Class of 2021 NLI Signing Ceremonies
Athletics
NLI Signing April 2021
Eighteen Marist seniors participated in a National Letter of Intent signing ceremony at the school on April 21, 2021, indicating their plans to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. While these students have excelled in athletics, they have also attained success in the classroom and demonstrated excellent character.
Jack Harmon will play baseball at John Carroll University. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 high school season, Harmon’s 2019 stats include a .457 batting average with 28 RBI and 16 runs. In his 81 plate appearances, he only struck out four times. Harmon also played football for the RedHawks along with serving as student council president and student ambassador among other activities.
Basketball player Jabari Hill was a three-year varsity starter for Marist appearing in 58 games. He will attend and play for Aurora University. Hill shot 61% from the field, scoring 418 points and averaging seven points per game. He took down 121 offensive rebounds and 169 defensive rebounds for a total 290 rebounds and averaged five rebounds per game. A two-year captain, he led the team with his words and his actions.
Alex Knight scored 688 points over three seasons in 66 games for Marist basketball and will continue his career at Lake Forest College. He averaged 10.4 points per game over his three-year career while shooting 42% from the field. His senior year he scored 207 points, averaging 16 points per game. He was the second leading scorer his senior season in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. Knight was two-year team captain and two-time ESCC all-conference player the past two seasons. This past season, Knight was named to Chicago Sun-Times All City Special Mention Team and was selected to the Class 4A Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All State Special Mention Team.
Bridey Regan will continue her cheer career with Purdue University’s all-girl cheerleading program. A talented gymnast, Regan was a Marist varsity cheer team member for two years, helping earn a third-place finish in state in 2020. Regan was the 2020 Rookie of the Year Award recipient and 2021 MVP Award recipient at Marist.
Jalen Hill is a three-year varsity player for the RedHawks, having helped the team to the 2018 and 2019 state semifinal. He will attend and play for Tufts University in Massachusetts. As a defensive tackle, his impact on the game is far greater than what typical statistics can measure. He often has to sacrifice his body, taking on double teams from the opponent’s offensive line so that the linebackers behind him can make tackles. He has garnered impressive stats on the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom.
Timothy Warr is a two-year starter at wide receiver and will continue his career at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. During his junior season, he finished with 13 receptions for 130 yards. Through five games this season, Tim has 12 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He is relentless in blocking downfield and takes pride in being a complete receiver and doing the dirty work that allows his teammates to make big plays.
Patrick Winters is a two-year starter on offense, playing tight end and H-back. He will continue to play football at John Carroll University. He was primarily used as a blocker as a junior, often asked to block players who outweighed him by 40 pounds or more. This year, Winters used his exceptional athleticism to become a large part of Marist’s passing offense. Through five games this season, Pat has 11 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns. His impact goes beyond his stats and he lets his actions speak for him on the football field.
Logan Pickands is a four-year member of the Marist hockey team and will continue to play at Lewis University. Pickands helped out the varsity squad many times during his freshman and sophomore seasons and then helped lead varsity during his last two seasons. Pickands can play both wing and defense, but is always able to adjust to help the team in any way.
Luke Schuler, who will join the team at Bowling Green University, played two seasons with the RedHawks as both a forward and on defense. He has been the anchor of Marist’s defense with the ability to rush the puck at any moment. Schuler is also involved in many activities off the ice.
Sedona Holland will continue to play lacrosse at Lewis University. Though she did not discover the sport until high school, Holland quickly developed a passion for it and has been a varsity team member for three years.
Sophie Bouck will join the lacrosse team at Illinois Wesleyan University. Bouck loves the adrenaline rush playing goal keeper provides. She holds a 52.3 career goal save percentage and a tournament high percentage of 69%. She was the recipient of the One Heart Award by New Wave and a True Lacrosse Spotlight Player. Bouck also swims for Marist while carrying a heavy academic and co-curricular load.
Ciara Bridges, a four-year varsity soccer player for Marist, will attend and play for Spring Hill College in Alabama. Bridges is a dead ball specialist, penalty kick specialist, and is considered the architect of the RedHawk offense. A senior captain, she has also earned conference and sectional accolades, and has been ranked among the top twenty conference players for two years.
