So far this year, the class of 2024 has had nine people committed to colleges for sports. Common Sense takes a look at what they did to get committed and how they feel about starting this new chapter in their lives.
Campbell Scofield – Swim and Dive
Senior Campbell Scofield is committed to Purdue University. She has been swimming since she was five years old and started competing in third grade. She decided that Purdue University would be the best fit for her because, “I felt a connection with the team and coaches, and I trusted that their training would help me be the best athlete I can be,” Scofield said.
For Scofield, the recruiting process started early. “For me, recruiting started the summer after my sophomore year. Since swimming is based mostly on numbers, coaches could look online and see potential swimmers to fit in their program, and I could look and see what programs could be good fits for me. I’d reach out to coaches, some coaches would reach out to me, and we’d have conversations over the phone so we could learn about each other and the program their school had to offer. Eventually, if we both felt like it could be a good fit, I’d go on an official visit to the school. As a recruit, you only get five official visits total, so it shows that you’re interested to go on one. Then, after visiting a few schools, you can make a decision, and if the coach from that school also wants you, then you can commit to that school,” Scofield said.
Scofield has worked hard both for her school team and her team outside of school and knows that swimming will always be a big part of her life. “The biggest reason I decided to commit for swim was because I knew that I wasn’t going to be done with swimming after my senior year of high school, I still have goals of improvement and bettering myself in the pool, and I knew I wouldn’t be ready to give up after high school,” Scofield said.
Noah Parker – Baseball
Senior Noah Parker is committed to Oberlin College for baseball. He’s been playing baseball since he was five years old and has been on the school’s baseball team since his freshman year. He decided Oberlin was a good fit for him because, “they are really big on development and they really care about their players and they’re heading in the right direction, so I think it is the right place to be,” Parker said.
While he has enjoyed playing for the school’s team, Parker is excited to move to the next level. “I love working, I love playing baseball, I love working at it and being able to do that with a bunch of other people who are just as dedicated as me, that is something I really look forward to and am excited about,” Parker said.
Despite his nervousness for this new chapter of his life, Parker feels his hard work made him a good recruit for his sport, and that it will translate well at a collegiate level. “I’m really hard-working, I’m really physical, and I can project at the next level and I’ve faced a lot of adversity and been able to overcome it,” Parker said.
Ben Wang – Tennis
Senior Ben Wang has committed to Swarthmore College for tennis and has been playing for 11 years. He chose Swarthmore College for many reasons, as, “Swarthmore was a great choice for me because of its strong balance of academic and athletic excellence. I think I always wanted to play D3 so that I could focus on my studies and career while having a competitive outlet and the college athlete experience at the same time. Swarthmore tennis just won our conference for the first time in over 30 years and the team is really heating up. I’m definitely looking forward to joining a hungry culture and being a part of changing a program’s history,” Wang said.
Another reason he had for choosing Swarthmore is the enthusiasm of their team. “One thing that stuck out to me when I visited was the energy of the team. I could tell that they were committed to the vision of one day winning a national championship,” Wang said.
While he’s been playing tennis for a large amount of his life, Wang likely won’t become a professional player. “I think college will be the last opportunity to play my sport in this competitive context so I’m just trying to enjoy it as much as possible and have fun while it lasts,” Wang said.
Naomi Esterowitz – Field hockey
Senior Naomi Esterowitz is committed to the University of Pennsylvania for field hockey. She has been playing since she was in seventh grade and had her last season for the school’s team this fall. She found UPenn to be a good choice for her because “there is incredible academic rigor as well as a great field hockey team. Both will continue to push me to be the best person and player I can be,” Esterowitz said.
While she has committed to a sport, her application process wasn’t very different from everyone else. “ I still had to write all the essays and everything that comes with it and maintain grades and take lots of AP classes, ” Esterowitz said.
Esterowitz had qualities that set her apart from others, but one of the biggest ones was that she’s, “a leftie and so my strongest shot is called my reverse and that made me unique amongst other offenders,” Esterowitz said.
In her opinion, Esterowitz feels that her commitment will influence her in a good way. “It will help me by teaching me the importance of balancing time as well as the lesson of pushing myself and working hard, not to mention offering me amazing academics that can help me with jobs in the future,” Esterowitz said.
Amy Qin – Swim and Dive
Senior Amy Qin is committed to the University of Pennsylvania. She has been swimming since she was six years old and is excited for this new chapter of her life. Qin decided the University of Pennsylvania was the right fit for her because “I love the swim community when I visited and I think the coaches there are really good too,” Qin said.
Not only does Qin think UPenn is a good fit for her athletically, but the school works for her academically as well. “I think this commitment will help me a lot. I’m super grateful that I was given the opportunity to swim and represent a school I look forward to going to. During the recruiting process, I also looked farther than just the athletic component and Penn was a great fit for me academically,” Qin said.
While Qin is nervous for the adjustments she has to make for a collegiate sport, she is also excited for this new chapter of her life. “I’m really excited to swim with the team. I think college swimming brings about a different environment and vibe that I’m looking forward to next year,” Qin said.
Overall, Qin believes that a sports commitment is a good idea, and encourages anyone who thinks about trying one to do so. “If you are interested in playing a sport in college, definitely go for it. Reach out to schools by emailing or filling out their questionnaires,” Qin said.
Yuanzhe (RJ) Cui – Track and field
Senior Yuanzhe Cui is committed to the University of Rochester for track and field and is excited about this new chapter of his life. “I am excited to go to the University of Rochester and be part of their track and field team because they are known to be constantly ranked in the top five of men’s jumps and top 20 overall. Also, they have an amazing team culture. They grab breakfast together every single day after morning practices, they have team meet-ups every weekend, etc. It’s just something I really look forward to being a part of,” Cui said.
Cui met certain marks to validate him for a spot, which kickstarted his application process. “The Coach contacted me through email, and we set up a Zoom meeting. He talked to me about the team, talked about himself, and asked me about myself. After I committed to apply ED1, he sent me an early athlete supplement form. I completed the form to get my acceptance and received my merit aid notification, which just gave me peace of mind that I would be accepted into ED1. I then applied to ED1, got in, and am now fully committed.”
Cui is excited about what his commitment will bring for him in the future. “I know this commitment will help my future because I will develop a better work ethic, and develop connections and bonds for the rest of my life,” Cui said.
Daniel Kim – Football
Senior Daniel Kim is committed to the University of Chicago. He has been involved with the sport in many forms, starting with flag football in second grade and then tackle football in seventh grade. Kim finds the University of Chicago a good fit for him because “Their football program is pretty good, and there’s good competition at my position to make me get better,” Kim said.
For Kim, applying to the University of Chicago started with attending their football camp. “I went to their camp in the summer and they told me if I submitted my application through an early decision I would be accepted. So I submitted my application in the beginning of October and got a likely letter on Halloween and that’s when I knew I got in,” Kim said.
One thing Kim felt set him apart from other applicants was his commitment to football and his school. “I was proactive with the coaches about my film and grades and I 100% wanted to commit to the school and I showed that,” Kim said.
Seniors Anish Yarra and Kate Hawley were not included in this article since they were already covered by Common Sense. You can find Hawley’s profile HERE and Yarra’s HERE.
