Signing Day: Head Over Heels gymnasts ink National Letters of Intent

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Four different gymnasts from four different high schools will all be continuing their careers at Division I colleges next year, and they all compete for the same club gymnastics team.

Monroe’s Carleigh Stillwagon, Hillsborough’s Abigail Karolewski and J.P. Stevens’ Shannon Gregory have all trained at Head Over Heels in Parlin for the past 10 years under coaches Toni Borden and Sonny Smoljan. Red Bank Catholic’s Nicolette DiPrisco started two years ago, but all four will be going to college and competing at the Division I level next year.

Left to right: Red Bank Catholic's Nicolette DiPrisco, J.P. Stevens' Shannon Gregory, Hillsborough's Abigail Karolewski and Monroe's Carleigh Stillwagon.

Stillwagon signed her National Letter of Intent to attend Western Michigan, Karolewski inked her letter to compete for Rutgers University, and DiPrisco signed her letter to compete for Northern Illinois. Gregory will be a walk-on for Eastern Michigan next year, but will then sign her letter for a three-year athletic scholarship.

“We are super proud of them, they have worked so hard for the past 10 years,” said Borden, a USAG Team Director who has 32 years of coaching experience in New Jersey. “When they started the sport, they started not really knowing what the light at the end of the tunnel was going to be. They start young and when they get to their teenage years they start realizing that what they’re going after is a college scholarship and for a club to have three girls at the same time and the fourth commit to a walk on is a really, really rare situation.”

Gregory recently qualified for the NJSIAA individual championships, finishing with a 38.025 in the all-around at the North II championships.

Hillsborough advanced to the state team championships after the Raiders won the Central II title, while Red Bank Catholic will also be competing after finishing fourth at the Central I championships.

“These are amazing young women, they are purely dedicated and hard-working and they don’t only excel at gymnastics but they also excel academically, they’re outstanding students,” Borden said. “This is rare for any club at one time, gymnastics scholarships are hard to come by, not many colleges offer gymnastics and for them to be able to obtain a scholarship and keep that momentum all these years, it’s truly an amazing accomplishment for them and we’re very proud of them.”

BERNARDS

Annie Gillis (Lacrosse) ... University of Florida

Robbie Holmes (Baseball) ... Monmouth University

Laurel McHale (Lacrosse) ... Bucknell University

Frankie Porambo (Track & Field) ... Air Force

BOUND BROOK

Joe Casey (Wrestling) ... Rider University

Rachael Lukacs (Gymnastics) ... University of Georgia

BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN

CJ Amster (Lacrosse) ... High Point University

Tyler Ball (Lacrosse) ... Montclair State University

Ryan Bugianesi (Swimming) ... University of Maryland

Jordyn Hawthorne (Basketball) ... St. Peter's University

Dan MacKinney (Lacrosse) ... Binghamton University

Grace Palfreyman (Swimming) ... University of Richmond

Bobby Russo (Lacrosse) ... Rutgers University

Rachel White (Lacrosse) ... Amherst

Teresa Wolak (Basketball) ... Rider University

Bridgewater-Raritan's Ryan Buglianesi and Grace Palfreyman sign their National Letters of Intent.

COLONIA

Frank Lehman (Baseball) ... Caldwell University

Shelby Piccinic (Cross Country/Track) ... West Point

DELAWARE VALLEY

Kyle Lightner (Wrestling) ... Rutgers University

EAST BRUNSWICK

Samantha Balsamo (Volleyball) ... Susquehanna University

Kayla Benesz (Volleyball) ... Rutgers University Camden

David Bermudez (Baseball) ... Rider University

Mike Falco (Baseball) ... St. Joseph's University

Sabria Glasgow (Soccer) ... Cumberland University

Jordyn Horowitz (Volleyball) ... Gettysburg University

Nicole Johnson (Basketball) ... Lafayette College

Lauren Krinsky (Soccer) ... University of Delaware

GILL ST. BERNARD'S

Ryan Morash (Baseball) ... Hofstra University

Dani Towel (Softball) ... Providence University

GOVERNOR LIVINGSTON

Will Jennings (Baseball) ... Iona College

Tyler McCulloch (Baseball) ... Iona College

Danny Serretti (Baseball) ... University of North Carolina

HILLSBOROUGH

Erin Buckman (Golf) ... The Citadel

Olivia Buckman (Lacrosse) ... Georgetown University

Kelsey Galevich (Softball) ... University of Hartford

Olivia Johnsen (Lacrosse) ... Central Michigan

Abigail Karolewski (Gymnastics) ... Rutgers University

Kelsey Galevich (Softball) ... University of Hartford

Steve Grober (Baseball) ... Seton Hall University

Lauren Mazich (Soccer) ... High Point University

Hillsborough's Lauren Mazich (center) signed her National Letter of Intent to play soccer at High Point University. With her are her father Jim Mazich, sister Sarah Mazich, assistant athletic director Mike Davis and mother Cathy Mazich.

