1. Why did you decide to sign with Salem International University?

This was one of the biggest decisions I have made to date. At every college, I had a checklist used when gathering information in order to make the best possible informed decision. SIU scored highest on my most important criteria: Academics, Athletics, and Location. Then the coach, players, and staff sealed the deal by treating me like family from the first moment.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I can not put into words the excitement and anticipation of playing D2 baseball in college. Football was a close second, but ever since my T-ball days as a 5-year-old, it has been my dream to one day play college baseball.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

Sell, sell, sell and sell yourself some more. You must get your name out there in any way, as long as it is a positive way. Do not put this task into the hands of someone else as nobody can care as much about the final outcome as you. It’s a cliché, but do not give up hope until the fat lady sings. I had several surprises and great offers come in the weeks following my NLI signing.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

My parents are my support system. My dad took me into my teenage years with baseball knowledge. After that, I leaned on anybody involved with playing the game at the next level, especially Kyle Wagner and Billy White from GoWags, my indoor training facility.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

Win the division all four years and make it to the D2 college world series. I also want to be a four-year starter in order to contribute to the team’s success.

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1. Why did you decide to sign with Vanier College?

I decided to sign with Vanier College based on the outstanding football program, and opportunity to excel in my studies. With such a high number of kids attending university after they’re finished at Vanier, I knew it was the right choice. With the excellent coaching and training program, I knew that if I chose Vanier, they would help me become the best player I could potentially be. I went down to Vanier on April 13th, 2012 for a practice, and all the players and coaches greeted me in such a friendly manner, it was hard to say no to Vanier College. The facilities were awesome, the coaching was awesome, and you can just tell that you were in a championship atmosphere at Vanier. I knew that this would be my new team, school, and a place I could call “home”.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

The excitement about becoming a student-athlete is just endless. Attending a school with the exact program you want is ideal, but the fact that the football program at Vanier College is also top notch was like music to my ears. I’m not only studying what I love (media arts), but also doing what I love, by playing football.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

To all athletes that are looking to be recruited, DO NOT GIVE UP! I started playing football 3 years ago, and one of my coaches told me “you’ll never go anywhere with football. You should just quit while you’re ahead”. Well sure enough, I proved him wrong. Nothing comes easy though, you’re gonna get back whatever you put into a situation. Keep yourself in the weight room a lot, watch a lot of film, and always stay focused on and off the field. I would also suggest to make a highlight tape, as it will really help in the whole recruiting process and it will also help you get your name out there to lots of coaches.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

I would say I definitely have more than just one big influence on playing football. First off, my ex-girlfriend of 4 years, Alessia Morisani who recently passed away on October 2011 in a car accident is one of my biggest influences. After my first season of football, I just wasn’t happy with my play. I didn’t know the game as well as the others did around me, so I wanted to quit. Alessia always told me “I believe in you. You’re such a determined person, you can do whatever you put your head to. You’re gonna go where you want to go in football, I promise.” Therefore, I did a lot of training in the off-season and once I came back to play, my game was improved. Vanier College is where I wanted to go, and sure enough after the passing of Alessia, is when I got in contact with Vanier College. She was right, I got where I wanted to go because of how determined I was, and no matter what criticism I heard, I never gave up because I knew I could do it. She was always my biggest fan, influence, and motivator. Before every game I say a prayer to her, and I know she’s there in spirit. There’s no bigger influence than Alessia for me.

Another influence is my family and friends. Without my family and friends staying behind me and believing in me, it would definitely be harder to be as passionate as I am about the game. Everything I do, whether it’s going to visit schools in the U.S. or Quebec, or even things as simple as getting to football practice or football games, I can always count on my parents to have my back and help me with what I want to do. I definitely couldn’t do it without my parents.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

During my college sports career I would like to accomplish many things. I would like to become a better student, become stronger in the weight room, become better technically, and also become smarter on the field. I feel that attending Vanier College will help me accomplish all of that. After my 2 years at Vanier College, I would like to go to the NCAA and play some Division 1 football. With all the experience and knowledge I take from my coaching staff, combined with my determination and never quit attitude that I take from myself, this goal is very achievable.

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1. Why did you decide to sign with the University of Massachusetts Boston?

I decided to play at Umass Boston because I wanted to be a four-year starter. Also, I really liked the academic environment of the school and the area of Boston can’t be beaten when it comes to college towns. The money the school is putting into the athletic program was a huge point in the decision-making process.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I can’t be more excited about playing baseball in college. After excelling in high school, I want to be able to use my talents to play against the best competition in the country.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

The advice I would give a high school athlete who wants to play at the next level is to make sure they gain as much exposure as possible, whether it be through videos sent to coaches or attending showcases, make sure to take advantage of every opportunity you get to show your stuff to college coaches.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

The biggest influence in my sports career has been my two coaches who helped me become the player I am today; my high school coach who turned me into a pitcher, and then my pitching coach who perfected my tools as a pitcher.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

I want to be able to set school records in pitching categories. I know it might not sound like a realistic goal, but I believe the higher I set my goals, the more room I have to achieve great things. My other goal is to play at the next level after college because it is a game I love and I don’t want to ever have to put my glove down.