Soccer teammate Cecilia Light has also been a four-year varsity player. She accrued 24 goal 17 assists during her freshman and sophomore seasons. A speedy forward with great ability to find the net, she has tremendous energy. Light too has been honored with all-sectional, all-conference, and offensive MVP honors. A team captain this year, she has been rated a top ten player in conference two times. Light also runs cross country for the RedHawks.
Jillian Elsouso was a member of the 2018 girls’ IHSA state championship team and will continue her career at Lewis University. In 2019, she totaled 178 digs and 15 aces and helped the varsity team to an ESCC championship, a super-sectional title, and a third consecutive appearance down state culminating with an IHSA third place finish. A senior captain, she wrapped up a great high school career on April 21.
Nyherowo Omene is a four-year member of Marist’s volleyball program and a three-year varsity starter. He will continue his studies and play at Princeton University in New Jersey. Omene is an IHSA state champion who was a major contributor to the 40-2 record the 2019 team earned on its way to capturing ESCC championship and state title. Omene finished the 2019 season with 182 kills and 88 blocks. He was selected to the USA Volleyball A1 Program with the top players in the country and will compete in the USA Junior National Championships this summer. He is also heavily involved in academics and activities.
Kyle Pietrzak will continue to play volleyball at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisc. A two-year varsity player for Marist and four-year program member, he was a major contributor as a freshman and sophomore two ESCC championship-winning teams. His senior season is off to a great start as he balances it with classes and clubs.
Wrestler Ethan Bednarczyk will continue his career at Wabash College in Indiana. Bednarczyk was all-conference in 2020, placing second at 106 pounds at the ESCC tournament, as well as second at the IHSA regional tournament. He was an alternate for the 2020 IHSA individual state finals at 106 pounds in Class 3A.
Bobby Gaylord will attend and wrestle for Ohio University. Gaylord amassed 83 career wins in three seasons as a starter for Marist wrestling. He was the 2020 IHSA regional champion at 170 pounds and placed sixth in state at the Class 3A IHSA individual state finals.
In early May, four more seniors committed to college programs. Nicole Wagner will continue her softball career with Moraine Valley Community College. Mateen Taylor will continue his academic and athletic career wrestling at North Central College. Taylor is a two-time IHSA state qualifier, a two-time ESCC all-conference honoree, and a 2020 regional champion. Track and field standout Carter Auer will continue to compete for Western Colorado University. Auer qualified for the USA Track and Field Nationals in the High Jump as a sophomore and has started his senior season by winning the first three high jump competitions and leads the sectional. Additionally, Patrick Streeter will continue to play lacrosse for Monmouth College. A four-year member of Marist’s program, he is a lengthy defender who provides a great deal of versatility and a laid-back vibe to the team.
NLI Signing February 2021
Four Marist seniors participated in a National Letter of Intent signing ceremony at the school on February 3, 2021, indicating their plans to continue their athletic career at the collegiate level. While these students have excelled in athletics, they have also attained success in the classroom and demonstrated excellent character.
DeAndre Archer will continue his career at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich. As a junior, Archer started 11 games on the defensive line during for the state semifinalist team. A rangy player with a high motor, he excelled against the run and used his speed to make tackles sideline to sideline. Archer amassed nine solo tackles and 20 assisted tackles for a total of 29 tackles on the year. His coaches say he is a player who just scratched the surface of his potential last year, and will be looked to as a leader on the defensive side of the ball who will be able to stuff the run and put consistent pressure on the quarterback this spring. Archer is an honor roll student at Marist.
Santonien Flowers will attend and play for the University of Indianapolis. Flowers is an incredibly athletic and physical player who made plays all over the field during his 13 starts as outside linebacker during his junior season for state semifinalist team. He accumulated 54 assists and 43 solo tackles for 97 total tackles, two sacks, and 10 tackles for loss. Flowers had one interception in a huge win for Marist at Loyola Academy in week nine to help secure a playoff berth. He caused two fumbles and had two fumble recoveries during the season. He is an intensely driven player who provides a tremendous example for his teammates during workouts, in practice, and in games. Flowers is an honor roll student at Marist.
Seamus Kelly will continue this academic and athletic career at the University of Chicago. As a junior, he played in six games at defensive end for the state semifinalist team. He tallied seven total tackles with three solo tackles on the season, and finished with three sacks on the season. Kelly is a superb athlete who also competes for the Marist lacrosse team. An excellent student, he carries a 5.46 grade point average on a 5.00-point scale and is on the dean’s list. Kelly will be counted on to contribute on both sides of the ball as a senior during the upcoming spring season.
