16 signs of success

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
Mustangs, peers, family celebrate National SIgning Day.
 
Rack up a Sweet 16 for Mullen on one of the annual National Signing Days.

The Mustangs and their peers, families, coaches and administrators made it official on
Wednesday, autographing paperwork to compete on the next level.

Twelve boys and four girls will be hitting the various classifications of college sports next school year.

Swimmer William Chavez signed with Southern Illinois, a school he said he had “short-listed for a year.” Chavez took his first official visit and was sold.

A Colorado Class 4A champion in relays and all-Centennial League in freestyle, Chavez has a 3.36 grade-point average and will major in aviation management.

The Mullen football program has six hopefuls moving on, including place-kicker Wilson Yee to the Air Force.

“I’m very relieved it’s now a reality, but am bracing for the work to come,” Yee said.

Twice he was named All-State Academic, and Yee is a licensed pilot and the recipient of subject awards. He has a 3.5 GPA.

Running back-returner Damien Cearns will play at Nebraska-Kearney. He was all-Metro West league and honorable mention all-state. He has a 3.4 GPA.

Trevor Kirking, a linebacker, will play at South Dakota School of Mines. A four-year letterman, he
was a captain the past season as well as all-league. He has a 3.2 GPA.

Receiver Ben Marcoux will be headed to North Central College in Illinois. First team all-league and all-Academic, Marcoux also is a student leader and won multiple subject awards. He has a 3.4 GPA.

Defensive back Max Margeson will play at Westfield State University in Massachusetts. Another winner of multiple subject awards, Margeson has a 2.7 GPA.

Linebacker Lorenzo Riley-Combs will be headed to St. Olaf College in Minnesota. A four-time Academic All-Stater, Riley-Combs has played multiple sports, served as a student ambassador and has a 3.7 GPA.

A seventh footballer, defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina, signed with Notre Dame in December.
Three from the Mustangs softball program secured deals.

Emma DiGiacomo will be headed to Grinnell. The middle infielder was all-Centennial League three times and All-Academic four times. Also a Mullen Sports Medicine intern, DiGiacomo has a 4.08 GPA.

Middle infielder Bella Hawkins will play at St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia. National Honor Society,
team captain and all-league and All-Academic, Hawkins also sports a 4.41 GPA.

“I was really interested in what they had to offer,” Hawkins said of the Hawks. “There’s a lot of stuff to do there.”

Pitcher Marissa Sanchez will be going to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona. Winner of multiple subject awards, she has a 3.4 GPA.

Baseball had three signees.

Alek Elges signed with Webster University in Missouri. The second baseman was second team all-Centennial and Academic All-State honorable mention. He has a 3.49 GPA.

Catcher A.J. Naha will play at Occidental College in California. Also a letterman in football, he has a 4.61 GPA.

Pitcher Matthew Tafoya will be headed to Barstow Community College in California. He’s a three-time letterman and owns a 3.0 GPA.

Lacrosse’s Ethan Hart signed with Illinois Wesleyan. Mullen’s top defender, he plays multiple sports, was first team all-league and has won subject awards. He has a 4.3 GPA.

Distance runner Will Locascio will compete in cross country at Queens University in North Carolina. All-league and all-Academic. Locascio was a team captain and student ambassador. He has a 3.6 GPA.

Keeper Emma Ryan signed for soccer at Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania.

“I just really loved it there,” she said. “It’s a great community.”

A team captain who has won 13 subject awards, Ryan has a 4.3 DPA.
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