Buchanan outfielder Josh Williams poses with his family after signing his NLI to play at UCSB. The signing event was held at First String Sports.
It goes without saying that we are living in perilous times, a global pandemic where lives have been altered, family structures have been broken down and schools are in constant flux.
We certainly need some good news and, thankfully, we have many reasons to celebrate.
Forty Clovis Unified students committed to play a college sport, signing their National Letter of Intent (NLI) at various places Wednesday and Thursday – some at school ceremonies (Clovis West and Buchanan) and some in the privacy of their own home.
Attaining a college scholarship is no easy task; the countless hours of hard work in the gym or field, those late nights hitting the books to earn those top grades and of course having the talent to stand out.
And we can’t forget the parents, often the backbone of the kid’s journey with all the road trips, the financial investments and the encouraging words when times are tough.
Clovis West’s Cole Anderson signs his NLI with UCSB. Anderson, the only 3-time TRAC Basketball Player of the Year is 82 points away from being the school’s all-time leading scorer.
The Clovis Sports Report was able to attend the Clovis West signing party on campus on Nov. 11 where social distancing rules were strictly in place. In addition, they participated in a ceremony at First String Sports where nine student/athletes throughout the Valley were honored including four from Clovis Unified. Two Bullard athletes, Brady Zavorek (San Diego State, baseball) and Bryce Weiner (Cal Poly, football) were honored as well as Memorial’s Tanner Sagouspe (Cal Poly, baseball) and Eddie Salvodar (Long Beach State, baseball). Dominic Rodriguez from Turlock is attending baseball at Fresno State.
Some notable athletes moving on after this year are Maximo Renteria of Buchanan, the three time team and individual state wrestling chamnp headed to the University of Illinois, Gabriel Jett of Clovis North, the number one high school swimming recruit in California headed to Cal-Berkely, Cole Anderson of Clovis West, only 82 points away from being the school’s all-time leading scorer in basketball, to UCSB and Nikki Tom of Clovis West, a major player for three-time league and Central Section champs, will be off to UC Irvine.
In addition, Venice Goings of Buchanan will graduate at 16 after skipping her junior year and will be attending Cal Baptist in the sport of stunt, one of the fastest growing female collegiant sports.
Rocco Contino – Wrestling – University of Virginia
Raymond Lopez – Wrestling – West Point
George Ruiz – Wrestling – Annapolis
Maximo Renteria – Wrestling – University of Illinois
Carlos Negrete Jr. – Wrestling – North Dakota State
Jake Bettencourt – Golf – Fresno State University
Olivia Garcia – Basketball – Fresno Pacific University
Claire Raley – Softball – Utah State
Marissa Fondtain – Softball – UC San Diego
Taylor Phillips – Soccer – San Jose State
Brenden Ashman – Golf – Cal State Fullerton
Tarryn DeBenedetto – Volleyball – Colorado Christian University
Taylor Finley – Volleyball – University of Saint Katherine
Lauren Fowler – Track and Field – New Mexico
Bo Olsen – Track and Field – Fresno Pacific University
Josh Williams – Baseball – UC Santa Barbara
Clovis East High
Kacy Wicks – Water Polo – San Diego State
Jacob Tafoya – Football – Air Force
Caitlyn Perales – Softball – Dominican University
Clovis High
Keanu Williams – Football – University of Oregon
Samantha Tristan –Soccer – Fresno State University
Isabella Anderson –Soccer – Fresno State University
Shaley Garza –Soccer – Fresno Pacific University
Libby Alexander –Water Polo – UC Irvine
Julia Price –Volleyball – Indiana Wesleyan University
Clovis North High
Gabriel Jett – Swim and Dive – University of California, Berkeley
Jeffrey Forbes – Swim and Dive – Washington University in St. Louis
Rees Kent – Baseball – Saint Mary’s College
Emma Brown – Soccer – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Sydney Hancock – Volleyball – Colorado State University
Christian Silva – Soccer – California State University, Northridge
Clovis West High
Ashlynne Davis – Volleyball – West Virginia State University
Kianna Cortez-Garcia – Soccer – California State University, East Bay
Cole Anderson – Basketball – UC Santa Barbara
Samuel Otta – Water Polo – UC Irvine
Justyce Harris – Basketball – Concordia University
Kendall Jackson – Basketball – Concordia University
Jada Oatman – Basketball – Fresno Pacific University
Nikki Tom – Basketball – UC Irvine
Austin Lane – Swim and Dive – University of Pittsburgh
Meet Venice Goings who will be attending Cal Baptist on scholarship, participating in the sport of stunt, the fastest growing women’s college sport. Turning 16 on Friday she’s the youngest in California to sign after skipping her junior year. She’s explains what her sport entails pic.twitter.com/IZC4sgmqem