Archbishop Spalding forward Christine Nairn (left) will sign with Penn State on Wednesday. Nairn finished her career with 70 goald and 37 assists.
Archbishop
Spalding senior girls soccer players Christine Nairn, Karen Blocker and
Chelsea Allen will sign national letters of intent to attend Penn
State, Liberty University and Wake Forest, respectively, on Wednesday
-- the start of NCAA's early signing period for their sport.
Also
heading off to college are boys' soccer players Josh Danza and Tommy
Schaffler to Division III Villa Julie, and the University of Maryland,
respectively.
High school seniors may sign national letters of
intent accepting athletic scholarships from NCAA institutions during
the early signing period, which begins on Wednesday and lasts through
April 1 for football, boys and girls soccer and field hockey
(see chart below).
Their
signings on Wednesday will be part of the school's honoring "all of our
senior athletes at this ceremony -- no matter what level or division,"
said athletic director, Lee Dove.
As juniors, Nairn, Blocker and
Allen, a forward, goalie and midfielder, respectively, helped to guide
the Cavaliers to the title in the IAAM A Conference.
An
under-17 U.S. national team pool player, Nairn scored 27 goald and
assisted on 13 others, and finished her career with 70 goals and 37
assists.
Blocker anchored the Cavaliers to this year's IAAM A
Conference semifinals, as she registered 17 shutouts and allowed five
goals during a year in which her team went 18-2-1.
Blocker finished her four-year career with 57 shutouts.
Many division I and division II schools participate in the signing of national letters of intent.
However,
America's service academies, such as Navy and West Point, and Ivy
League Schools, such as Princeton, and Harvard, do not offer
scholarships or participate in the practice.
Some Patriot League schools also do not participate in the early signing program.
The
early signing periods in track and field and for cross country have
been eliminated, and water polo also no longer has an early signing
period, according to www.national-letter.org.
Archbishop Spalding's honorees
Girls Soccer
Christine Nairn, Penn State
Karen Blocker, Liberty University
Chelsea Allen, Wake Forest
Boys Soccer
Tommy Schaffler, Maryland
Josh Danza, Villa Julie
Football
Jim Thomas, Holy Cross
Adam James, Salsibury
Kellin Morris, SUNY Maritime
Pat Mangum, SUNY Maritime
Brandon Matter, Wesley College
Baseball
Jeff Kemp, Radford
Jason Patten, Radford
Matt Hillsinger, Radford
Paul DeVito, Radford
Girls Lacrosse
Elsie Caldwell, Duquene
Katie Kirk, Cornell
Boys Lacrosse
Evan Hockel, Salisbury
Sailing
Shawn Murray, College of Charleston
Signing
Dates for the 2008-2009 Academic Year
Do not sign prior to 7:00 a.m. (local time) on the following
dates
or after the final signing date listed for each sport.
| Sport |
Initial Signing Date |
Final Signing Date |
| Basketball (Early Period) |
November 14, 2007 |
November 21, 2007 |
| Basketball (Regular Period) |
April 16, 2008 |
May 21, 2008 |
| Football (Midyear JC Transfer) |
December 19, 2007 |
January 15, 2008 |
| Football (Regular Period) |
February 6, 2008 |
April 1, 2008 |
| Field
Hockey, Soccer, Track and Field/Cross Country, Men's Water Polo* |
February 6, 2008 |
August 1, 2008 |
| All Other Sports(Early Period) |
November 14, 2007 |
November 21, 2007 |
| All
Other Sports(Regular Period) |
April 9, 2008 |
August 1, 2008 | |