San Juan Capistrano –With the stroke of a pen, twelve JSerra student-athletes went from recruits to signees as they committed to the college of their choice on National Signing Day at a school ceremony attended by family, head coaches and school leadership. Years of hard work have led to this exciting moment.

During his opening remarks, Athletic Director Chris Ledyard announced to the select group of student-athletes that they were not special. But if they did the right thing, they would be. Ledyard advised, “Hang onto the virtues that have been given to you–courage, perseverance, temperance, humility and especially fortitude." Ledyard added emphatetically, "The athletic department and I want to wish you the best. Go get 'em, embrace the pain, embrace the difficulty, rise above it, and become special again."

Following the ceremony, the students moved to the JSerra Lion's Den, grouped by sport, to sign their letters of intent and take photos with coaches, teammates and family. The JSerra Baseball program, the largest contributor to today's signing class, went first with four athletes making their commitments.

Head Coach Brett Kay shared, "It is a great day for our Lion student athletes in the baseball program to have this opportunity to sign for their next endeavor in college athletics. Each one of these student athletes has a unique ability on the field as well as in the classroom."

The JSerra Baseball is highly recognized across the country as one of the most elite high school level programs. Coach Kay asserted, "We are fortunate to be able to help promote student athletes as one of the top destinations for high school baseball. We want them to be prepared at the next level and no doubt these four will be ready when they arrive on their next collegiate campus. Kudos to these young men and their families and all their efforts are to be applauded."

The JSerra Girls Volleyball program under Coach Mike Murphy furnished the next largest number of student athletes with three signing today. “I'm so proud of these seniors. They were an integral part this season on varsity,” praised Coach Murphy. “I'm confident they'll go on to accomplish great things.”

Also contributing athletes to the signing class were JSerra Boys Golf under Coach Brian Schippel, JSerra Cross Country under Coach Marty Dugard, and JSerra Softball. Student Athletes also signed for the non-CIF sports of rowing and gymnastics.

"Today's ceremony is an acknowledgment of the hard work and dedication that these student athletes put forth both in the classroom and in their respective sports," concluded Assistant Athletic Director Donald Evans. "As an Athletic Department we focus on education-based athletics to develop an atmosphere and culture that prepares our student-athletes for the future. Our students here today have modeled those values through their time at JSerra and we are proud to recognize them for their commitment to continue their athletic endeavors at their future institutions."

Individual Athletes, their commits, and detailed info listed below.

JSERRA STUDENT ATHLETE COLLEGE COMMITMENTS ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Mariah Bohl
Softball | Furman University

Experience: 7 years, including 2 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: CIF for 4x100, Coaches Award for Softball

Person who made greatest impact: Mom, she has always supported me through everything and has always found a way to make my dreams become a reality no matter what she has to sacrifice in order for that to happen.

Message to Parent: Thank you for always being my number one fan and support system throughout it all. I am so grateful for your love and the sacrifices you have made to help me reach this point. Love you!

Hunter Cranton
Baseball | University of Arizona

Experience: 14 years, including 1 year at JSerra

High School Highlights: 4-year Varsity Athlete

Club Highlights: BPA Wilson Premier and Angels Scout Team, PG Preseason All American - 3 years

Person who made greatest impact: My parents have given me every opportunity with baseball from a financial standpoint and always driving me to places for private lessons.

Message to Parents: Thanks for everything you've done for me. You will never know how much I love and appreciate you guys.

Michael Curialle
Baseball | UCLA

Experience: 10 years, including 3 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: 1st Team All-Trinity League

Club Highlights: Making Area Code Team

Person who made greatest impact: My dad.

Message to Parents: I'm grateful for you.

Peyton Dewers
Volleyball | College of the Holy Cross

Experience: 8 years, including 4 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: Junior Varsity freshmen year, Varsity – sophomore, junior and senior year. 2018 Senior Award, 2018 2nd Team All-Trinity League

Club Highlights: T-Street Volleyball Team Captain, earned bids to Junior Nationals past 4 years.

Person who made greatest impact: Every one of my high school and club coaches are responsible for my success in volleyball. Without their coaching abilities, I would have never been able to get to the next level.

Message to Parents: Thank you for getting me interested in the sport that I love. Thank you for driving me to tryouts, practices, booking flights and hotel rooms, and for helping me send emails to college coaches.

Addison Didier
Rowing | Cornell University

Experience: 4 years

Club Highlights: Newport Aquatic Center Most Dedicated Member – 2016-2017 Women's Varsity Team

Person who made greatest impact: My coaches taught me to be compassionately competitive and to strive for greatness; that it is better to be the person who brings a whole team with her than to be the person who works only for themselves; and the importance of improving as a person each and every day.

Message to Parents: Thank you for all your sacrifices these past years...you always believed that I would succeed. You knew what my dream was, and you gave me the tools to get there. There are not enough ways to say thank you or to express how much your support has meant to me.

