exploring ATHLETICISM

exploringATHLETICISM

These War Eagles took their last steps on the high school field.

Now, these D1 commits advance to the college arena. by dylan jordan, sebastian skinner and jackson fryburger illustrated by yasmin khan

What was your college decision process like?

Jide Awujo: “Personally, my college decision became really hectic after the many showcases I participated in. Fortunately, my parents supported me to the fullest in order to help me make my decision.”

Ambe' Caldwell: “In the beginning, it wasn’t really much of a process. I was only talking to two schools. That was in the beginning of spring football, but after spring, I started getting more looks and traveling across the country to go to camps. I committed to Furman. I wanted to go somewhere bigger, but I didn’t have any offers from big schools. After the first three games of the season, we went undefeated and won against Blessed Trinity. Then a couple of my teammates and I started getting bigger offers. After the Blessed Trinity loss at the end of the season, I went on my official visit to Miami-Ohio University. I committed on the visit and then decommitted from Furman the same day. A week later I signed.

John Franks: “My process was slow at first. With soccer, college coaches cannot contact you until your junior year. At the beginning of my junior year, I wasn’t getting many looks; however, I performed really well in my junior year, attracting more high level college coaches. Usually kids commit towards the end of their junior year, but because I was scouted late, I committed September of senior year. Everything worked out just fine.”

Emory Lanier: “It was pretty interesting. It took place a lot last spring and summer. I was playing AAU, and I was getting a lot of looks and receiving interest from a lot of different colleges. Throughout the process, I took visits during the summer to see which schools really fit me best. I ended up making my decision in July. When I visited [Davidson] in the summer, I just thought the coaching staff and the campus was everything I wanted the next four years. The location and proximity to home was all great, so when it came to making a decision, it had everything I really wanted.”

Eric Malever: “I took a couple tours and limited my options down to a couple of schools. Then I weighed the pros and cons of the schools that I chose and decided that Maryland was the best fit for me academically and athletically.”

Vincent Mannella: “My college decision process wasn’t as good as I anticipated. I was unable to practice or compete all of my junior year because of a knee injury, and junior year is the most important year to get colleges’ attention. Because of this, not many colleges were interested. I only received three offers, but I always thought that I was going to get more. At the beginning of senior year, my coach emailed me that the head coach of University of Pennsylvania was going to watch us practice. Fortunately, I got his attention and was asked to come on a visit and ended up loving the university.”

DA Allen

University of Georgia

Jide Awujo

Villanova University

Ambe' Caldwell

Miami-Ohio University

Nick Masters: “Honestly, it was pretty easy. I emailed schools that I thought I would be a good fit and got responses from not a lot but a few really good ones. I took visits up to Princeton and West Point as they were my top choices. Princeton then offered me a slot late last May.”

Chase Oliver: “My recruitment process was a little bit of a Cinderella story. Since I was on a very underrated team here in Georgia, the high level college scouts didn’t come to any of our games, so I didn’t have the opportunity to showcase my talent. That all changed when my team made a shocking run all the way to the National Championship. Although we lost, I scored the goal to send the game to penalty kicks and overall played a very good game. After that night, I had a good [number] of top notch schools contacting me to play soccer. Schools like Clemson, Yale, Dartmouth, Notre Dame, Duke, Brown, Xavier, SMU, and a bunch of other schools. But the call I received that brought me the most joy was from Wake Forest. Wake Forest is a beautiful private school in a really nice city with a great soccer program. After visiting all of my top choices, it was a gut feeling that Wake was the place I needed to be.”

McCoy Pace: “It was pretty easy for me because I only had one “offer” (for Ivy’s, they call them slots), and it was Columbia. I was talking to a few other coaches, but once Columbia offered, I accepted in a matter of days.”

Alexa Richardson: “My college decision process was both interesting and challenging, but I had excellent guidance and support from my parents, coaches and mentor.”

Hunter Sellers: “I had a few offers, but once I narrowed it down to a couple of schools, I took visits to those schools and talked with the coaches to see which college fit me best. It ended up being the University of Pittsburgh.”