Quintin Knight will continue his career at Upper Iowa University in Fayette. Knight suffered a stress fracture in his leg before his junior season started and was unable to return to the field of play. He is, however, full of tremendous potential, with great size at the tight end position and excellent receiving skills. A thoughtful member of the program, he volunteered his time for the Special Olympics as an underclassman at Soldier Field for the fiftieth anniversary of the Special Olympics and has made it his goal to help children with diabetes when he is older. He will be looked upon as a key contributor for this year’s spring season.
Nineteen classmates signed their letters in earlier ceremonies and more commitments are expected as the school year continues. Marist is a member of the competitive East Suburban Catholic Conference and its athletes and teams regularly garner success at the local and state levels.
NLI Signing December 2020
Two Marist seniors participated in a National Letter of Intent signing ceremony at the school on December 16, 2020 indicating their plans to continue their athletic career at the collegiate level. While these students have excelled in athletics, they have also attained success in the classroom and demonstrated excellent character.
Patrick Coogan (top left) will continue his academic and athletic career at the University of Notre Dame. Come spring, he will be a three-year varsity starter on the offensive line for the RedHawks. As a sophomore, Coogan started 13 games and helped pave the way to an 11-2 overall record for a team that made it to the state semifinal. Between his sophomore and junior seasons, he had an incredible growth spurt that resulted in him gaining 45 pounds while maintaining his incredible athleticism and agility, making him one of the best offensive linemen in the state. During his junior season, Coogan started 13 games and once again helped lead his team to the state semifinals. He was recognized as an ESCC/Chicago Catholic League all-conference player, was voted to the Southtown all-area team, and was named honorable mention all-state offensive lineman by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association at the end of his junior season. He has a truly remarkable combination of athleticism, explosiveness, agility, and strength that is incredibly rare for a high school offensive lineman. While his physical gifts are impressive, the thing that makes him truly special is his love to compete once he steps between the white lines. He is a quiet, considerate young man off the field, but is a fierce competitor who plays with a nasty streak once he steps onto the football field. Heading into his senior season, Coogan is recognized as one of the top football players in the state of Illinois.
Jovan Marsh (top right) committed to the University of Wyoming. He played meaningful minutes as a slot receiver/running back as a sophomore on the 2018 state semifinal team, playing in six games for the RedHawks. During his sophomore season, Marsh finished with 26 carries for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also had 4 receptions for 53 yards. As a junior, he showed off his versatility and ability to impact games on offense, defense, and special teams. He began the year playing slot receiver, but transitioned to the defensive side of the ball midway through the season. All season long, he was key in the return game, as he returned both kickoffs and punts. Playing slot receiver for the first three games, Marsh did not get a lot of opportunities to touch the ball, but made the most of those opportunities, averaging 11 yards each time he touched the ball on offense. After week three, the coaching staff decided that Marsh could make a bigger impact on the team by switching over to defense. In the first quarter of his first game as a defensive back, Marsh showed his playmaking ability by intercepting a pass and returning it 45 yards for a touchdown. During his short stint on offense his junior season, Marsh finished with 1 carry for 12 yards and 2 receptions for 21 yards. After making the switch to defense, he accumulated 40 total tackles with 21 solo tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, 5 pass breakups, 1 caused fumble, and 1 interception. As a returner, he averaged just over 20 yards on his 4 kickoff returns, and averaged 17 yards on his 3 punt returns. He is an incredibly gifted athlete who is one of the fastest students to ever walk the halls at Marist. He is a tremendous sprinter for the Marist track team. His explosiveness as an athlete will be one of the things to look out for in the upcoming football season.
NLI Signing November 2020
Fifteen Marist seniors participated in a National Letter of Intent signing ceremony at the school on November 11, 2020 indicating their plans to continue their athletic career at the collegiate level. While these students have excelled in athletics, they have also attained success in the classroom and demonstrated excellent character.
Sydney Affolter will attend and play basketball for the University of Iowa. A standout on the court for the RedHawks, she averaged 12.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.2 APG. She was named to the East Suburban Catholic all-conference first team and the IHSA all-state fourth team, among other accolades. She was the Marist Offensive Player of the Year and broke through the 1,000-point record during her junior season.
