the NCAA and local and national media tend to focus upon specific signing dates for specific sports, Archbishop Spalding, Severn, found a date that drew the most student-athletes, recognizing all sports and all levels of collegian participation.
On Feb. 6, the Spalding community recognized 21 young men and women, representing eight different sports. The colleges and universities selected were both large and small, near and far, offering each student athlete a new challenge in their journey.
Student-athletes, their parents, coaches and others from the school community were on hand in the Cavs’ new gymnasium to recognize the accomplishments of these athletes.
In women’s soccer: Chelsea Allen will attend Wake Forest; Karen Blocker has committed to Liberty University; Melissa Horn will attend Lees-McRae; and offensive guru Christine Nairn plans to attend Penn State.
Josh Danza and Tom Schaeffler were awarded soccer scholarships and will attend Villa Julie College and the University of Maryland, respectively.
Mike Whittles’ football team will send five Cavs off to four different colleges in 2008-2009: Adam James will attend Salisbury College; Pat Mangum and Kellin Morris have been accepted at SUNY Maritime; Brandon Matter will attend Wesley College; and Jim Thomas signed on at Holy Cross.
In baseball, head coach Steve Miller’s crew was offered and accepted scholarships to Radford. This includes Paul DeVito, Matt Hillsinger, Jeff Kemp and Jason Patten.
Elise Caldwell will attend Duquesne for women’s lacrosse, and her teammate, Katie Kirk, will attend Cornell University. Drew Borreback, top lacrosse player for the Cavs will play at West Point next year, and Evan Hockel will head to Salisbury.
Unique scholarships in the sports of cross country, track and sailing were awarded to runner Kyler Philbin from Gettysburg, and Shawn Murray will attend the College of Charleston for sailing.