Local high school athletes are diving right in
Several top swimmers are among many college signees
Athletes all over the metro area today will sign their national letters of intent for college, but the sport that is garnering a lion’s share of the limelight for this signing period is one you might not have figured. Swimming. No sport is producing more high-profile Division I signees than swimming, as six Albuquerque athletes will their sign D1 letters today.
“A lot of people don’t give credit to New Mexico in a lot of sports,” said La Cueva’s Jack Hoagland, a multiple state champion who is signing today at Notre Dame and who chose the Irish over Arizona, Texas A&M, Indiana and Texas. “But this shows we have talent that is competitive.”
Half of the six D1 signees hail from La Cueva. Also from the Bears, Natalie Jones is signing with Arkansas and Chrysten Pacheco with Houston. Cibola’s Keelan Hart is signing with Purdue, and Sandia’s Max Hawton with Kentucky.
It is no coincidence that all five at one time were teammates in club swimming for Charger Aquatics (and all still are, except Pacheco). Also, Volcano Vista’s Sefilina Mariah Maile is signing with Air Force.
“It’s just been phenomenal,” Hoagland said.
Baseball, soccer, softball, golf, wrestling, cross country and track and field are other sports that have D1 athletes coming from the metro area.
One of the area’s top runners, Albuquerque High’s Alisa Meraz-Fishbein, is signing with Colorado.
“What set it apart is … obviously, they’re a great program, running-wise. And historically, they’ve been very successful,” she said. “Their goal is to win a national title, which is awesome. I have very high goals, and I wanted to go to a school that will allow me to reach those.”
And, she was asked, what of UNM’s
women’s cross country program, which has won two of the last three national championships?
“UNM was a great option,” answered Meraz-Fishbein, daughter of UNM men’s soccer coach Jeremy Fishbein and who will run cross country and track for the Buffaloes. Colorado also snared Volcano Vista’s Jericho Cleveland in the last recruiting cycle.
“I know coach (Joe) Franklin, and I love him and the girls,” Meraz-Fishbein said. “For me, I just wanted to have my own adventure. For me to succeed, I need to be in a new environment.”
Rio Rancho High guard David Patterson is signing with the Air Force Academy to play men’s basketball.
“I just felt like it set up my future the best,” said the 6-foot-3 guard. “And it gives me a chance to play Division I against the top competition in the Mountain West (Conference).”
It also opens the door to a potential meeting — perhaps multiple meetings — with brother Clay, who is a redshirt freshman playing for the University of New Mexico.
“It’d be crazy,” said David, who committed to the Falcons the summer before his junior season. “It would bring back all the memories of us playing in the back yard.”
Carlsbad guard Carsyn Boswell is signing with D1 Idaho State. Also of note:
La Cueva setter Briana Mortensen will have a busy week. Thursday, she and the Bears, the No. 1 seed for the state volleyball tournament, open the playoffs. Today, she is signing a national letter to play for New Mexico State. She has 579 assists this season, and well over 100 digs.
On the softball front, La Cueva’s Rachael Hathoot, Rio Rancho’s Briana Martinez and Cleveland’s Jayden Gandert (a transfer from Belen) are all signing with the hometown Lobos, while Eldorado’s big-hitting infielder, Ramsay Lopez, is signing with New Mexico State.
Normally, the signing period for soccer isn’t until February, but this year, all sports — except football, where Carlsbad lineman Taylor Miterko could sign as early as next month with Oklahoma State — can sign athletes starting today.
And of course, soccer is producing its usual share of signees. Eliza Mariner of Albuquerque Academy is signing with Cornell, Hannah Gallegos of Sandia with the University of Denver, Hannah Rivera of La Cueva with NMSU, Deja Sandoval of La Cueva with UT-San Antonio, Sophia Roberts of Eldorado with Grand Canyon University and Cierra Ramirez of Volcano Vista with Grambling State.
St. Pius has a couple of athletes who are headed to D1 programs: baseball player Grant Smith and golfer Aidan Thomas — last season’s Class 5A individual state champion — both are signing with New Mexico State. The Aggies baseball program also is landing Piedra Vista’s Nate Swarts and Josh Castillo of Mesilla Valley.
Cleveland High state champion golfer Jacque Galloway is signing with the University of Iowa. Volcano Vista wrestler Joshua Vega is signing with D1 American University. Academy thrower Zach Jaramillo is signing with Princeton.