HUNTERDON CENTRAL

Justin Almone (Lacrosse) ... University of Delaware

Brittany Bill (Lacrosse) ... James Madison University

Alex Degnan (Basketball) ... University of Kentucky

Hunter Graf (Wrestling) ... Virginia Tech University

Garrison LeGros (Baseball) ... Kutztown University

Colin Mason (Baseball) ... Binghamton University

Maddie McKevitt (Softball) ... Winthrop University

Brian Mitrow (Lacrosse) ... Hobart College

Alex Molto (Lacrosse) ... Lafayette College

Sean Parker (Lacrosse) ... University of Massachusetts

Nicolette Pepe (Field Hockey) ... Sacred Heart University

Tucker Richardson (Basketball) ... Colgate University

Lauren Shaw (Lacrosse) ... Marquette University

IMMACULATA

Danny Belford (Baseball) ... Rutgers University Newark

Jared Chambliss (Basketball) ... Millersville University

Stephen Dwyer (Lacrosse) ... Wagner University

Michael Golankiewicz (Baseball) ... Merrimack College

Noah Jordan (Baseball) ... Franklin & Marshall

Michael Nee (Baseball) ... Clarkson University

Francesca Torraca (Softball) ... University of Washington

Pictured with Athletic Director Tom Gambino and Principal Jean Kline are (from left to right): Noah Jordan, Stephen Dwyer, Jared Chambliss, Michael Golankiewicz, and Michael Nee. Not pictured is Francesca Torraca.

MONTGOMERY

Kyle Karsay (Softball) ... Pace University

Julia Loffredo (Softball) ... Ithaca College

Abigail O'Connor (Softball) ... Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Peyton Schnackenberg (Softball) ... Syracuse University

From left to right: Montgomery's Julia Loffredo, Abigail O'Connor, Peyton Schnackenberg and Kylie Karsay sign their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.

MONROE

Kenny Fernandes (Lacrosse) ... Georgian Court

Nick Payero (Baseball) ... Seton Hall University

Jordan Perry (Lacrosse) ... Pace University

Carleigh Stillwagon (Gymnastics) ... Western Michigan

From left to right: Monroe's Jordan Perry, Nick Payero and Kenny Fernandes sign their National Letters of Intent.

MOUNT ST. MARY

Emma Genovese (Lacrosse) ... High Point University

Shayna Hollander (Swimming) ... Duke University

Maria Jaeckel (Track & Field) ... Loyola University Maryland

Alaina Parisella (Lacrosse) ... Brown University

Jennah Santiago (Lacrosse) ... Coastal Carolina University

Samantha Tush (Lacrosse) ... St. Joseph's University

Pictured (left to right) in the gymnasium at Mount Saint Mary Academy: Shayna Hollander, Jennah Santiago, Samantha Tush, Emma Genovese, Alaina Parisella and Maria Jaeckel.

NEW BRUNSWICK

Alyssa Contreras (Softball) ... Central Connecticut State University

NEW PROVIDENCE

Tyler Lawton (Lacrosse) ... Syracuse University

PINGRY

George Enman (Lacrosse) ... Lafayette

Malcolm Fields (Fencing) ... University of Notre Dame

Mairead Higgins (Lacrosse) ... Georgetown University

Austin Parsons (Track & Field) ... University of Notre Dame

Sophia Weldon (Track & Field) ... SMU

PERTH AMBOY

Chris Brito (Baseball) ... Rutgers University

Darius Diaz (Baseball) ... Kennesaw State University

PISCATAWAY

Chris Corvil (Baseball) ... Montclair State University

LaNiya Miller (Basketball) ... Stony Brook University

Michael Petite (Wrestling) ... University of Buffalo

PLAINFIELD

Waldy Arias (Baseball) ... Campbell University

RUTGERS PREP

Jahsyni Knight (Basketball) ... University of Pittsburgh

Anthony Rovito (Soccer) ... University of Pennsylvania

Chiara Tibbett (Basketball) ... Boston University

SOMERVILLE

Thomas Babalis (Baseball) ... Binghamton University

Christina Cernuto (Soccer) ... University at Albany

Ryan Pedrani (Lacrosse) ... Wagner University

Camryn Rogers (Lacrosse) ... Rutgers University

Jennifer Williams (Lacrosse) ... University of Scranton

SOUTH BRUNSWICK

Alexis Adams (Basketball) ... University of Buffalo

Carly Rybinski (Softball) ... St. Joseph's University

UNION CATHOLIC

Amaya Chadwick (Track & Field) ... Purdue University

Brianna Ewing (Track & Field) ... University of Maine

WATCHUNG HILLS

Katelyn Carroll (Lacrosse) ... Radford University

Chris Clintock (Lacrosse) ... St. Joseph's University

Drew Furlong (Lacrosse) ... Binghamton University

Tyler James (Lacrosse) ... Holy Cross

Michael Murray (Baseball) ... Hofstra University

Tyler Riley (Baseball) ... University of Maine

Jonathan Taub (Lacrosse) ... Rutgers University

WESTFIELD

Eric Bebel (Swimming) ... Bryant University

Ryan Bebel (Swimming) ... College of William & Mary

Natalie Bond (Lacrosse) ... Stanford University

Stephanie Borr (Volleyball) ... Brandeis University

Grace Elliott (Soccer) ... University of Scranton

Luke Hunziker (Lacrosse) ... Colgate University

Kylinn Kraemer (Soccer) ... Montclair State University

Muriel Maloney (Swimming) ... Monmouth University

Melina McDevitt (Soccer) ... Tufts University

Pat McIlroy (Lacrosse) ... Lehigh University

Catherine Moriarty (Lacrosse) ... University of Florida

Sydney Paoletti (Lacrosse) ... Columbia University

Sam Pugliese (Lacrosse) ... Jacksonville University

Molly Ryan (Basketball) ... Tufts University

Whitney Shyposh (Crew) ... Rutgers University

Dan Sokolin (Soccer) ... Dickinson College

Mark Walter (Soccer) ... Muhlenberg College

Left to right: Westfield's Molly Ryan, Melina McDevitt, Kylinn Kraemer, Grace Elliott, Mark Walter and Dan Sokolin sign their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.