Newsome High School held its annual signing day on November 10. Student-athletes from several different sports inked on the dotted line to seal where they will go to school.
A total of 10 athletes signed, including: Maya Bronson, lacrosse (University of Alabama-Huntsville); Sophia Torres, lacrosse (St. Bonaventure University); Izzy Fidhel, soccer (North Greenville University); Victoria Buggs, soccer (South Georgia State College); Luke Haley, lacrosse (University of Utah); James Bradley, golf (University of North Florida); Emily Waite, swim (UNC-Wilmington); Evan Wainman, baseball (Polk State College); Lucas Phelps, baseball (Florida Atlantic University); and Fulton Lockhart, baseball (University of South Florida).
Evan Wainman will play baseball for Polk State College and is currently undecided on his major.
“I was very excited to sign with Polk State College last Wednesday,” he said. “It was great to have my family and friends there with me. Polk State College has an excellent baseball program that feeds into many four-year programs. After all these years of playing baseball, this is really a dream come true. Go Eagles.”
Playing lacrosse for St. Bonaventure University, Sophia Torres will major in neuroscience.
“The feeling was quite relieving,” she said. “Signing to play in college is something I have been dreaming of since I was 10 years old, so for it to finally come to fruition, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I felt I made a strong connection with my future coach, Jason Levesque, as soon as we spoke for the first time. Because of this, I discovered just how perfect St. Bonaventure is for me. The campus is beautiful, and it reminds me of Hogwarts from Harry Potter, and I love that so much. The area is also perfect for me because I have always wanted to go somewhere where I could experience all four seasons. On top of that, they have a wonderful academic program that I am so excited to be a part of.”
Lucas Phelps will play baseball for Florida Atlantic University and is considering majoring in exercise science with a minor in nutrition or construction management.
“Signing is really exciting, and it solidifies a dream come true that I have had since I was a little kid,” he said. “It’s been a goal of mine since I was young to play Division I baseball and it’s super cool to see it come to fruition. It makes me want to continue to work harder and set new goals in baseball for myself. Choosing FAU was an easy decision. It seemed like they were the school that wanted me most and I really enjoyed talking with the coaches and seeing what their program is about, and I loved everything about it. I love the campus and area the school is in as well, so it just seemed like it was the right fit for me, and it was a place that I was going to enjoy being at.”
Playing lacrosse for the University of Utah, Luke Haley will major in business administration.
“For me, signing day was a feeling of excitement and hard work that has paid off,” he said. “Utah was the right fit for me because of the coaching staff, the players and the environment. My goals for college are to achieve First Team all-freshman for the ASUN conference and to go to Utah’s first NCAA tournament.”
The athletes are excited for their opportunities and are thankful for the people that helped them achieve their goals along the way.
“I want to thank my family for supporting me unconditionally both on and off the field,” said Torres. “I would be nowhere near where I am today if it wasn’t for everything they’ve done for me, from buying gear, flying me to tournaments and helping me create highlight film to pushing me to work harder and being there when it got tough. I especially want to thank my twin brother, Sam. This past year was very difficult for me both mentally and physically, but I was able to persevere because of his constant love and encouragement.”
