The Nation Ford Falcons held their first signing day this academic year with 11 student-athletes making commitments.
Baseball had the most with three players signing, followed by two from volleyball, two from lacrosse, and one each from soccer, softball, football, and swimming.
Baseball players Carter Powell, Alex Smith, and Lawson Smith all signed with different colleges. Powell will be going to Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C. Lawson Smith will be playing in North Carolina as well at Rockingham Community College, while Alex Smith will be further away at Concord University in West Virginia.
First year head coach Josh Corley said he was looking for those three seniors to set the tone when he came in as head coach and that’s exactly what they did.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to have them this spring,” Corley said.
Assistant athletic director Craig Brown had three athletes sign in two different sports – two in volleyball and one in softball.
Julie Nzembele will be going to the College of Charleston to play volleyball and Addison Gollnick will be going to Molloy College in Long Island, New York. Kailey Alston will be heading to Belmont Abbey College as well to play softball.
Brown said that all three players were the “backbone of the program.”
“We don’t have the volleyball program where it is without them (Nzembele and Gollnick),” he said. “And I don’t know where we would have been without Kailey.”
Both Sarah Kinley and Caitlyn Stolarek will be playing lacrosse in college. Stolarek will be going to Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee and Kinley will be going to Lees-McCrae College in Banner Elk, N.C.
Soccer player Addison Ripkey will be staying somewhat local and playing at USC Lancaster.
Swimmer Avery Martin will be heading to Georgia Southern University. Nation Ford head swim coach Alyssa McAlister called Martin a bright light on the team.
“This is a huge accomplishment,” McAlister said.
The lone football player for Nation Ford signing on Dec. 4 was wide receiver Jayden Scott, who will be going to East Tennessee State University.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
