CHSAANow

Category: Recruiting

  • Lakewood’s Erin Gillcrist commits to San Diego State volleyball

    Chaparral Smoky Hill Lakewood volleyball
    Lakewood’s Erin Gillcrist. (Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

    Last fall, as a sophomore, Erin Gillcrist helped Lakewood volleyball reach the Class 5A regional round. Now, just before her junior season begins, Gillcrist has already made collegiate plans.

    On Monday, Gillcrist announced her commitment to San Diego State over Twitter:

    Gillcrist, an opposite and outside hitter, had 155 kills (2.3 per set) and 72 total digs last season. She was also on the Tigers’ varsity team as a freshman, recording 36 kills.

    Lakewood was 13-12 last season. Two years ago, the Tigers went 17-8.

    San Diego State, a member of the Mountain West Conference, went 14-15 last season. The Aztecs have Overland graduate Ciara Brown on the roster this season as a senior.

    Gillcrist is the sixth known volleyball player from the 2017 class to make her college choice.

  • Grandview’s Nicole Lyubenko to play soccer for Alabama

    Grandview's Nicole Lyubenko handles the ball during the Class 5A state championship game in May. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)
    Grandview’s Nicole Lyubenko handles the ball during the Class 5A state championship game in May. (Tim Visser/TimVisserPhotography.com)

    The Crimson Tide recruiting trail has successfully rolled through Colorado. Grandview junior Nicole Lyubenko announced on Twitter that she has decided to continue her soccer career at the University of Alabama.

    Lyubenko scored a team-high 12 goals for the Wolves last year and tacked on six assists to bring her scoring total to 30 points on the season.

    That effort was a key factor in Grandview claiming the Class 5A state championship.

    She is just the latest member of the Wolves to declare her college choice. She has teammates both in the 2016 and 2017 recruiting classes that will play for high-profile programs upon the completion of their high school careers.

  • Fort Morgan’s Toby McBride commits to CSU football

    Holy Family Fort Morgan football
    Fort Morgan’s Toby McBride (32) has committed to CSU. (Pam Wagner/CHSAANow.com)

    Toby McBride, a two-sport star at Fort Morgan, committed to play football at Colorado State on Tuesday evening.

    McBride, who will be a senior, tweeted out news of his commitment:

    https://twitter.com/tobymcb/status/628731595919241216

    A 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end and fullback, also had offers from Air Force and Wyoming. CSU offered on July 24.

    Last season, McBride had nine sacks and 100 tackles. He also caused four fumbles, and recovered three others. As a fullback, he had 575 yards and 14 touchdowns on 90 carries.

    McBride also won the 220-pound championship at the Class 4A wrestling state tournament last winter. It was his second straight wrestling title — he also won 4A 220 in 2014.

    Fort Morgan reached the Class 3A semifinals last season.

    McBride is the first Division I football recruit out of Fort Morgan since 2006, according to Rivals.com. Former Fort Morgan star Joel Dreessen, who graduated in 2000, also played at CSU and later in the NFL.

    First-year CSU coach Mike Bobo tweeted out a not-so-subtle response to McBride’s commitment:

    He is the seventh member of football’s Class of 2016 to make his college choice known — the first to CSU. Last cycle, the Rams signed four in-state products.

  • ThunderRidge’s Taylor Rusk commits to Wyoming for girls basketball

    ThunderRidge Grandview girls basketball
    ThunderRidge’s Taylor Rusk has committed to Wyoming. (Kai Casey/CHSAANow.com)

    Taylor Rusk, who led ThunderRidge to an appearance in the Class 5A girls basketball championship game last winter, has committed to play at Wyoming.

    Rusk, a senior, tweeted the news of her commitment on Monday:

    Rusk led ThunderRidge in scoring last season, averaging 14.0 points per game. She also averaged 7.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

    The 5-foot-11 Rusk, who plays guard, wing and forward, was a first-team all-state pick in Class 5A after the season.

    The Grizzlies are sure to be a title contender in 2015-16, with four of their top five returning scorers back. In the offseason, Matt Asik was hired to take over the program when former coach Paula Krueger left for a job at her alma mater.

    Rusk joins fellow ThunderRidge basketball player Austin Mueller in committing to Wyoming. Mueller committed in June.

    She is the latest member of girls basketball’s Class of 2016 to make her college choice. On Tuesday, Rusk’s teammate Jaz’Myne Snipes committed to Regis University.

  • Grandview’s Colby Moore commits to DU lacrosse

    Grandview Cherry Creek boys lacrosse
    Grandview’s Colby Moore (12). (Matt Minton)

    The defending NCAA lacrosse national champions are getting some help from Grandview, just not for a couple of years.

    About-to-be-sophomore defenseman Colby Moore announced on Twitter Thursday afternoon that he has committed to play lacrosse for the Pioneers.