Jacorrei Turner: “It was very stressful because all these schools were contacting me. I also had to be mindful of who really wanted me at their university.”

Malachi Wiley: “I began getting calls from college coaches asking about my GPA and SAT scores and wrestling life. I talked with my parents about which schools would be best for me both wrestling-wise and academic-wise, and I took official visits to schools that I thought would be best for me in both aspects. I ultimately chose Penn because I loved the campus, the team atmosphere and the academic potential.” Mike Wright: “The college decision process was interesting. For a long time, ever since the summer, I was committed to University of Central Florida. I was committed all the way until December 14. Then I decommitted, and to make sure I was making the right decision, I took visits here and there. We eventually came down to Vanderbilt University, but the decision process was stressful. At the end of the day, I am happy with the decision I made.”

Dwight "DA" Allen: “I chose Georgia because of the academic prowess, coaches and wanting to be a hometown kid representing his state.”

Awujo: “I knew Villanova was the place for me after speaking with the coaching staff and hearing their intentions for me on and off the field.”

How did you know that your school was right for you?

Caldwell: “I let my heart decide for me when I went on my visit. Interacting with the players, the coaches, being on campus and going to some of the parties was great. I liked the vibe better than when I took my official visit at Furman. The coaches seem to care about football more, and they had just won a conference championship. I want to major in business, and they have [one of the] top five business schools in the nation. That was one main thing because my parents always talk about academics. The people in the south are different people than in the north or the midwest. Getting that change, I think it will be good for me in the future.”

Franks: “I always liked the idea of going to Georgetown in terms of their academics. On the soccer side of things, I liked their style of play, and when I went on my visit, I enjoyed the campus, the coaches and the players themselves. After comparing Georgetown to other schools that I visited, I knew that it was the right fit for me. I cannot wait to join a national championship team.”

Lanier: “First off, Head Coach McKillop’s offense and style he runs really fits me. They pass the ball a lot and play really unselfishly, [and] I’m an unselfish basketball player. Then, I love playing with other great

Maddy Cronin

University of Vermont

John Franks

Georgetown University

Walker Kessler

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

players, so playing in a system like that where I could play off other people, and even be aggressive myself within the offense, I thought I was a really good fit. Then, the campus is like its own little city. It’s not in the city. It’s about thirty minutes from Charlotte, and I like that. In case I want the feel of a big city, it’s always right there, but it’s in a chill little town. Things like location were really big for me.”

Malever: “Academically, it was a good fit for me, and when I committed there, they were ranked number one in the country and had just won a national championship. The coaching staff is great, and I just fell in love with the school.”

Mannella: “I knew UPenn was the place for me because I always wanted a college that both focused on athletics and academics in a student-athlete’s life. When I visited Penn, I definitely realized that they stress the importance of having both a successful athletic life as well as an even more successful academic life.”

Masters: “As soon as I stepped foot on campus, I knew. It just felt like home. Then I spent time with the team and coaches and fit right in. I knew from the first day that that’s where I wanted to be.”

Oliver: “I knew Wake Forest was the place for me because it has the perfect dual path I was searching for. Academically, the school has an excellent reputation throughout the United States, and the soccer program is ranked within the top five of all Division 1 teams. The campus is also very nice, and the people on and off the team are super chill.”

Pace: “New York has always been one of my favorite cities, and after I went on a visit to Columbia, I just knew it was the place for me. I went on the visit before I had an offer, but I was planning on applying even if I didn’t get in through wrestling.”

Richardson: “I knew Cornell University was the place for me when I went on my official visit. I immediately connected with my College, advisor, coach and teammates.”

Sellers: “Being around some of the players and being around the coaches and seeing what the city was like, I ended up falling in love, so that’s why I committed.”

Turner: “All of the coaching staff treats me like family. There’s a great atmosphere and vibe up there. It’s a nice college town, and they’re in the SEC. There isn’t much around and not a lot of distractions.” Wiley: “I knew it was the right place for me as soon as I stepped on the campus. I just felt at home, and I could see myself really loving my life there for the next four years.”