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1. Why did you decide to sign with Cornell College?

I really like everything they offered me. They are very high on academics, which really interest me, and also the football team has a fresh new coach staff, so change is coming. They treated me like I was family on my visit and welcomed me with open arms.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m very excited there aren’t words to even explain how excited I am for this opportunity. I dream about being in Iowa every night. I’m just training and counting my days down.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

The advice I would give is to be at the top of everything. If someone runs extra sprints or does extra work you do double what they do and lead your team. Also, never get discouraged when things don’t go your way, because at one point in time I lost an offer because of coaching changes and I hung up my cleats. But nothing is ever given to you, you have to go out and take it.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

My biggest influence has been my uncle Rick and mother. My uncle Derek “Ricky” Newman attended Illinois State, and then played Arena football for the Cleveland Thunderbolts. He was shot 3 times in his car and killed. I want to finish what he started and play pro football one day. If I have to start from the bottom, I will and work my way up the chain to the top. My mother has done so much for me and has attended every single one of my sporting events since I started playing flag football. She has always wanted the best for me and I just want to give back to her all the love she has showed me. She is like my heart that keeps pumping and keeps me going when I’m down.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

I would like to be one of those players that everyone talks about how hard he worked and how he led the team. I want people to say, “Yeah Dentist Hall, he was one of the greats I played with.” Also, I want to break a couple records and leave my name on the school.

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1. Why did you decide to sign with College of Mt. Saint Joseph?
I liked the coaching staff, they were real welcoming and they had a lot of confidence is their program. Also, for the school of course; they have a great educational program overall. I liked the location and it seemed like a lot fun down here.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m very excited. I can’t wait to see exactly how everything is going to play out. I can’t wait to get there and compete for a position. I can’t wait to get there; I’m ready for everything

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

My first word of advice is, never get sold on any college until they offer you a serious offer. Keep an open mind about everything and don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

4. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

My first goal is to graduate, get that foundation. My secondary goal, I do wanna play at the next level, I know it will be a whole lot of work, but football is my life.

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1. Why did you decide to sign with Huntingdon College?

I decided to sign with Huntingdon because it’s a place I fit in perfectly, and it’s not very far from home. It’s a great school.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m very excited to become a student-athlete at the college level. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid. It’s a sweet feeling.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

To other athletes looking to get recruited, I advise them to work hard, maintain good grades, and be disciplined on and off the field.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

The biggest influence in my sports career has been my dad. He always pushes me to another level and encourages me to work hard. He also trains me.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

During my college sports career I would like to accomplish a lot. I would like to help Huntingdon College win their first NCAA DIII title and many more. I’m just excited I get to live out my dreams and I would also like to join Cody Pearcy in the NFL.

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.

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I chose UC Davis because it felt like it was a perfect fit for me. I felt at home there, where as I hadn’t felt that anywhere else. I also loved the campus and all of the people that I got to meet there, especially my future teammates. Finally, the last reason I chose UC Davis was because it excels in the field I want to major in and the professors are some of the most knowledgeable minds in the teaching world.

2. Share your recruiting story and status

My recruiting process started in the fall of my freshman year. I was going to be participating in a huge National tournament and some of the older girls on my team had suggested that I should put together a resume that contained a photo, my name, academic accomplishments and of course athletic accomplishments. They also recommended that I email this resume to the coaches from any school I was thinking about looking into. Although the NCAA rules said they could not reply to me, this allowed me to enter the recruiting radar of some of the coaches. I followed the same process for a few more tournaments I attended that year and hoped that my constant introductions and level of play would interest some coaches. During my Sophomore year, I had my video done by the wonderful SportsForce team! They did everything I could have asked for and more! They even went back and added 10 clips of footage that I had obtained from a tournament in February of my sophomore year. I also followed the same process with tournaments, but the coaches were still not allowed to contact me due to the NCAA rules. That summer between my Sophomore and Junior year, I attended many field hockey camps on both the west and east coast. I also toured about 15 colleges on the east coast. While I was there I wanted to see if I would feel at home on the campus and to view the facilities that I could have possibly played on. I would recommend touring any colleges that a student-athlete is seriously thinking about during that summer because your Junior year is a big year for the recruitment process. It is best to know what you like and what you do not like in a school as you will be spending four years of your life there! Finally in my Junior year, I was invited on a few unofficial visits to campuses and I instantly fell in love with UC Davis. The team, coaching staff, facilities, professors, and the campus itself instantly made it feel like a home away from home. I also attended a few more tournaments that year and sent out both my resume and video. Now that it was my Junior year, I could have limited interaction with coaches via email and I was able to narrow down which ones were interested in me and which were not. In December, I was given a verbal commitment offer from the UC Davis coach and they asked me to think about it. I seriously thought about it and when I was invited to their Junior Day in April, I accepted the verbal offer and could not have been happier with my decision!

