ST. GEORGE — Student-athletes from several Southern Utah high schools have recently signed letters of intent to take their talents to the collegiate level.
The latest wave of signings started on Nov. 10, which was the first official day of the National Letter of Intent signing period for prospective athletes who are high school seniors and expected to enroll as college freshmen next year (2022-23).
Following are short recaps of the commitments that St. George News / Cedar City News was informed about. If anyone was missed, please send the details to sports reporters Eric Goold or Jeff Richards and they will be added to the story.
Dixie High
Annabelle Millard, the top individual golfer in the 4A state tournament in each of the past two years, has signed to play golf for the Utah Valley University Wolverines. She still has one more season left to play at Dixie High, starting this coming spring.
Annabelle Millard of Dixie High has signed a letter of intent to play golf for Utah Valley University. pic.twitter.com/VPdyW0SjaG
— St. George News Sports (@STGnewsSports) November 11, 2021
“I’m just so grateful to be playing this sport and to have the support of my family and friends and others around me,” Millard told St. George News shortly after her signing ceremony on Nov. 11. “I’m beyond excited to further my golf and academic career at Utah Valley University.”
Cedar High
Abby Stratton has signed to swim for the University of Nebraska at Kearney. During her signing ceremony at Cedar High on Nov. 10, Stratton’s father noted that his daughter had come a long way from when she was 6 years old, wearing inflatable water wings around her arms and screaming about not wanting to get in the water.
“Today, it’s all we can do to get you out of the pool,” he said.
Stratton, who is primarily a long-distance swimmer but also swims shorter races for the Cedar High Reds, thanked her coaches and parents for their support and said she chose to go to Nebraska-Kearney after making a campus visit in April.
“I just fell in love with the school, and the coach was like a mother to me,” Stratton said, adding that the school also has excellent nursing and criminal justice programs, either of which she is considering pursuing.
Meanwhile, fellow Cedar High senior Camry Miller has signed her letter of intent to take her athletic talents to Southern Utah University as a member of the Flippin’ Birds gymnastics team. Miller has trained and competed at St. George’s Barefoot Gymnastics for the past several years.
Welcome to SUU Camry! ✍️#StormTheSky pic.twitter.com/NUyZoAbl7x
— SUU Gymnastics (@SUUGym) November 10, 2021
Then, on Dec. 7, Carissa Hofeling, who won the individual state 4A cross-country title in late October, officially signed a letter of intent to run cross-country for the Utah State University Aggies.
“I think I realized how much I love competing, and winning,” Hofeling said, adding that she’d attended a camp at USU over the summer.
Cedar High School cross country coach Greg Harris cited Hofeling’s work ethic, positive attitude and confidence.
“There were several times this year that I said, ‘Hey, what’s your plan for this race, going into it?” Harris recalled, adding that Hoefeling would simply respond, “Win.”
“Well, I suppose we can go with that,” he added. “We didn’t really need to complicate it too much.”
Crimson Cliffs
Baseball player Jayz Estridge signed to play for Luther College in Iowa, while teammate Logan West signed to play baseball at the College of Southern Idaho. They signed their letters of intent after school on Nov. 10.
Golfer Zach Felts, who helped the Mustangs to two consecutive state titles followed by a runner-up trophy this fall, has signed to play for Dixie State University.
Also from Crimson Cliffs, slugger Afton Roberts has signed to play softball for the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.
Pine View
As previously reported in St. George News, twin speedsters Dominique and Marcus McKenzie have both committed to play football at the University of Virginia.
Marcus and Dominique McKenzie, twin brothers from Saint George, Utah, who are both three-star football prospects, announced their commitment to play football at the University of Virginia on Wednesday. https://t.co/DNJ40rWwQK
— CavaliersNow (@CavaliersNowSI) September 22, 2021
Also from Pine View, Luke Iverson has signed to play baseball for Utah Valley University.
Hurricane
Tylee Davis, who specializes in the high jump and long jump, has signed to compete in track at Utah Valley University.
Desert Hills
Baseball players Payton Gubler and Karson Irvin will both stay in state, with Gubler signing to play at Brigham Young University and Irvin signing with Dixie State University.
Snow Canyon
Setter Jenna Thorkelson has signed to play volleyball at Utah State University Eastern in Price. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Ruth Sumner also signed with USU Eastern, to play soccer.
A Multi-Year, All State & All Region Recipient, 3rd All Time Assist Leader, & Academic All State Recipient! Jenna Thorkelson, Welcome To The Family! You’ll Do Amazing Things On The Lady Eagle Squad! pic.twitter.com/LyJtAJOKXd
— Utah State Eastern Womens Volleyball (@USUEVOLLEYBALL) November 16, 2021
Swimmer Afton Page, who specializes in both the backstroke and the butterfly, has signed to swim for Western Colorado University.
Luke Anderson has signed to play baseball at BYU, while teammate Isaac Lyon will compete for Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Both are versatile players who were key members of Snow Canyon’s 4A state championship team in 2021; they are expected to help the Warriors defend their title this coming spring.
Welcome to the Family @LukeAnd47377139!! pic.twitter.com/ZC5bur1GuP
— BYU Baseball (@BYUBaseball) November 11, 2021
Canyon View
Swimmer Max Cannon has signed to swim for BYU. Cannon has won multiple gold medals at region and state competitions over his high school career, including winning the 100-yard breaststroke at state last year in a state-record time of 56.68 seconds.
Also from Canyon View, first baseman Erin Robinson has signed to play softball for Salt Lake Community College.
“Erin has been an anchor at first base for CVHS since she was a freshman,” said her father and coach JR Robinson, who added, “She has also been a formidable hitter in the lineup and the type of baserunner who is able to put pressure on defenses. From the few games I’ve watched SLCC play, it appears they play with much of the same aggressiveness that is typical of Erin.”
Parowan
Baseball player Shaydon Benson, a 6-foot-6 pitcher and slugger, has signed a letter of intent to play for the Dixie State University Trailblazers.
It’s official I signed my letter of intent I’m finally a Trailblazer!! ❤️🤍@DSU_ZachWilkins @Dixie_Baseball @PBR_Utah @GabeMayorga @ParowanHigh pic.twitter.com/cfUJ9sTdxf
— Shaydon Benson (@BensonShaydon) November 11, 2021
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