Wright: “It’s a great university. I love the city of Nashville. Academicwise, Vanderbilt is a top 15 university in the nation. Football-wise, they play in the greatest conference for football. Those were the main factors that went all into my decision. Then the commute back home is good, so Vanderbilt is the place for me.”

What will you miss most? What have you learned?

Allen: “I’m going to miss the relationships created with my coaches and teammates. I couldn’t have asked for better people around me. I’ve learned in high school that in order to be successful in baseball you must be prepared and confident. Without the two, it is very difficult to be successful.”

Awujo: “One thing that I will miss about high school soccer is the genuine teammates that I got to know so well through the many experiences we shared on the field.”

Caldwell: “Probably the Friday nights. While it did not seem as fun [at the time] because of all of the practices and the assignments that led up to the Friday nights, looking back, Friday nights are probably the most that I [will] miss about my high school career. I have learned to keep working. My freshman year, I did not play that much. All my friends were getting called to play varsity their freshman year, and I’d be chilling, watching in the stands. I kept working and started my sophomore year, and I’ve started ever since.”

Franks: “I will miss my club teammates the most. Probably the best thing that I have learned throughout playing during my high school years is that your relationship with your teammates is reflected on the field. If your teammates are your brothers, then you will fight for each other on the field and enjoy them off of the field.”

Lanier: “There are so many things to miss. The student sections and

Emory LanierDavidson College

Eric Malever

University of Maryland Vincent MannellaUniversity of Pennsylvania

hanging out with my teammates on bus rides. The little things you kind of take for granted most of the time, I think those memories will always stay with me, and I’ll miss a lot of things about high school basketball. I learned it most recently this year. I would say it is to make the most of what you have. I moved my junior year after we had just won a state championship, and I didn’t want to move schools. I ended up moving to Woodward, so I just had to make the most of my situation. I was brought into a good situation, and I didn’t pout, have a mood or have an attitude with my teammates. They willingly accepted me, and I tried to make the most of it, being a leader, and I made the most of it. I helped lead the team, and it was a really great experience.”

Malever: “What I’ll miss the most is the camaraderie. The people at Woodward are some of my best friends, and I’ve made so many good memories over the years. Hopefully, I’ll make some new friends that’ll last the rest of my life and make memories like winning several national championships in college.”

Mannella: “What I’ll miss most about my high school career is being able to compete and have fun with the friends I made in the classroom and wrestling room. What I learned in high school that I hope I can carry into college is that making connections is an incredibly important part of life, and they can be beneficial for a long time.”

Masters: “Honestly, the thing I’ll miss most is the team, especially the seniors. We all have been through so much and were there as we went from boys to men. The biggest thing that I am gonna take with me to college is remembering to just enjoy the sport and have fun.”

Oliver: “What I will miss most about my high school career is the ability to play alongside and against my best friends. Soccer has also been a little bit more fun simply because I can play with or against guys I have grown up with since we were little. I will also miss the chance to play in front of my parents and siblings every weekend. Since I will be four hours away, they will barely get to see me play in the most pivotal time of my soccer career, which really sucks.”

Pace: “I will probably miss the chemistry I had between my coaches and my teammates. I have great relationships with some of the best coaches and wrestlers in the country, so it will be a shame to have to leave them behind. I learned that being a quick study is one of the most important skills you can have in wrestling, so I hope to be able to bring that with me to Columbia.”

Richardson: “I will miss the camaraderie of the marching band, the competition of the track team, my cool and loving friends, my fantastic counselor and amazing teachers. I have learned managing your time, and being open-minded and adaptable are essential to being successful.”

Sellers: “Playing on Friday night with my boys and all of my friends. Woodward education has prepared me for the next level. Coach Davis and the rest of the football coaching staff gets us ready to play at the next level, so I feel like I’m prepared.”

Turner: “Definitely my teammates. I will carry my work ethic and also working hard in the classroom to college with me.”

Wiley: “I will miss my teammates the most. Many members on my team are some of my best friends that I have grown up with both inside and outside of the sport. I really love those guys like brothers. I have learned the value of hard work in my sport. There is no taking shortcuts or cutting corners. I’ve learned to commit myself to improving my craft despite any and all obstacles.”