3. When did you start your recruiting process?

I started my recruiting process in the fall of my freshman year.

4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process (ex. start early, get a highlight video)?

Advice that I would give to players and parents is to definitely start early with the recruiting process. Your freshman year is an excellent time to organize a list of colleges that the player is interested in and focus on both the athletic and academic programs. My parents made sure that I am going to the school I want to go to and not just for the athletic aspect of it. It is important to find a place where the student-athlete will be happy and successful as they will be spending four years of their life there! Another tip is to make sure you get a video done in your sophomore or beginning of your junior year, as this is the prime time to start sending the video as well as the resume off to college coaches. Lastly, make sure that both the student-athlete and their parents go and tour the colleges in question before any commitments are made so you can get a good a sense of where the student-athlete may eventually end up and where the parents would be coming to visit.

5. What excites you the most about starting college?

The thing that excites me most about starting college is being able to meet people from not only all over the country, but also all over the world. I love interacting with people so I am definitely excited about meeting new people with different upbringings and stories and hopefully making life long friendships with them. This will especially apply to my future team, as I am positive that connections will be made during the years that will continue long past the end of college!

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1. Why did you decide to sign with the Stephen F. Austin State University?

I decided to sign with SFA because it gave me the great opportunity of playing Division 1 ball, as well as being a very reputable school in the teaching field. This gives me the chance to play with, and learn from, some great upperclassmen, and an amazing coaching staff.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m very excited and blessed to have this opportunity! It’s great to finally see all my hard work pay off! It’s very humbling and exciting to be playing at the highest level of college baseball.

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

I would advise you to continue to work hard. God has a plan so try not to get frustrated! I know it was hard for me not to question why, but try hard to stay focused and understand there’s a place for you. It’s about being at the right place at the right time!

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

My biggest influence is my family. They’ve sacrificed so much to help support my baseball goals. I’m very appreciative of them for sticking with me and believing in me. They gave me the best they good in terms of equipment and certain select teams so I get the best opportunity possible to get noticed.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

I would like to better myself physically and mentally and become the best ball player I can. The stats and winning will take care of themselves if I prepare the right way. But I hope to continue playing as long as I can and when I’m done, I plan to coach high school baseball!

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1. Why did you decide to sign with the University of Tennessee?

I had it narrowed down to Georgia, Tennessee and Clemson. Tennessee just felt like home. It has a monster stadium, the faculty staff was real nice, I met some of the players and felt like it was a good atmosphere to play in.

2. Describe the excitement you feel about becoming a college student-athlete?

I’m so excited, it ain’t even funny

3. What advice would you give to other athletes looking to get recruited?

Don’t give up in school, in God, in football because you never know how far you can make it. Don’t be afraid to step out of the box and enjoy life.

4. Who has been the biggest influence in your sports career and why?

Probably my parents. We moved into another home and I went back to football. They were always there for me. They always took me to camps; my mom would wash my clothes, and my dad would be the one to drive me. One weekend we drove to the University of Kentucky on Friday night and drove back down to Lincolnton on Saturday to come back home and go to church on Sunday.

5. What would you like to accomplish during college sports career?

I’m thinking 10-12 years in the NFL, retire when I’m about 35 and live on the beach (laughing).

Over the last five years SportsForce Recruiting has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.

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STEP # 1 – Talk to Your Coach

The first thing we recommend is talking to your high school and/or club team coach. Most often, these coaches have been involved in this process for a long time and have coached student-athletes that have been through the recruiting process before. Their experience will give them a good idea of what potential level you could play at in the future.

Parents and student-athletes need to ask their high school or club team coach what level they should look at for playing beyond high school. Often, the coach will give you an idea of your skill set and abilities athletically and academically. You must use your high school and club team coach as a resource to get an assessment, advice and then a recommendation. Remember, they’ve often already been through this same process with other athletes, and can be a good evaluator of your skill level because they have seen many other teams and players compete.

STEP # 2 – Watch

The next step in picking the right collegiate level of play is watching. Look at colleges from all levels of play (Division 1,2,3, or Junior College) and try to figure out when they’re going to be playing in your local area. If you can, go to a game and watch them in person. Try and scout college freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors to see how they’re playing and what their skill set is like physically. This will give you a good idea of where you fit in best. SportsForce recommends that student-athletes and parents attend a few local games to get an idea of their caliber of play.

If you can’t physically attend a local game you can also watch a number of games over the Internet. Again, it is important that you evaluate the caliber of play for each collegiate level. For example, if you’re watching a Division I football game, you can get a solid idea of how good the quarterback is at USC or how good the running back is at University of Alabama. Once you understand this you can ask yourself if you stack up with that level of size and athletic ability.

STEP # 3 – Research

It is also essential that you visit the websites of your potential colleges and look at their team roster. For example, go to a number of Division 1, 2, and 3 team websites and look at the size and background of their players. What do they look like physically? What kind of academic or athletic awards did they receive in high school? Try to match your physical traits and athletic and academic success with the right collegiate level of play.

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