For the third straight year, East Texas high school and junior college student-athletes are getting the chance to take advantage of Early National Signing Day.
This is the early period where student-athletes will sign their National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play collegiate athletics.
The NCAA manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) provides governance oversight of the program. The program, which started in 1964 with seven conferences and eight independent institutions, now includes 657 Division I and Division II participating institutions.
The NLI is a voluntary program with regard to both institutions and student-athletes. No prospective student-athlete or parent is required to sign the NLI and no institution is required to join the program.
The NLI is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an NLI member institution:
- A prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the institution full-time for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).
- The institution agrees to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).
If a student-athlete does not fulfill his or her NLI agreement, he or she has to serve one year in residence (full-time, two semesters or three quarters) at the next NLI member institution and lose one season of competition in all sports.
An important provision of the NLI program is a recruiting prohibition applied after a prospective student-athlete signs the NLI. This prohibition requires member institutions to cease recruitment of a prospective student-athlete once an NLI is signed with another institution.
CBS19 is all over the Piney Woods today capturing the moments which will kick off some of the best years of these students' lives.
GILMER HIGH SCHOOL
- Casey Irons - Colorado State University (Football)
JOHN TYLER HIGH SCHOOL
- Kitan Crawford - University of Texas (Football)
ROBERT E. LEE HIGH SCHOOL
- Jamal Ligon - University of Texas at San Antonio (Football)
- Elliot Davison - University of the Incarnate Word (Football)
- Mark Patton - Tyler Junior College (Football)
ALTO HIGH SCHOOL
- Cayle Irvin - Bethel College (Football)
CHAPEL HILL HIGH SCHOOL
- Khalan Griffin - Rice University (Football)
LONGVIEW HIGH SCHOOL
- Haynes King - Texas A&M University (Football)
- Sawyer Goram-Welch - University of Texas (Football)
- Simran Kortikere - University of Texas (Tennis)
- Malik Henry - George Mason University (Basketball)
- Kennedy Cameron - Norfolk State University (Softball)
- Keaton King - Grayson Community College (Baseball)
- Zekyia Henry - North Carolina Central University (Softball)
- Mallory Burgess - University of Southern Mississippi (Soccer)
- Kerris Cameron - Norfolk State University (Softball)
- Kayla Smith - Centenary College (Cheerleading)
- Cade Bruce - Stephen F. Austin State University (Golf)
- Avery Cotton - University of Arkansas Rich Mountain Community College (Softball)
- Julia Miller - LeTourneau Univeristy (Tennis)
LUFKIN HIGH SCHOOL
- Jerrin Thompson - University of Texas (Football)
- Ja'Lynn Polk - Texas Tech University (Football)
- Halea Wells - Southern Arkansas State Tech (Softball)
- Cy Murphy - Angelina College (Baseball)
- Natalie Naramore - University of the Ozarks (Swimming)
PINE TREE HIGH SCHOOL
- J.J. Sparkman - Texas Tech University (Football)
JACKSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
- Chris Carpenter - University of Colorado (Football)
WHITEHOUSE HIGH SCHOOL
- Peyton Kennedy - Houston Baptist University (Football)
LINDALE HIGH SCHOOL
- London Reue - Navarro College (Softball)
TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE
- Devere Levelston - Southern Methodist University (Football)
- Demetri Jordan - Southern Methodist University (Football)
- Dillon Brookes - University of Louisiana at Monroe (Football)
- Grid Isidore - Texas State University (Football)
- Jacob Kainer - University of Tulsa (Football)
KILGORE COLLEGE
- Mose Jeffery - Baylor University (Football)
- Sedrick Williams - University of Houston (Football)
- Omar Manning - University of Nebraska (Football)
- Scooter Adams - Northwestern State University (Football)
- Jecorian Barnes - University of North Alabama (Football)
- Lucky Daniels - Northeastern State University (Football)
- Jaime Davis - Northeastern State University (Football)
- Ahmad Farrier - East Texas Baptist University (Football)
- Geovonte' Howard - Purdue University (Football)
- Jordan Jacobs - East Central University (Football)
- Kevon Latulas - Missouri State University (Football)
- Jackson Pace - Baylor University (Football)
- Cade Pearson - University of Arkansas (Football)
- Luis Reyes - Prairie View A&M University (Football)
- Jonathan Riley - Oregon State University (Football)
- Chis Shaw - East Central University (Football)
- Jadrian Taylor - University of Texas at El Paso (Football)
- Sidney Walker - University of Connecticut (Football)
- Kelton Moss - University of Texas at El Paso (Football)
- Tory Zanders - East Central University (Football)
- Da'Shawn Williams - Bethune Cookman University (Football)
Congratulations to all of those set to continue their athletic and academic careers.
And to quote the GREATEST OF ALL TIME:
"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game." - Michael Jordan
CBS19 will update this story throughout the day.
If you know of a student-athlete who is signing, please send the following information to CBS19's Reagan Roy at RRoy@CBS19.tv:
- Student-athlete's name
- Picture
- Name of high school/junior college
- Sport
- College they're signing with