Wright: “The main thing I will miss is the group of guys I’ve been with for the past four years. The atmosphere Woodward brings on game day because there’s nothing like it. As far as learning, I’ve learned so much. I’ve learned how to game plan, watch film, how to carry a team, how to be a team player and how to be a leader. I can definitely say that all the factors I’ve learned at Woodward I would definitely take with me to Vanderbilt.”

What influenced you to start playing?

Allen: “I didn’t really have an influence as a kid to participate in baseball. My mom was trying to get me involved in something in the community one summer when I was six, and since then I’ve never looked back.”

Awujo: “What influenced me to start soccer was how natural it came to me compared to all the other sports I was playing at a young age.”

Caldwell: “My dad played in high school and as a free safety at

Nick Masters

Princeton University

Chase Oliver

Wake Forest University McCoy PaceColumbia University

Morehouse. My sixth grade year I was focused on soccer. Then one of my dad’s friend’s sons were playing football, and we were playing at his house. Then I realized, ‘Hey, I’m kind of good at this,’ so I started playing football my seventh grade year. I liked it, so I kept playing ever since.”

Franks: “I started soccer at a really young age because my parents needed to put me in a sport. I tried others like basketball and football, but I enjoyed soccer the most.”

Lanier: “That’s an easy one. It was my dad. Currently, he is a coach at Georgia State for basketball, but he’s the reason I have moved around a lot. He has been a coach and coached with a lot of great coaches. He has been a head coach at some places, an assistant and he has coached a lot of Hall of Fame coaches. He has also coached several great players. Me being a kid and always being around these coaches, players and the really good culture of basketball made me want to play. I started playing when I was five, so I’ve always been around the historic knowledge of basketball and the best of the best, so it just made sense for me to play basketball.”

Malaver: “A long time ago, some friends of ours had these sticks. I was at a little party with my parents, and they had sticks. They were throwing it, and I was curious about what it was. So, I picked it up. Then I started playing at a local YMCA, and I just loved it.”

Mannella: “My mom’s brothers wrestled in middle school and high school, and my dad had a lot of friends that wrestled. After watching them compete, he ended up really liking the sport and planned to introduce his children to the sport. He asked me if I wanted to try it out and took me to my first practice when I was seven. I’ve loved it ever since.”

Masters: “My uncle was a two-time state champ for Wheeler and in their Hall of Fame who should’ve gone D1 but didn’t. I ended up doing what he did but better.”

Oliver: “I started playing soccer at the age of three for the local recreational soccer league for toddlers. Like every other parent in the US, my parents thought I would look really cute in a soccer uniform, so they signed me up for the summer league. I was absolutely dominant in the summer league, so dominant that they had to move me up to play kids two years older. When I was five, I moved to Montclair, New Jersey, and that is where my soccer career really started. After seeing me play in a park about a year after I moved into the city, a director of a prominent youth soccer club in New Jersey pulled my parents aside and told them I ‘had it.’ What he meant by saying ‘had it’ was that I had the potential to be a professional. After hearing that and realizing my talent in soccer outweighed my other sports, I quit everything but soccer and began to strive to be great.”

Pace: “I used to play basketball, but my seventh grade math teacher was the varsity wrestling coach, and he tried to convince me to wrestle almost every day. Also, some of my friends wrestled, so they kept pestering me to try it until I did.”

Richardson: “My parents and Coach Murphy and Mr. Notestine in the Middle School.”

Sellers: “I wanted to play football my whole life. My dad and brother played football. Everybody around me played football, so it was just the norm.”

Turner: “My dad. Since he played football, he wanted me to play football, and I’ve always loved the sport.”

Wiley: “I have been wrestling since fifth grade intramurals. My brother and I started at the same time, and my dad made us join because we were constantly wrestling around the house and breaking furniture. He said, ‘If you’re going to wrestle anyway, then you should learn how to do it right.’”

Wright: “Naturally, my dad wanted me to play sports, so I’ve always played sports. Now my main motivation is to give people younger than me hope for something, telling them that you can do what I do and that you can achieve a dream. Understanding that I’m an influence in the community, I want to put a positive foot forward at all times and give people younger than me hope and tell them that you can do it if you put your mind to it.”

