TYLER, Texas — East Texas high school and junior college student-athletes are getting the chance to sign the dotted line to officially commit to the school of their choice as they continue their athletic and academic careers.
Some student-athletes took advantage of Early National Signing Day on December 16.
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 and our newspaper partners are all over the Piney Woods today capturing the moments which will kick off some of the best years of these students' lives:
Athens
- Connor Clay - Tyler Junior College (Football)
Bullard
- Peyton Ellis - Texas A&M-Commerce (Football)
- John Engle - Howard Payne (Football)
- Riley Long - McPherson College (Football)
- Travis Rude - McPherson College (Football)
- Ryley Sharp - Crown College (Baseball)
Bishop T.K. Gorman
- Dozie Ifeadi - Lamary University (Football)
Chapel Hill
- Amorrian Ford - Hardin-Simmons (Football)
- Jahade Adams - Kilgore College (Football)
- Cameron Ford - Southern University at Shreveport (Football)
Gilmer
- Dylan Fluellen - Northwestern State (Football)
- Jaydon Griffin - Northwestern Oklahoma State (Football)
- Brycen Jimmerson - Northwestern Oklahoma State (Football)
- Luke Watson - SFA (Football)
Henderson
- Bryson Washington - Southwestern Assemblies of God (Football)
- Mikeya Washington - UT Arlington (Track & Field)
Kilgore
- Donovan Adkins - Sm Houston State (Football)
- Eli Caruthers - Texas A&M-Commerce (Football)
- Trae Epps - SFA (Football)
- Kaden Kenney - Kilgore College (Football)
- Dayton McElyea - SFA (Football)
Lindale
- Jaymond Jackson - Lamar University (Football)
- Luke Sandifer - Hardin-Simmons University (Football)
- Marleigh Thurman - Williston State (Volleyball)
Longview
- Jahkamian Carr - ETBU (Football)
- Laqualon Hale - Midwestern State (Football)
- Markevion Haynes - Eastern New Mexico (Football)
- Joe Jones - TVCC (Football)
- Kaden Meredith - Air Force (Football)
- Antonio Onofre - Navarro (Football)
- Austin Pencheon - Midwestern State (Football)
Lufkin
- Wilburn Smallwood - SFA (Football)
Malakoff
- Bryson Adair - Sam Houston State (Baseball)
- Allen Benhardt - Hill College (Baseball)
- Jack Davis - TCS Post Graduate Academy (Baseball)
- Cole Gaddis - University of the Incarnate Word (Baseball)
- Nathan Jones - TVCC (Football)
- Takeenan Langley - Oklahoma Panhandle (Football)
- Jaylen Mosley - Southwestern Assemblies of God University (Football)
- Brandon Nations - University of the Incarnate Word (Baseball)
- Darion Peace - Lamar University (Football)
- Denver Starkes - ETBU (Softball)
Marshall
- Darieon Lagway - Tyler Junior College (Football)
- Tristin Drones-Mouton - Tyler Junior College (Football)
Nacogdoches
- Dillon Williams - UNT (Football)
Tatum
- Dalone Fuller - Tyler Junior College (Football)
- Dexter Monroe Jr. - Tyler Junior College (Tatum)
- MarKendrick Beall - Tyler Junior College (Tatum)
Tyler Legacy
- Dion Daniels - Houston Baptist (Football)
- Chris Harris - Tyler Junior College (Football)
- Garfield Lawrence - Houston (Football)
- Jakelyn Morgan - Arizona (Football)
- Keyshawn Reggie - Navarro (Football)
- Kendrick Tutt - Wisconsin Lutheran (Football)
- Josh Turman - McPherson College (Football)
Some East Texas schools will also hold signings on Thursday and next week:
Grace (Thursday, Feb. 4, 3:50 p.m.)
- Joshua Murray - Henderson Sate University (Football)
- Alex Quintero - Blinn College (Football)
Tyler High (Wednesday, Feb. 10)
Whitehouse (Wednesday, Feb. 10)
Stick with CBS19 throughout the day for the latest NSD updates.