Pioneer Athletes at the Next Level

Sophia Salazar, staff writer

A variety of NPHS seniors are continuing their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. All of the athletes have worked endlessly to achieve their long awaited goals. Although it was a tedious process, here’s a look into their recruiting journey:

 

When did you commit? What made you commit when you did?

Sienna Barbarisi (Kutztown Acro and Tumbling): “I committed to Kutztown officially on December 13th of last year, but I didn’t start the recruiting process until the beginning of my senior year, so I couldn’t commit until December.”

Hayden Singer (Bucknell XC T&F): “I committed on January 1st of this year, and I decided to commit then because I knew that I loved Bucknell both athletically and academically so this is when I was really set on my choice.”

Callie Slabaugh (Stevens Lacrosse): “I committed in early August 2022. I had gotten the official offer from the Stevens coach late in July, but had to wait for the learning processes to go through with admissions in order to officially commit. As soon as I got the clearance from them, I committed within the next couple hours.”

 

What’s your favorite thing about this school?

Singer: “I really like how I will have my team clothes washed since I am part of the track team, but my favorite part of the school is having all you can eat in the dining halls.”

Nick Santacross (Centenary Baseball): ”My favorite thing at the school has to be the cafeteria. They have a huge cafeteria with a bunch of different food stations.”

Meghan Lamanna (Scranton Basketball): “My favorite thing about Scranton is the student body. When I visited, everyone was very friendly and I felt really comfortable on campus. I could just picture myself there.” 

 

When did you decide you wanted to play this sport in college? 

Lamanna: “I always knew that I wanted to play in college because I love the sport and really enjoy playing it.”  

Slabaugh:“I  decided I wanted to play in college in the summer going into junior year. This is when the recruitment really starts as coaches begin to contact you on September 1st. At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to, then as I visited schools I knew it was something I wanted to do but wasn’t sure at what level.”

Santacross: “I decided early in my sophomore year that I wanted to play baseball in college. I have always loved playing and didn’t want to stop after high school. My dad always motivated me to keep playing while I still had the chance.”

 

Has this school always been your top school? 

Barbarisi: “Kutztown was not my top school in the beginning because I initially wanted to pursue Track and Field, however when I realized that I wanted to tumble, my college list shortened drastically.”

Singer: “I was talking to other schools besides Bucknell. However, I chose Bucknell because, after visiting twice, I knew this was the right fit for me and I would be happy there for the next four years of my life.”

Lamanna: “Yes, but I was talking to other schools aside from Scranton. I knew I wanted to go to a school with a good Occupational Therapy program and a competitive basketball team, so that made limiting my search easier.” 

 

Why did you choose your school over other schools?

Slabaugh: “I picked Stevens over the other options because of the location. Again it’s in the perfect place for a college student. I also love being close to home so that my parents can easily travel up to watch a game — there’s a huge convenience factor with that.”

Lamanna: “Scranton has one of the best OT programs and a very good basketball program, so I could really see myself there for academic and athletic reasons.” 

Santacross: “I chose Centenary because academically and for baseball it made the most sense. I had the grades for Centenary and knew I could play for them.”

 

What did the recruiting process look like for you? 

Barbarisi: “I was very late to the recruiting process because people usually start a year before. You’re expected to make a video of the various skills asked with a brief explanation of your background. However, I hadn’t tumbled in two years but I was able to go to an old gym and when I sent my video out, colleges expressed interest.”

Santacross: “My process consisted of constant tournaments and showcases throughout the summers where I could get exposure for college coaches to see me. I also went to a lot of prospect camps for specific schools I was interested in.”

Singer: “At first I was naive to the process and what it meant to really show interest in schools by emailing coaches. Unfortunately, I was a few months late to the game, and many schools that I did reach out to had their recruiting class fill. However, I made due with what I had and formulated dozens of interest emails that I used to reach out to a variety of coaches.