Five Commit On National Signing Day

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On National Signing Day, the following players signed to play either Division I and II sports: Katie Winch (LIU Post, D II), Alyssa Guidi (Fresno State, D I), Tali Popinko (Temple, D I), Rebecca Sigman (Bloomsburg, D II), and Mikayla Dugan (Quinnipiac, D I) (Photo courtesy of Geri McKelvey)

Moving onto life after high school, five athletes will continue to show Blue Streak pride at Division I and  II colleges and universities this upcoming fall.

Most of these schools are on the East Coast, except for the school to be attended by Alyssa Guidi, who has decided to play DI lacrosse at California State University, at Fresno, which has a budding lacrosse program.  Guidi visited Fresno State during her junior year to attend a camp..

“The school is so unbelievably beautiful. It sits in the valley of the Sierra Nevada Mountains,” she said.  “I have always wanted a big school with a big athletic atmosphere and when I went out to Fresno, I knew that it was the school for me.

         In selecting one of the oldest cities in the United States, Tali Popinko was one of the first to commit to become a collegiate athlete. Popinko is ready to become a DI field hockey player at Temple University in Philadelphia.

“I believe that if I work hard enough these next few months before I leave in June,” said Popinko.  “I’ll definitely be ready.”

The Temple-bound field hockey player had multiple reasons for deciding to go to the Center City based college. One of the deciding factors was Popinko’s future teammates.

“The girls on the team made me feel very welcome, and showed me all around campus,” she said.  “They were all so nice and super funny, and made me feel like I’d definitely fit right into their team.”

Another player who partially chose their school for the team atmosphere is Mikayla Dugan.  Dugan will continue her field hockey career playing  DI at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.

“I fell in love with the campus and what it has to offer. It is a beautiful place. I also liked how the campus wasn’t too small or too big,” she said. “I also chose this university because the field hockey coach made it feel like home to meFrom that point, I knew that it was the right fit for me.”

Division II-bound field hockey player, Rebecca Sigman, committed to Bloomsburg University in  Pennsylvania.  Sigman had been looking for a school that will accommodate her future major.

“Bloomsburg has a phenomenal medical and nursing program,” she said. “Plus, at Bloomsburg, I am allowed to pursue a major in nursing while also being a part of the field hockey team.”

Sigman said  she fell in love  with the  school’s   atmosphere.

     “The campus is so home-like and the team seems so family-oriented that I feel I would be very comfortable,”she

said. 

         The only person who is playing a sport indoors is Katie Winch who is going to Long Island University at Post,  D II -bound.  Winch had talked to many schools and LIU stood out because of their bowling program that continues to gain talent.

“I hope to assist the LIU Post Women’s bowling team further in their already growing program,” she said.

For Winch, the transition to college bowling should be smooth,  especially since she is ready for the higher-level competition.

“I think I have always wanted to compete on a larger level,” said Winch. “Bowling is a sport that is the same no matter the country you’re in or the level you play at, so it is essentially no different than high school bowling.”