13 student athletes signed National Letters of Intent to a wide range of colleges both inside and outside California today.

They were recognized in a special ceremony in the theater conference room, many wearing college merchandise from the universities they are promising to attend in the fall.

Once signed, a student is committing to attend that particular college for their sport. It means they can’t switch colleges to another offering a better deal.

Unlike verbal commitments, the student cannot back out of going to the college after signed the letter of intent.

Sports ranging from soccer to football to lacrosse to golf, female and male students have committed to Division I-III universities to follow their academic and athletic pathway.

In the past, the winter NIL day usually had around five student participants, but this year, 13 students were honored, and a total of 16, including fall sports.

The winter sports that signed, the girls volleyball program, signed earlier in the year after the winter season. Division I and III respectively, Madilyn Mercer (CalPoly SLO) and Makalya Arimura (Johnson & Wales University Providence) signed their letters of intent in the library.

The 13 student athletes are all accomplished in athletics, with multiple CIF or Division championship, and are also prestiged in the academics with GPAs ranging from 3.3-4.6

For Division I schools: Tina Christie for equestrain (Texas A&M University), Brady Bjorkman for football (Drake University), Dani Satterwhite for soccer (UCLA), Bahram Talle for golf (UC Riverside), and Isabella Bellinghausen for soccer (UCLA).

Some of the players are attending their university because of family heritage and personal associations with the college. Bjorkman said, “Well, my dad went there, my cousin went there and it’s a whole family heir. It’s a great school for football and the academics are awesome and [so is] the business program.”

In Division II: Hannah Miller for lacrosse (Rockhurst University Missouri), Marissa DeStefani for soccer (CSU Chico), and Rylee Hanes for soccer (Missouri University of S&T).

For Division III: Sophie Grigaux for soccer (Washington University St. Louis), Julia Uhl for soccer (Marymount California University), Alexandra Tomich for soccer (Concordia University Wisconsin), Micah J. Ray for cross-country (Roanoke College), and Jenna Bowman for swimming (Swarthmore College).

Many of the athletes used their athletic skills to be accepted into higher ranked, and therefore tougher acceptance, schools. “I just really loved the atmosphere of the school, it’s a great school and it’s ranked one of the top schools nation wide. I knew when I went there, that I was suppose to go there,” said Grigaux.