Four Redhawks sign letters of intent
April 5, 2019
The lecture hall was filled with family, friends, teammates, and coaches on Friday morning as four students signed their National Letter of Intent, committing to continue their athletic career in college.
Track and field athlete Sanye Ford signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her athletic career at Oklahoma State University at a Signing Day Ceremony Friday in the lecture hall.
Sanye Ford
Wingspan: What school did you choose?
Ford: “Oklahoma State University.”
Wingspan: Why did you choose this school?
Ford: “To run track next year and I really liked the school, the coaches are nice, and I really liked the program.”
Wingspan: What aspects appealed to you?
Ford: “For my event, I do jumps, and the jump coach was really knowledgeable and had a lot of experience.”
Wingspan: What are you expecting from being a college athlete?
Ford: “I’m expecting it to be a lot of hard work but very rewarding.”
Wingspan: How long did it take to make this decision?
Ford: “A while, since around December, so it’s been a quite a few months.”
Wingspan: What other options were you contemplating?
Ford: “I was deciding between Texas State, Wichita State, those were probably the main other two.”
Wingspan: How do you plan to prepare?
Ford: “Work really hard this summer to go into college in shape and ready to compete.”
Soccer player CJ Nelson signed a National Letter of Intent to continue his athletic career at University of Texas at Dallas at a Signing Day Ceremony Friday in the lecture hall.
CJ Nelson
Wingspan: What school did you choose?
Nelson: “University of Texas at Dallas.”
Wingspan: Why did you choose this school?
Nelson: “I felt like it was the best fit for me as a student and as a player.”
Wingspan: What aspects appealed to you?
Nelson: “It’s a Division III, but it’s a bigger school and not a small town school. You’re in the middle of Frisco and Dallas, and I just really like the atmosphere.”
Wingspan: What are you expecting from being a college athlete?
Nelson: “Time management: I know there is going to be a lot of school stress and soccer stress with traveling and stuff. So trying to manage all of that together.”
Wingspan: How long did it take to make this decision?
Nelson: “I met with the coach in January and I committed in mid-February, so month and a half.”
Wingspan: What other options were you contemplating?
Nelson: “There was UMHB, which was the main other option and that was about it.”
Wingspan: How do you plan to prepare?
Nelson: “For soccer, just a lot of practicing and trying to get with the team over the summer so I can get a feel for what they play like. Student wise, just a lot of studying during the summer.”
Signing a National Letter of Intent to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, soccer player Gavin Clark committed to continue his athletic career at a Signing Day Ceremony on Friday in the lecture hall.
Gavin Clark
Wingspan: What school did you choose?
Clark: “University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.”
Wingspan: Why did you choose this school?
Clark: “For soccer and it was a good school and that’s where my old coach Adam Cecil went, so just following in his footsteps.
Wingspan: What aspects appealed to you?
Clark: “The environment; it’s kind of a smaller school and I didn’t want to go anywhere with a lot of people.
Wingspan: What are you expecting from being a college athlete?
Clark: “Lots of work every day, probably working out six days a week and just to have a family within the team.”
Wingspan: How long did it take to make this decision?
Clark: “Probably about a year.”
Wingspan: What other options were you contemplating?
Clark: “Midwestern State and UT Tyler, but I like the soccer team better at UMHB and have more opportunities.”
Wingspan: How do you plan to prepare?
Clark: “I am going to work out over the summer and that’s pretty much it.”
Volleyball player Ashley Pennington signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her athletic career at Texas A&M University Commerce at a Signing Day Ceremony Friday in the lecture hall.
Ashley Pennington
Wingspan: What school did you choose?
Pennington: “Texas A&M University Commerce.”
Wingspan: Why did you choose this school?
Pennington: “The atmosphere was really nice, I liked all the people, and the competition is going to push me to get better.”
Wingspan: What aspects appealed to you?
Pennington: “It is kind of a smaller school, which is what I wanted, but it also had a really big environment and everyone was really passionate about the school.”
Wingspan: What are you expecting from being a college athlete?
Pennington: “I’m expecting to do a lot of hard work, but also be really worth it and a lot of fun.”
Wingspan: How long did it take to make this decision?
Pennington: “Probably two weeks, but when I was there I was pretty confident in my decision.”
Wingspan: What other options were you contemplating?
Pennington: “Midwestern State, Friends University in Kansas, and a couple others that were farther away but I wanted to stay closer to home.”
Wingspan: How do you plan to prepare?
Pennington: “I’m still conditioning with a couple of the volleyball girls and just trying to stay in shape for the off season.”