On November 8, 16 talented Xavier student-athletes committed to pursuing their collegiate careers by signing their National Letters of Intent. These students will attend various schools and pursue unique majors, marking the first collegiate signing month of the year. Xavier hosts three signing days this year, its 23rd year of hosting.
The National Letter of Intent signifies a binding contract between the student-athlete and her chosen college, ensuring the athlete’s participation in the sport she is offered. The agreement prohibits the athlete from joining another college, providing a sense of security for both the athlete and the college.
Sister Lynn Winsor, vice president of Xavier of athletics, expressed her excitement for the prospective student-athletes, “It is very exciting to see these kids do so much; I am very excited.”
The 16 seniors who signed were Kaelyn Putz to Lindenwood University for beach volleyball, Mia Accomazzo, to attend Metropolitan State University for volleyball, Sarah Miller to the University of Pennsylvania for basketball, Dominique Nesland to play basketball at High Point University, Maureen Ulrich to Black Hills State University for basketball, Isabella Gomez to attend Creighton University for track and field and cross country, Kalyn Doss to attend Towson University for golf, Kate Hauptman to play golf at the University of Arizona, Jayden Jevnick to golf at Vanderbilt University, Grace Rubelsky to play golf at Washington State University, Caroline Boeckman to play soccer at the University of Wisconsin-Milawaukee, Lourdes Lauterborn to attend Dartmouth University for soccer; Madison Schenk to play soccer at Northern Arizona University, Violet Torres to attend Azusa Pacific University for soccer, Kate Willmering to play soccer at the University of California-Santa Barbara, and Lauren Putz to play softball at the University of Michigan.
Xavier was the first girls’ school in Arizona to participate in collegiate signing, and has been recognized for the most students signing letters of intent in Arizona this year.
“We just have kids all over the country; it is pretty amazing, from the East Coast to the West Coast,” said Winsor.
Hauptman ‘24, signing with the University of Arizona to play golf, is excited for what is to come. During her freshman year, she represented Xavier at state as its top scorer.
“It is nice to be committed; there is so much stress leading up to it,” said Hauptman.
These 16 students worked hard in order to play collegiately, attending camps, visiting schools and creating highlight videos to show their skills. Focusing on academics and balancing the love for their sports ultimately led them to sign to the schools with the right fits.
Schenk ‘24, signing with NAU for soccer, has been on the varsity team since her freshman year and has worked hard to get a collegiate-level commitment. She would send up to 40 weekly emails to college coaches and was seen at a club showcase by the NAU soccer coach last year.
“Time management is huge. Xavier is so prestigious, so I feel confident going to college knowing I can juggle the workload of school and soccer at the same time,” Schenk said.
At Xavier, student-athletes are given resources and support to help them stay on track with deadlines and goals. Each athlete who signed was given guidance by her school counselor, coach and peers.
“Our counselors really work with the kids. Our coaches are very involved in them getting college scholarships and it’s the same with our athletic office, so I think there’s this team approach: the student-athletes, the coaches and the guidance counselors,” Winsor said.
This “team approach” that Winsor described is critical in ensuring that each athlete is confident with the choice that she has made.
“Do not let anyone tell you that you can’t make it happen; there are plenty of schools out there, and as long as you work hard and go after your dreams, you can make it happen,” Schenk added.
