Nicole Nesbit â10: UC Santa Barbara
By Alex Edel
After receiving offers from Pepperdine, Colorado State, Montana State, and Loyola Marymount Nicole Nesbit has committed to play basketball and attend UC Santa Barbara.
For Nesbit the recruiting process began September 1st of last year, when coaches are officially allowed to contact players.
“I was talking to the coach and it just seemed like the best school for me,” Nesbit said. “Iâve visited a lot of different schools and it just really fit me. I like how itâs a smaller school, compared to some of the other campuses, which are really full and huge. To me, itâs just a more comfortable environment,” Nesbit said.
While most seniors are just beginning to make decisions about college, Nesbit has already decided.
“It is really weird, because I know I wonât have to go through the application process,” Nesbit said. “Iâm probably only going to fill out one application and itâs especially weird because I still have another year of high school. But I guess at the same time, itâs kind of better because I donât have any doubts about whether I will get into a school or not, so a lot of the pressure is relieved,” Nesbit said.
Nesbit was point guard for the Harvard Westlake team that progressed to state quarter finals last year. Last year she scored 312 points, averaging 9.8 points per game. Last year the team had an overall record of 22-10 and a league record of 8-2. The girls won CIF finals in a two point win against Pacific Hill. They continued on to quarter finals against Mater Dei Catholic where they lost 61-66.
UC Santa Barbara had an overall record of 22-10 last year with a 15-1 record inside of the Big West Conference.
Malcolm Meeks â10: Columbia, Princeton
By Jonah Rosenbaum
Senior tight end Malcolm Meeks is weighing his options during an “exciting and stressful” recruiting process. Meeks has received standing offers from Ivy League schools Columbia and Princeton, and is waiting to add Penn to the list of potential suitors.
“I had a great time at a couple of camps I went to [at Columbia and Princeton,] and it is a relief to know that I already have some firm options. Iâm not in any rush to make a decision. I plan on waiting before I make such an important choice,” he said.
Besides his role as a tight end for the Wolverines, Meeks is also one of the top ranked punters in the country. Although he is mainly receiving attention from smaller division I and Ivy League schools, Meeks is hopeful that his punting prowess leads to an offer from a more prestigious football school.
“I think I can be a punter for a high level division one team, but Iâll just have to wait and see what happens,” Meeks said.
Meeks was named to the All Del-Rey team as a punter in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
Sydney Haydel â10: Hawaii
By Jonah Rosenbaum
After being recruited by several universities including University of San Diego, Oregon State, Harvard, and UC Davis, Sydney Haydel (â10) has committed to play basketball at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She chose the University of Hawaii not only because it is a great business school but also because of “the beautiful beaches and the great weather.”
For Haydel, the recruiting process wasnât as time-consuming as usual. “It feels great. Itâs like a weight lifted off my shoulders because the recruiting process can be very stressful and difficult,” Haydel said.
Last season Hawaii had a conference record of 4-12, while finishing the season with an overall record of 8-23. of “Whatâs great about their team is they are completely rebuilding the basketball program. New coaches and new players. Great things are going to come from the program in the next few years,” said Haydel.
Nick Okano â10: Columbia, Princeton, Yale, Air Force
By Jack Davis
Safety Nick Okano â10 is going to play football in college, that much is certain, although where he will play still remains in question. Okano currently has offers from Air Force, Columbia, Princeton, and Yale to play football but is “probably” going to wait until December to make a decision.
“I want to go on official visits to the schools I have offers from to see what fits me best before I commit anywhere,” Okano said.
Okano is also receiving interest from Army, Navy, Nevada, Stanford, and Wyoming, although they have yet to offer Okano a scholarship.
“Iâm going to send a bunch of schools some early season senior tapes after a few games and that might make some more schools interested,” Okano said.
In a game last season, Okano set a school record with four interceptions in a game. Okano was also named an all league player his sophomore and junior seasons.
Jackson Ligouri â10: Brown, Yale
By Jonah Rosenbaum
Senior wide receiver Jackson Ligouri is balancing heavy interest from Ivy League schools, namely Yale and Brown. Though he has not yet received a firm offer, Ligouri feels like he may receive one soon.
“You get a phone call from the coach usually right about now, and thatâs when they make it final. Iâve been emailing back and forth with both coaches (Yale and Brown), and I feel like itâs getting close,” he said.
Ligouri facilitated his recruitment by traveling the east coast circuit of summer football camps, most of them Ivy League affiliated.
“The camps were a little stressful because it really is all about first impression, but they were also a lot of fun. You get to meet a lot of kids, work with some great coaches, and play football,” Ligouri said.
Ligouri said he is not yet ready to put one school in front of the other, as without an official offer, that would be premature.
“They are both such great schools, with so many positives and so few negatives. It would be a great difficult decision to have to make, choosing between Brown and Yale, and that would be an ideal situation,” Ligouri said.
So are the schools completely equal in Ligouriâs eyes? Well, not quite.
“Emma Watson goes to Brown, and sheâs sort of my dream girl, so that gives Brown a slight edge,” Ligouri said.