Shayne Francisco
Beach Volleyball | University of Utah

Experience: 6 years, including 3 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: 2018 1st Team All-Trinity League, 2018 Volleyball MVP, 2017 Scholar Athlete Award

Club Highlights: 1st CBVA Pacific Palisades, 9th West Coast Beach Junior Olympics, 3rd AVP First SF, 2nd AAU Santa Monica Ocean Sports Festival

Person who made greatest impact: Coach Katy Daly always saw the competitive side of me and wanted to bring that out. She was continuously pushing me to do my best. Now, I will never settle for a loss.

Message to Parents: I love them for always, always, always supporting me and the tough decisions we've come across over the past years regarding my future path.

Blake Klassen
Baseball | University of Arizona

Experience:13 years, including 4 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: 2017 All-Trinity League Honorable Mention, 2018 1st Team All-Trinity, 2018 2nd Team All-CIF, 2018 Orange County Catholic Player of the Week

Person who made greatest impact: Coach Kay taught me baseball on a deeper level for the past four years and I would not be the same person or player if it wasn't for him.

Message to Parents: I would tell my parents thank you for all the sacrifices they made to put me in this position because none of this would be possible if it weren't for them.

Andrew Miller
Baseball | University of Nevada

Experience: 13 years, including 4 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: 2018 Varsity 2nd Team All-Trinity League

Club Highlights: Won Junior Olympics with the Saddleback Cowboys Baseball Organization

Person who made greatest impact: Coach Kay has helped me to channel my inner drive and contain it well to help me perform the best on the field as possible.

Anything else to share: All things I do, I do for the glory of God.

Message to Parents: Thank you for everything you have done for me. The hours in the car to take me to practices. The money spent on lessons and time spent just discipling me into the man I am today. I very much appreciate everything you have done for me.

Caitlin Mueller
Volleyball | Liberty University

Experience: 7 years, including 4 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: MVP - Freshman & Sophomore; Captain - Freshman, Sophomore, & Senior; Letterwinner - Junior & Senior, Scholar Athlete - all 4 years; Volleyball For All

Club Highlights: 2016 SCVA 18th ranked overall team, 2015 -2018 Junior Nationals (5th place 2017)

Person who made greatest impact: My whole family. They have all constantly supported me in whatever I do and push me to be the best version of myself that I can be.

Message to Parents: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Without you there is no way that I would have made it to where I am. I love you both and I don't know what I would do without you.

Christian Schrodt
Golf | Colorado School of Mines

Experience: 14 years, including 4 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: 2017 2nd Team All-Trinity League, 2016 Lion Award as a freshman.

Club Highlights: 7th–Toyota Tour Cup, 9th–FCG Callaway World Championships, 3rd–FCG Memorial Day Weekend World Series Champs, 1st–FCG National Tour Spring Challenge

Person who made greatest impact: Brian Schippel has made the greatest impact- his confidence in my ability has kept me positive and striving for excellence always.

Message to Parents: They have always pushed me to perform my best and provided me with the resources to be successful on and off the course. I could never thank them enough for their love and support and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.

Nadia Tabrizi
Cross Country | Cal Berkeley

Experience: 7 years, including 4 years at JSerra

High School Highlights: 9th and 10th grade female athlete of the year; 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade Trinity League Champion; All-CIF; All-State; All-Trinity League; Cross Country and Track & Field MVP

Person who made greatest impact: Coach Dugard's dedication, love and support has made me not only the runner I am today but also who I am as a person. I learned that with hard work and dedication nothing is impossible.

Message to Parents: Thank you Mom and Dad for believing in me and supporting me through this journey. I love you both so much and wouldn't have been able to make it here without all your love and support.

Ashton Woodbury
Gymnastics | Cal Berkeley

Experience: 14 years

Club Highlights: 2016 and 2018 Junior Olympic National Championships

Person who made greatest impact: Coach Rick Watson: without him, I wouldn't have the college opportunity I have, and I would have never rekindled my love for gymnastics.

Anything else to share: I'm just so grateful to have been given this opportunity to be able to continue my academic and athletic career at UC Berkeley.

Message to Parents: Thank you for being so supportive in all my decisions leading up to my college decision, and for always being such great role models and fans.

JSERRA HEAD COACHES OF ATHLETES COMMITTING ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Head Coach Brett Kay
JSerra Head Coach Baseball

Coach Kay, who reached his 200th career coaching win in 2016, has lifted the JSerra baseball program to the top of the prestigious Trinity League and among the elite teams in the country. Kay's program has been ranked among the nation's top 10 each of the last three seasons.

Coach Mike Murphy
JSerra Head Coach Volleyball

Coach Murphy has experience with numerous high schools in the south Orange County area including T-Street Volleyball Club and SCVA. Under Coach Murphy's tutelage his teams have achieved considerable success, including 2 CIF playoffs, and several #1 finishes in SCVA.

Coach Brian Schippel
JSerra Head Coach boys golf

Coach Schippel, a Class A PGA Professional, was the Head Golf Professional at Tustin Ranch Golf Club before moving to Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in 2004 to build the Junior Performance Program. It has quickly become the best junior instructional program in the area.

Coach Marty Dugard
JSerra Head Coach Cross Country

Coach Dugard is concluding his 14th season as Head Coach. Under his guidance, the teams have won 3 State Championships, 5 CIF Southern Section Championships, and 11 Trinity League Championships. He has coached 2 individual State Champions and 2 CIF Champions as well.