Atlanta
Local Catholic student athletes sign on to play college sports
By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer | Published February 21, 2019
ATLANTA—This year’s National Signing Day took place on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Catholics seniors in public, private and Catholic high schools joined other athletes around the country by making it official when they signed binding national letters of intent to play collegiate sports at the college or university of their choice. The list below includes area Catholic athletes who made commitments on National Signing Day or earlier. Independent Catholic school, Notre Dame Academy, Duluth, is also making its school debut on the list with a college-bound basketball athlete.
BASEBALL
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: C. J. Abrams, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Will Macolino, Berry College, Mount Berry; Jack Milani, Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina; Eric Moore, Emmanuel College, Franklin Springs.
Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, Atlanta: Tres Gonzalez, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta.
Pinecrest Academy, Cumming: Joe Garcia, The United States Military Academy, West Point, New York; Patrick O’Rourke, Berry College, Mount Berry.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Chandler Simpson, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
BASKETBALL
Holy Spirit Preparatory School, Atlanta: Anthony Edwards, University of Georgia, Athens.
Notre Dame Academy, Duluth: Luisa Smolynsky, Belmont Abbey College, Belmont, North Carolina.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Emma Drash, Georgia State University, Atlanta.
CROSS COUNTRY
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Nico Fontova and Maggie Yankovich, University of Georgia, Athens.
FOOTBALL
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: JD Bertrand, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana; JR Bivens, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Steele Chambers, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; Ryan Davis, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Jake Smith, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Marist School, Atlanta: Brendan Farrell, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia; Ryan Mannelly, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
McIntosh High School, Peachtree City: Dane Kinamon, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Pinecrest Academy, Cumming: Zach Schechtman, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Michael Benefield, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana; Zach Ranson, Wake Forest, University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
GOLF
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: Ben Smith, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Stephen Kinsel, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega.
LACROSSE
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: Kaley Attaway, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana; Nathan Bazemore, Piedmont College, Demorest; Rob Hakes, University of Lynchburg, Lynchburg, Virginia; Camryn Johns, Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina; Alex Poma, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland; Brook Villhauer, Reinhardt University, Waleska.
Pinecrest Academy, Cumming: Drew Hendren, Belmont Abbey College, Belmont, North Carolina; Hogan Palmer, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Anthony Tiberia, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
SOCCER
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: Bailey Wiernusz, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega.
Pinecrest Academy, Cumming: Haley Triplett, Georgia State University, Atlanta.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Eve Beyer, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Loren House, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii.
SWIMMING/DIVING
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: Dillon Downing, University of Georgia, Athens.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Abby Cohen, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta; Ian Grum, University of Georgia, Athens; Blake Reynolds, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, New Jersey.
TENNIS
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: Katie Collar, Birmingham Southern-College, Birmingham, Alabama; Maddie Schott, Belmont Abbey College, Belmont, North Carolina.
Mill Springs Academy, Alpharetta: Allison L. Kogoy, Brevard College, Brevard, North Carolina.
TRACK AND FIELD
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: Jana Barden, University of South Carolina Beaufort, Bluffton, South Carolina.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Tanner Duffin, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Matthew Harris, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Nico Fontova and Maggie Yankovich, University of Georgia, Athens.
VOLLEYBALL
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: Anna MacDonald, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.
Our Lady of Mercy High School, Fayetteville: Tamia Hall, Blinn College, Brenham, Texas.
St. Pius X High School, Atlanta: Anna Porter, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia; Sarah Kate Thompson, Flagler College, St. Augustine, Florida.
WRESTLING
Blessed Trinity High School, Roswell: Vincent Baker, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.