Excitement was in the air when student-athletes from throughout San Diego County converged on Petco Park on Nov. 11 to announce where they would be playing at the next level as they signed their National Letter of Intent.
The College National Letter of Intent Announcement and Signing Day event is sponsored by the San Diego Sports Association and is open to any high school senior student-athlete who intends to compete in intercollegiate athletics in any sport.
It is an annual rite of passage for high school student-athletes in the county as they prepare to embark on their college careers. For many it is a highlight of many years of practice and competition to earn the opportunity to compete at the next level.
It is a time to celebrate local athletic excellence.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions this year, however, sponsors of the event created a unique social-distancing drive-in opportunity for student-athletes and their families at the facility’s Lexus Premier Lot, limiting capacity to 250 cars. In order to ensure a safe environment, guests had to remain in their vehicles for the duration of the one hour program.
Student-athletes were called up to the stage to make their anouncement and a photo opportunity.
East County student-athletes who have signed a National Letters of Intent for baseball include Santana High School’s Tyler Glowacki (San Diego State University), Granite Hills’ Austin Smith (UC San Diego), Steele Canyon’s Sebastian Granado (Cal State Northridge) and Jacob Entrekin (Point Loma Nazarene), Christian’s Braden Ross (Cal State Northridge) and Grossmont’s Evan Vasiliou (UC Irvine).
El Capitan High School’s Mackenzie Curtis will play women’s basketball at the University of New Mexico while fellow Lady Vaquero Jacey Danks has committed to attend Ottawa University-Arizona. Christian’s Kristin Williams (University of San Diego) and Serene Weckback (Arizona Christian) also have elected to play basketball at the next level.
Grossmont High School’s Sarah Funk has committed to attend San Diego State for women’s soccer while Steele Canyon’s Kassandra Jaggard has committed to play at Central Washington. Valhalla’s Mackenzie Samuel (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) and Kate Baranski (Vanguard University) also will continue to play the sport at the collegiate level.
Christian’s Leah Kunde (Alabama) and Jenna Rubidoux (Air Force Academy) have both announced their intent to play women’s soccer in college.
El Capitan High School’s Katy Hicks has chosen to play women’s softball at Furman University while Santana’s Makinley Barkhimer has selected to attend North Carolina A&T.
Women’s swim and dive signees include Valhalla’s Olivia Zamudio (San Diego State) and Christian’s Stella Rubidoux (Air Force Academy).
Women’s track and field signees include Christian’s Alaina Zamorano (Baylor), West Hills’ Brandy Atuatasi (Stanford) and Grossmont’s Madeline Minutelli (Montana State).
Helix Charter High School’s Lauren Mantel has chosen to play women’s volleyball at the University of Greensboro.
Football players who have committed to play at the next level include Helix’s Tyler Buchner (Notre Dame), Jaiden Brown (San Diego State) and Jeremiah Fletcher (University of Arizona).
