College Bound

Seven student-athletes in six sports from Jesuit High School participated in a special early morning college signing ceremony on Wednesday (April 15) in the President's Board Room.

Jesuit president Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J. and athletic director Terry Rupp ’84 addressed the signees. They encouraged them to take what they have learned at Jesuit with them to college and the next phase of their lives. Family and friends filled the board room for the event prior to the start of the school day.

Signing a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday were: Daniel Darst, who will be reunited with 2013 Jesuit graduate J.J. Weir on the basketball team at Rhodes College; football players Devyn Freeland (John Carroll) and Gage Holt (Mount Union), who will become Ohio Athletic Conference rivals at a pair of Division III powerhouse programs; golfer Nick Franco (Loyola University – New Orleans); baseball player Nathan McCabe (Covenant College); and track & field standout Dante Newberg (Florida State), who the night before signing with FSU helped Jesuit track win the District title while capturing first place in the 110 hurdles.

The seventh signee, Austin Sellers (North Carolina), is one of the most accomplished swimmers in Jesuit’s storied history. Sellers led the Tigers to District and Region titles this past fall and a runner-up finish at the Class 2A State Meet, where he won a gold medal in the 100 breaststroke (just missing a state record time) and four silvers, while setting three school records and achieving three All-American times.

(Homepage photo L-R: Sellers, McCabe, Newberg, Darst, Freeland, Holt, and Franco)

It was the third of three annual signing ceremonies at Jesuit for the 2014-15 school year. In addition to the seven who signed Wednesday, Kevin Newman ’15 indicated he will be joining Freeland on the football team at John Carroll.

Please see video below (or click here) and a photo slideshow below (or click here) from Wednesday morning:

JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL - APRIL 15, 2015 - COLLEGE ATHLETE SIGNINGS

Daniel Darst, basketball, Rhodes College (Tenn.)
Nick Franco, golf, Loyola University (La.)
Devyn Freeland, football, John Carroll Univ. (Ohio)
Gage Holt, football, Mount Union (Ohio)
Nathan McCabe, baseball, Covenant College (Ga.)
Dante Newberg, track & field, Florida State
Austin Sellers, swimming, North Carolina