Broadneck's J.J. Hicks (above, No. 38) is headed for Delaware State, as is Arundel's Nick Elko (not pictured).
South River field hockey defender Hope Battista will sign a national letter of intent to play that sport with Georgetown University on Wednesday.
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.
Considered by many to be the best player in Maryland, Battista was named First Team All-State by the Maryland State High School Field Hockey Coaches Association.
Defensively, Battista registered three saves this year while also scoring seven goals and assisting on six others.
DigitalSports lists all of the athletes who are committing to schools
for sports whose early signing period has been designated for February
through April, regardless of whether or not the institution is division
I, II or III, or whether or not it offers athletic scholarships.
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.
Early signees or committments from Anne Arundel County.
FOOTBALL
JJ Hicks, Broadneck, Delaware State
Nick Elko, Arundel, Delaware State
Brandon Johnson-Farrell, Arundel, Rhode Island
A.J. Francis, Gonzaga, Maryland* lives in Anne Arundel County
Marlon Johnson, St. Mary's, Villanova
Dontra Peters, St. Mary's, New Hampshire
Kyvory Henderson, North County, Lafayette College
Bobby Cooper, South River, Old Dominion
Eric Mauler, South River, Stony Brook
Evan Campbell, Chesapeake, Navy
BOYS SOCCER
Mike Rose, Severna Park, Notre Dame
Chris Saul, Chesapeake, Longwood
GIRLS SOCCER
Sierra Smidinger, Arundel, George Washington
Christine Nairn, Archbishop Spalding, Penn State
FIELD HOCKEY
Allison Behringer, Severna Park, Princeton
Hope Battista, South River, Georgetown
Below are athletes submitted to DigitalSports by their schools' athletic directors as having either committed to play their college sports or who will sign or have signed during other signing periods for the sports they play (SEE CHART BELOW).
SOFTBALL
Angela Yannone, Chesapeake, UMBC
Erika Stasch, Chesapeake, Towson
GIRLS LACROSSE
Ali Mattingly, Cincinnati
Casey Disharoon, George Washington
Alana Glanell, St. Josephs
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 | |