Recently, seniors have been busy trying to get all their college applications together and picking the colleges that are the best fit for them. However, not all seniors are feeling this kind of pressure.
On Nov. 13, five committed seniors signed to their NCAA Division I universities: Avery Coleman to Dartmouth College, Navi Kawesi-Mukooza to Old Dominion University, Acaden Lewis to University of Kentucky, Lia Nathan to Stanford University and Jalen Rougier-Roane to George Washington University.
Other committed seniors who did not participate in the November Signing Day include Malika Hill, committed to Colby College for soccer; Kevin Carpenter-Holmes, committed to University of Rochester for baseball; and Andrei Naslymov, committed to the Air Force Academy for fencing.
Sidwell’s National Signing Day event took place after school on the North Basketball Court in the Pearson Athletic Center. Each of the five seniors had their own table, which their parents decorated with their respective college memorabilia.
In the bleachers were Sidwell students as well as faculty and staff, all there to support the athletes.
Athletic Director John Square began the event by asking each senior to introduce themselves and their family who were sitting at their table. Then Coach Square asked each athlete a series of questions, ranging from their recruitment process to advice they would give to hopeful collegiate athletes.
When asked about their journey through their sport, many athletes—including Coleman, Kawesi-Mukooza and Lewis—mentioned how they had to fight through adversity. “I wasn’t very good [at soccer] when I was younger,” said Kawesi-Mukooza, but it was through “dedication and hard work” that she is able to play at her current level.
Lewis also mentioned how he was cut from his middle school basketball team, but managed to persevere.
All athletes also thanked their coaches, family and teammates for all of their support. Coleman said that she is “so grateful” for her family because they drove “early in the morning or late at night” to get her to “all of [her] tournaments and ID camps.”
The event finished with each athlete signing their financial aid agreement with their university, formerly known as the National Letter of Intent (NLI). Each athlete also took photos with their family, friends and teammates.
When interviewed after the event, Lewis, the UK basketball recruit, provided insights into his thought process behind playing college basketball on a new team. When asked why he chose to pursue basketball, he said it “just felt right. [I have] been playing sports since an early age.”
“With the immense opportunity and stage Kentucky basketball has, it’s a great opportunity in something I love.”
Lewis also illustrated some of his experiences with his basketball recruitment processes. He played both at Sidwell and in the Amateur Athletic Union, where he played on the Nike circuit for Team Durant.
“I traveled the country hooping this summer. Coaches reach out to you and form bonds. It’s on you to find the correct fit.”
Lewis remarked that he briefly met the Kentucky team on his visit and did not know how similar it would feel to the Sidwell team. However, he did “develop a great bond and feel a genuine connection” with the coaches and staff on his new team. He declared, “It feels similar to Sidwell, where I’ve excelled at.”
Nazlymov, an Air Force recruit for men’s fencing, shared his college recruitment process and his reason for pursuing fencing after he graduated.
“I chose to pursue my sport in college because it was a means of guaranteeing admission. For many of the programs I was interested in, it also guaranteed an athletic scholarship.”
At the beginning of the season, Nazlymov stated that he reached out to all the programs he was interested in. Throughout the season he continued to update the coaches with new results or developments in his progress.
“Coaches typically only replied with comments like ‘nice work’ or ‘thanks for the update.’ Eventually, as results improved, these coaches reached out to set up meetings and inquire more about myself.”
After being offered a spot on the roster and admission to the school, Nazlymov visited the Air Force Academy to truly assess whether it was a good fit for him.
“In April I made my decision and called the Air Force coach to let them know, and called the other coaches that offered to break the bad news. After that, I was given instructions on how to begin my application.”
During his visit to the academy, Nazlymov met most of the team he will train on. When asked whether or not he felt that his new team would feel similar or different from the team he was on during high school, he reflected on the advantages of being on the college team.
“I believe that in college, the team as a whole will be much closer than most of my teammates at practice since I will be spending much more time with them… Fencing is an individual sport, however, in college competitions results are based on the total victories of the entire team. I believe that will also bring me closer to my teammates in college.”
For the Sidwell student-athletes who did not sign in the fall, the NCAA has two more signing periods, one in the winter and one in the spring. Specifically, the spring signing day is open to all athletes, including those who will be competing for Division III universities.
Overall, the five seniors who signed on Nov. 13 have worked hard throughout high school to find a college that is right for them and have taken another step towards furthering their athletic careers as well as their education.