For BH-BL Spartans time to shine, time to sign
Brittany Katz, Jake Stanko and Alex Turczyn make their college commitments official
BURNT HILLS, N.Y. » The spring college commitment window is one of the largest in duration which has its advantages, but for many athletes they are anxious for the day to come when they can sign their name and commit to continue to playing their sport for the next four years at the next level.
It is one of the biggest moments to date for three Burnt HillsBallston Lake student-athletes, Brittany Katz, Jake Stanko and Alex Turczyn.
“When I was signing I was like ‘This is a huge commitment of mine,’” Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake tennis standout Brittany Katz said. “But I’m willing to take the stress, the pressure and play my hardest at the Division II level. It’s going to be great.”
Katz chose to attend St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont to continue her tennis career.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play Division I or Division II, so I’m really glad that I got the chance to play college tennis and at a Division II level,” Katz said.
Her high school coach, Geoff Leggieri called her ‘a fearless player, a true competitor on the court and never plays to lose, always plays to win,’ during her introduction Tuesday in the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake gymnasium.
Spartan running back Jake Stanko will attend the University at Albany and was invited to join the Great Danes football squad by UAlbany run-game coordinator/ tight ends Coach Nate Byham.
“They’re real excited to have him on campus and see what he can do these next four years,” Burnt Hills football coach Matt Shell during Stanko’s introduction. “He was an all-state player for us; he was the Class A Player of the Year.
“Part of our success was what he brought to the table every Friday
night or every Saturday afternoon, a big play waiting to happen.”
“It’s pretty exciting, I’m ready to go,” Jake Stanko said. “I wanted to stay close to home and UAlbany was where I wanted to go and glad I got the opportunity to. The football team is good, lot of good talent there and somewhere close and competitive to play.”
Stanko will also be part of a wave of Section II talent that head coach Greg Gattuso has recruited to join the Division I-AA program.
“That is definitely cool that I’m going to be teammates with players that I have played against or seen around in (Class) AA,’ Stanko said. “I know a couple guys coming in and that’s good to have always.”
Even has a force in the Spartan backfield, Stanko is preparing to face bigger, faster competition beginning in August.
“I’ll be in the weight room a lot, trying to get bigger, get up to their speed,” Stanko said. “I’ll be on the field working on my footwork.”
It shouldn’t be a surprise when some of the top Section II swimmers choose to become a Dolphin in college.
Burnt Hills senior Alex Turczyn will join four other locals at LeMoyne College and its swimming and diving team next year.
‘I’m excited that I’m going to take my career to the next level, both academically and athletically,” Alex Turczyn said. “LeMoyne is a great fit for me, I’m going to fit in the Madden School of Business there and as well as the (swimming) program, it’s a DII school, but it’s at the top of their conference and I feel that it’s a great fit for me.”
He was also pleased to make his college decision official.
“I was happy that all the stress associated with college it was nice to be able to sit down, breath and just sign and be excited for what’s to come,” Turczyn said.
He leaves behind a legacy and high marks with the Spartans, finishing second in the 200-yard freestyle and fourth in the 500- along with setting the Section II mark in the 400-freestyle and medley relays and being a part of the NYSPHSAA 200-yard medley relay second place squad, swimming the final leg for the Spartans.