Allen: “I don’t give one person or one thing the sole credit for getting me into the position to be a future collegiate athlete. I would say that

What or who helped you to become a collegiate athlete?

Alexa Richardson

Cornell University

Will Sanders

University of South Carolina

Hunter Sellers

University of Pittsburgh

Awujo: “Undoubtedly, if it weren’t for my parents, I would not be in the position I am today. I was heavily influenced by their emotional support as well as the many lessons my dad taught me when I was little.”

Franks: “There have been lots of people who have gotten me to where I am now. First, my parents have sacrificed so much to help me throughout my soccer career. In addition, I have had many great coaches and teammates who have helped me on and off the field. I would also like to point out that some of my best friends now, I met when we were about 10 years old, all through soccer. We have stuck together for the last eight years and all ended up at the same high school. These friends have made soccer more enjoyable and have always pushed each other to get better, and I am so happy for their accomplishments as well.”

Lanier: “I would credit that to my family and all the coaches I’ve had along the way. My coaches have been different, obviously. Coach Thomas here, my AAU coach, Coach Bobby Mays, and my old high school coach Coach Ricky Norris. They’ve all had different systems and philosophies, but I felt like I played some of my best basketball during each of them. It gave me different sides of basketball I’ve never seen before. At each level, I was able to play well with others, so I think that made me better for the future, to be able to play with a lot of different players getting ready to play in college.”

Malever: “A lot of the coaches in Atlanta have really helped me. The club lacrosse Thunder LB3 has really helped me as well as Coach Z at Founder. Coach Pons from Woodward has helped me with the recruiting process.”

Mannella: “My family has been a huge support and motivation for me throughout my wrestling career. They have been incredibly supportive since I’ve started, and I can never repay them. I also believe that with drive and consistency, anyone can accomplish what they desire. I believe having that mindset and great people in my environment also helped me as well.”

Masters: “Honestly, it was a choice I made when I was younger. All that I’ve accomplished stems from the dreams of a young kid. I was lucky to have a great support system that lifted me up and fanned the flames of my passion.” Oliver: “I got to this point in my life with nothing else but God’s will. This is all in his plans that he has for me. I also could not have done anything in my career without the support and love of my parents and siblings. I’m really excited for the next chapter of my life and can’t wait to see how far I can go.”

Pace: “I think all my coaches have gotten me to the position where I am now, going to be a collegiate athlete. Each coach, whether it be Coach Ragan, Coach Hardin, Flavin, Taylor, Anthony, Coach Panone, Coach Fretwell, Coach Willsey, or any of the others, has taught me something invaluable that I will keep with me forever and that helped me get to where I am. Also, all my teammates who beat me up and pushed me to get better each and every day were a huge contributing factor to the success that I’ve attained thus far.”

Richardson: “‘My Village,’ which consisted of my parents, high school coaches, club coaches, teammates and some amazing competitors nationwide.”

Sellers: “Hard work, dedication and perseverance. You have to work hard, and if you believe in something enough, you can do it. I always wanted to be a D1 athlete, and with hard work, dedication and perseverance, I was able to achieve it.”

Turner: “Hard work when no one is watching, watching film and training at least three times a week.”

Wiley: “My parents, many coaches and teammates have all played very important roles in shaping me into the wrestler that I am today and helping me to reach the next level.”

Wright: “There’s a lot of people. As far as training wise, I work out with Cam Newton a whole lot, so he has been a tremendous factor throughout this entire process, teaching me and embodying the knowledge that he has and putting it into me. When Deshaun Watson comes down, we throw a little bit and we work out together. The main guy though is my brother. I force Alan (Taco) to go out in the yard and throw with me sometimes, so he’s motivated to work too. As my best friend, we’re out in the yard throwing and always working.

Editors’ note: All senior D1 commits were contacted for this piece, and we included all interviews received. All D1 commits are pictured.

Jacorrei Turner

University of Arkansas Malachi WileyUniversity of Pennsylvania Mike WrightVanderbilt University