    Moore appeared in 13 games for the Wolves in 2014, scoring only once and totaling two points, but was big on the defensive side of the ball.

    He will stay close to home and play for the first program outside of the eastern time zone to win a national lacrosse championship.

    He still has three more years to help Grandview win a state title. The Wolves fell to Kent Denver 12-8 in the first round of last year’s Class 5A tournament.

    The 2018 recruiting database has been updated to reflect Moore’s commitment.

  • Regis Jesuit baseball’s Travis Marr commits to Clemson

    (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)
    Regos Jesuit’s Travis Marr. (Jack Eberhard/JacksActionShots.com)

    Travis Marr, a right-handed pitcher and infielder at Regis Jesuit, committed to play baseball at Clemson on Friday afternooon.

    Marr, set to be a senior in the fall, announced his commitment on Twitter:

    https://twitter.com/travismarr12/status/627193440481087488

    Marr hit .382 with two home runs and 12 RBI last season in 22 games. He also made eight appearances on the mound, and went 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA in 38 innings pitched. He had 30 strikeouts to 19 walks.

    In his last appearance of the season, Marr threw seven innings against Pine Creek in a 3-2 win during the opening round of the Class 5A state tournament, striking out seven and walking none.

    Marr is the third member of Regis Jesuit’s baseball team from the Class of 2016 to commit to a Division I program. Bo Weiss is headed to North Carolina, and Nick Spiliotis has committed to Dayton.

    Clemson was 32-29 last season, including 16-13 in the ACC. The Tigers went to Regionals, but were eliminated.

    A total of 15 in-state baseball players from 2016 have already made their college choices known.

  • Rangeview’s Jackie McBride commits to Wyoming for volleyball

    Jackie McBride, an outside hitter set to begin her senior season at Rangeview in a few weeks, committed to Wyoming to play volleyball on Sunday evening.

    The 5-foot-11 McBride announced her college choice on Twitter:

    McBride had 224 kills last season, averaging 2.9 per set, as well as 200 digs (2.0 per set). Both figures led Rangeview She also had 48 total blocks, and 30 aces.

    Rangeview made the Class 5A district rounds in 2014, and went 17-8.

    McBride is also a soccer player for Rangeview. She had six goals and an assist in 12 games last spring for the Raiders.

    Wyoming volleyball currently has five Colorado products on its roster: Lutheran’s Laura Beach (a junior), Valley’s Courtney Chacon (junior), Cherokee Trail’s Kayla Slofkiss (junior), Valley’s Cori Aafedt (freshman) and Douglas County’s Mattison DeGarmo (freshman). All five will have eligibility remaining when McBride arrives on campus in 2016.

    McBride is the 20th known in-state volleyball commit from the Class of 2016 so far.

  • Mullen’s Caleb Rueth to play lacrosse at Ohio Northern

    Mullen Cherry Creek boys lacrosse
    (Matt Minton)

    Mullen attacker Caleb Rueth announced on Twitter Thursday that he has committed to play lacrosse at Ohio Northern University.

    Rueth played in 12 games for the Mustangs, scoring eight goals and assisting on 10 others. He has totaled 23 points during his varsity career at Mullen.

    He is entering his senior season with the Mustangs where he hopes he can get them closer to a Class 5A state championship.

    This is the latest commitment for the class of 2016, which has already seen 11 lacrosse players commit to college teams.

  • Regis Jesuit’s Nick Spiliotis commits to Dayton for baseball

    Nick Spiliotis, who will be a senior at Regis Jesuit in the fall, committed to Dayton to play baseball on Tuesday.

    Spiliotis announced his commitment on Twitter:

    The 6-foot, 185-pounds Spiliotis is a right-handed pitcher who also hits left-handed and plays first base and outfield.

    Spiliotis becomes the 13th known in-state player to make a college choice from the Class of 2016. He joins teammate Bo Weiss, a North Carolina recruit, in committing.

  • Chaparral’s Emily Moore commits to Austin Peay for softball

    Legend Chaparral softball
    (Kevin Keyser/KeyserImages.com)

    Chaparral softball star Emily Moore committed to Austin Peay State on Monday afternoon.

    Moore, who will be a senior in the fall, announced her decision on Instagram:

    https://instagram.com/p/5FoWsjlpYH/

    Moore, a shortstop, helped Chaparral reach the Class 5A state tournament last season by hitting .500 with 17 RBIs.

    Off the field, she started a major movement in the softball community with her Diamond Project, which donated softball equipment to youth athletes in the Dominican Republic. The project culminated at the state tournament.

    Austin Peay, a Division I school in Tennessee, plays in the Ohio Valley Conference. Cherry Creek graduate Mel Pavel, a catcher, will be a senior with the Governors next season.

    Moore becomes the latest softball player from the Class of 2016 to make her college choice.