Schools

L-W East Student-Athletes Choose Their Collegiate Futures on Signing Day

Patch spotlights the 28 L-W East boys and girls who announced Wednesday the schools they'll be attending next year.

With the school year winding down, held its third and final college signing day Wednesday, honoring 28 student-athletes who have committed to their colleges.

The Griffin's Lair was packed with coaches, family, classmates and teammates celebrating these students symbolically taking the first steps toward their post-high school futures.

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"There were a lot of numbers thrown out today," said Associate Principal Louis Lee. "One thing about numbers, by themselves, they don't mean anything. Same thing with stats. ... How amazing it is to hear all about the 28 student-athletes here today to go with those stats. ... Everything we've heard truly gives meaning to everything we know and come to understand with who they are as players, who they are as students and, more importantly, who they'll continue to be representing our school at the next level."

Patch spotlights these student-athletes, sharing what their coaches had to say about their time on and off the field of play with the L-W East teens.

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FOOTBALL

Jack Aleck, Frankfort
College: Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.)

Blake Anders, Mokena
College: Olivet Nazarene University (Bourbonnais)

Josh Bottoms, Frankfort
College: Carroll University
What they had to say:

Kevin Slawkowski, Mokena
College: Illinois Wesleyan University (Normal)

Erik Stankek, Mokena
College: Illinois Wesleyan University

Frank Toland, Mokena
College: Illinois Wesleyan University

William Will, Mokena
College: Illinois Wesleyan University

What Coach Rob Zvonar had to say about the players: This year, East tied a school record for having 14 football players commit to playing at the collegiate level. He called these players the Magnificent Seven and the "heart and soul" of the team. Throughout their four years at East, these players had a record of 36-3-1, second only to the record of the class of 2007 (44-1). These players also had an average GPA of 3.89 and an average SAT score of 27. "They put the 'student' in 'student-athlete'."

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Nicole Grynevich, Frankfort
College: Elmhurst College (Elmhurst)
What Coach Dave Campanile had to say: Grynevich is a program player who came in as a freshman and worked her way up. "That's really the mark of an athlete, the progression." She's a "silent worker" who shows by example, leading in practices and helping the younger kids.

BOYS BASKETBALL

TJ Anstett, Frankfort
College: St. Norbert's College (De Pere, Wis.)
What Coach Rich Kolimas had to say: Anstett is a very versatile player who is dedicated to the game. He had the "injury bug" this year, but he's overcome adversity and still maintained a love of the game.

Jelani Yancy, Frankfort
College: St. Ambrose University (Davenport, Iowa)
What Coach Kolimas had to say: Yancy is a terrific athlete who has created a lot of highlights and "some really memorable moments" on the court with his dunks, steals and 3-pointers. "But it's his personality that I'll always remember."

LACROSSE

Tyler Jackson, Frankfort
College: Beloit College (Beloit, Wis.)
What Coach Todd Hyatt had this to say: Jackson played lacrosse for the coach since the fourth grade when he was in youth programs. His nickname is "Train Wreck" because lacrosse is a game of finesse but when Jackson got the ball and there was physical contact it was like a train wreck.

BASEBALL

Kyle Henderson, Mokena
College: St. Joseph's College (Rensselaer, Ind.)
What Coach Paul Babcock had to say: Henderson's nickname is "Wacky." He's been a great asset to the program.

Evan Bloomfield, Frankfort
College: Hartland Community College (Normal)
What Coach Babcock had to say: Hartland has had a big impact on the team since coming over from St. Rita of Cascia High School. Wishes he would have had Bloomfield as a player for more than a year.

SOFTBALL

Lauren Benda, Mokena
College: Indiana Wesleyan University (Marion, Ind.)
What Coach Elizabeth Pawlicki had to say: Met Benda when the team began it's lifting workouts. She always comes in with a huge smile and continues that when she goes on the softball field.

Jenny Gray, Mokena
College: Augustana College (Rock Island)
What Coach Pawlicki had to say: Gray always gets the job done, no matter what's asked of her. "She's a quiet leader, yet everybody respects and follows her. She's a fabulous leader."

Alexis Huss, Frankfort
College: Tallahassee Community College (Tallahassee, Fla.)
What Coach Pawlicki had to say: "She's our mama hen, to be quite honest. She works quite hard, striving to be better. ... She asks, 'How can I get better? How can I improve?' "

Nicole Miskowicz, Mokena
College: Lindenwood University—Belleville
What Coach Pawlicki had to say: Miskowicz has lots of pizzazz and personality. "She's about the quickest kid I've ever seen."

Morgan Pigusch, Frankfort
College: DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind.
What Coach Brian Papa, who coached Pigusch in soccer and basketball, had this to say: Pigusch is a team-oriented player. "In basketball, she always knew her role and knew her position. She is what you call the complete team player."

GIRLS WATER POLO

Zoe McCabe, Mokena
College: Penn State Erie—The Behrend College (Erie, Penn.)
What Coach Ryan Lodes had to say: McCabe helped many of the young players. "I saw them look to her for advice, to look to her for tips on how to do better. And she was always there able and willing to help them."

GIRLS TENNIS

Madeline Voss, Frankfort
College: Augustana College
What Coach Chris Olson had to say: Voss has served as the team's senior captain, and she embodies the type of work ethic and motivation all athletes should have. "She's the model of what all student-athletes should be."

GIRLS TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY

Nicole Nepote, Frankfort
College: Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.)
What Coach Wendy Hegarty had to say: Nepote proved that she had a lot of dedication and consistency to varsity letter all four years, as well as earn all-conference and all-regional three out of four years. She was huge part of the team's first sectional win in 2008.

GIRLS TRACK

Maria Perozzi, Frankfort
College: University of Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.)
What Coach Caroline Gerritsen had to say: Perozzi is very positive and has good morals. Gerritsen calls her "Mama Maria." "Maria's the kind of person who's going to make a goal and achieve that goal. ... Her goal was to run at the University of Notre Dame, and she wouldn't even, I just found out today, get a Notre Dame shirt until she officially knew she was going to Notre Dame and running for Notre Dame. So I'm proud of her for always going out there and achieving her goal."

BOYS TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY

Tom Rotondi, Mokena
College: University of Missouri (Columbia, Mo.)
What Coach Ross Widinski had to say: "We've had some good times and bad times these last few seasons. Tom's been the rock for our team. He's out there everyday, showing everyone else exactly how it's done."

GIRLS SOCCER

Stephanie Budzinski, Mokena
College: North Central College (Naperville)
What Coach Papa had to say: Papa didn't find out she was going to play soccer at a collegiate level until Senior Night the previous evening. He knows she'll do well because she'll be practicing soccer year round.

Cristal Kurkowski, Mokena
College: Aquinas College (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
What Coach Papa had to say: Kurkowski continues tradition of all good goalkeepers coming out of East. She took over the position last year after the starting goalkeeper was injured.

BOYS SOCCER

Anthony Cetera, Frankfort
College: Lewis University (Romeoville)
What Coach Ryan Decker had to say: Cetera is one of the team's technical players and leaves as the school's second most point-getter with goals and assists in his career.

Joe Seper, Frankfort
College: Lewis University
What Coach Decker had to say: Seper has been the team's utility player, working hard and taking care of business.

John Ulrich, Mokena
College: Alma College (Alma, Mich.)
What Coach Decker had to say: Ulrich, as captain, was the glue of the soccer team. "When adversity struck, when things got tough, you counted on Johnny to bring it together, and he always did that."

 

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