Signing Day is a senior event where committed athletes can sign their letter of intent in front of friends and family. Every school year there are two signing days, once per semester. The first one took place on Wednesday, Nov. 8.
Signing Day is a celebration of athletes who have worked extremely hard at their sport and have dreamt of playing at a collegiate level their entire lives. They get to have a ceremony honoring their dedication and showcasing the college that they will be attending, as it is difficult to get recruited and play beyond the high school level.
Many of the athletes come in hats, shirts and even stuffed animals with their school logo and colors, as well as having their area of the table decorated in their colors and a banner with their name and the college they are committing to.
A big part of the tradition is that all the athletes sign at the same time, when Athletic Director Mashburn counts down.
After they sign they are embraced by friends and family for photos and congratulations.
There were six athletes who signed this semester, two of those being for softball. Katie Dunakin (12) committed to the University of Tulsa, located in Oklahoma. She is on the Aliso Niguel softball team as a pitcher.
She exclaimed that “Signing Day was everything I thought it was going to be and more. It was one of the best days of my life to finally and officially sign to pursue my dream of playing in college and, even more, to celebrate with my friends, teammates and family!”
The other softball player that committed was Taylor Nelson (12) who will be attending Stanford University. She is a versatile player being able to play third base and shortstop. Both Katie and Taylor were supported by the other softball players at Aliso, as well as their families.
Jonathan “Jonny” Nadolski (12) committed to Alfred State College in New York for baseball. Jonny said that “Alfred State is the perfect college and is my new home. I am excited to continue doing the things I love. Signing was the gateway to the future. I have worked hard for my whole life. Thanks to my family and friends, signing day will forever be a core memory.”
Kate Wilson (12) is committed to Utah Valley University where she will play soccer. She exclaimed, “I’m super excited about my commitment to UVU! It was so special for me to celebrate with my family and friends on signing day. I’m thankful for it all.” Similarly, Taryn Raibon (12) is committed to the University of Maryland for division one soccer.
Lastly, Nevaeh Mendez (12) committed to Vanguard University to play volleyball.
Being a college athlete is an amazing opportunity which all these athletes get to experience. They are all incredible athletes with exciting futures ahead of them.