For many student athletes who plan on continuing their athletic career in college, signing day, the day when a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent to compete at a collegiate level. is a huge deal. 

This year, many 2022 graduate seniors at North Allegheny have already signed their letters of intent, making their verbal offers from college coaches official, while many plan to sign in the near future. 

Senior Jack Baumgartel plans to continue his baseball career at Penn State University where he will study engineering. For him, signing this letter of intent relieved some stress and is allowing him to focus more on his senior year.

“Signing was huge,” Baumgarterl said. “It ended the recruitment process and meant I was actually going to play baseball at the collegiate level which is very exciting. I am very relieved and am very happy to have a decision locked in so I can enjoy the rest of my senior year without worrying where I will end up.” 

Senior lacrosse player Cole Bordo plans to attend Seton Hill University, where he will achieve his aspirations to play lacrosse at the collegiate level. 

“Signing was an acknowledgement of the hard work and dedication that I have put in as well as the realization of my dream of playing college lacrosse,” Bordo said. “ I have wanted to play college lacrosse since I was in third grade, so finally signing was a dream come true.” 

Some student athletes verbally commit as soon as they find the right fit, while others hold off until later. However, senior baseball prodigy Cole Young has been waiting years to sign his letter of intent to play baseball at Duke University. 

“I verbally committed in October of my freshman year,” Young said. “I had to wait a while, but I knew that I was not going to change my mind about Duke. I was finally able to make this decision official.”

Golfer Jena Norman officially made her commitment to Carlow University official by signing. She plans to major in education and will compete for the women’s golf team. 

“Signing day for me was acknowledging that all the hard work has paid off, and in that moment I felt so accomplished,” Norman said.

Soccer goalkeeper Megan Miller admitted to both nervousness and excitement to start her college athletic career at Lock Haven University.  She has been waiting since August of 2021 to sign.

“Signing means that the next four years of my life are set,” Miller said. “Hard games, rough practices, and lots of sweat. As nervous as I am, I am so excited to officially be ready.”

Allison Lyon plans to continue her athletic career at Mercyhurst University, where she will play for the women’s lacrosse team. She is excited for the new milestones to come in the future. By making it official, she was able to make friends with many of her future teammates.  

“The only difference between verbally committing and signing for me was that I am now great friends with the other girls going to MU,” Lyon said. “I now know that I will have a great time with my new teammates.”

Through all of the sweat and tears, Baumgartel, Bordo, Young, Norman, Miller, Lyon and many other student athletes at North Allegheny plan to continue their athletic career at the collegiate level. Signing ties everything together and ultimately makes their decision final.