Lacrosse player Elise Hetzel will continue her career with the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. Having played the sport for a decade, she has experience at every position. She specializes as a midfielder and impressively scored 32 goals in a span of 14 games. She earned the Marist G.R.I.T. Award (Great Resiliency, Intensity, and Tenacity) as voted by her teammates.
Five baseball players participated in the ceremony.
Jack Carney will continue his career at Loras College. An outfielder who also plays first and pitches, he will be a big part of the RedHawks’ 2021 season. In the 2019 season on the sophomore team, he hit .405 with eight doubles, three triples, 25 RBI, and 35 runs scored while committing just one error on defense.
Teammate Chazz Clark will attend and play for Xavier University of Louisiana. He will be another big contributor for Marist in 2021 as an outfielder who can really hit. In 2019 on the sophomore team, he hit .366 with five doubles, two triples, 12 RBI, and 20 runs scored. He has done a great job working on his defense as he has transitioned from an infielder as a freshman to an outfielder going forward.
Catcher Jonny Crowell has committed to Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. Crowell played a big role in the RedHawks’ 2019 sectional championship. He posted a .318 batting average in 51 plate appearances and with two doubles, one triple, six RBI and four runs scored. Behind the plate, he threw out 25% of base-stealers on 16 attempts. During the 2021 Marist season, he will also pitch for the team.
Central Michigan University looks forward to the addition of Luke Sefcik, a second baseman with occasional appearances at third base and in the outfield. Though he missed his first varsity season in 2020 due to the pandemic, he brings strong stats from his junior varsity year, when he hit .371 with 10 doubles, one triple, 18 RBI, and 22 runs scored.
Four-year varsity player Noah Smith will attend and play for the University of Louisville. In 2018, Noah hit .278 with six doubles, 10 RBI, and 15 runs scored while playing second and third base. In 2019, Noah hit .261 with two doubles, two triples, two home runs (both in the playoffs), 15 RBI, and 12 runs while playing shortstop and second base in the sectional champion RedHawks. In 2021, Noah will play shortstop on opening day, but could see time at multiple positions to help to get him ready to compete in college.
Four girls’ volleyball players committed to collegiate programs.
Ewelina Gacek will attend George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. A three-year varsity player, she contributed to the 2018 state championship for the RedHawks and the third-place state finish in 2019. A talented outside hitter, she is a two-time ESCC champion and state finalist.
Nicole Jones, a setter who participated in the ceremony virtually, will take her talent to Purdue University at Fort Wayne. A two-year varsity player, she helped the RedHawks attain state and tournament success. She is a member of the 2018 state championship team and a two-time ESCC champion and state finalist.
Fellow setter Molly Mather will attend and play for Bradley University. With two-years of varsity experience, she was a 2019 state finalist where the RedHawks finished in third place. She is also two-time ESCC champion.
Middle hitter Ellie Kurpeikis is excited to join the program at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay. A three-year varsity player, she is a 2018 state champion, a three-time ESCC champ, and a two-time state finalist.
Four talented softball players rounded out the group.
Kali Case will continue her academic and athletic career at Boston College. A four-year varsity player, she has contributed to the team’s success with her speed in the outfield and on the base path. In two seasons as a lefty slapper, she recorded 69 hits, scored 67 runs, and stole 31 bases.
Ace pitcher Abby Dunning will also attend Boston College. Another four-year varsity player, she is a power pitcher throwing in the high 60s with huge strike out numbers. In two seasons with the varsity RedHawks, she pitched 203 innings striking out 302 batters while recording 28 wins.
Short stop Easton Lotus will join the program at University of Louisville. A four-year varsity player, she is known for her tremendous defensive range, quick transfers, and arm strength. Offensively, she has put up huge numbers for the RedHawks in the leadoff spot. In two seasons, she recorded 99 hits, scored 88 runs, and stole 42 bases. She is a two-time all-conference player, and in her sophomore campaign, she was all-area, all-state, and Max Preps and NFCA All-American.
Maggie O’Brien, a middle infielder, will take her talent to the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Well-known for her infield range, she is also a lefty slapper who causes havoc in the infield with her speed home to first. In two seasons, she recorded 40 hits, scored 56 runs, and stole 28 bases. Voted team captain during her junior year, she is a key leader for the program.
More commitments are expected as the school year continues. Marist is a member of the competitive East Suburban Catholic Conference and its athletes and teams regularly garner success at the local and state levels.
