This is the time of year that senior athletes look forward to: it’s signing season.

Student athletes are signing their commitments to go to certain colleges to further their education along with continuing their sport.

Recently, seniors Megan Halczuk, Garrett Lowe, and Mackenzie Young, all signed to their chosen college.

Both lacrosse player Young and Halczuk signed to continue playing at University of Maryland- Baltimore County (UMBC).

Baseball player Lowe signed to play at Millersville University.

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Lowe signs to Millersville University

Many students, when on the hunt for a college, are looking for a new place to call home, and Halczuk said, “stepping onto UMBC’s campus gave me the feeling of home.”

UMBC lacrosse is ranked as a division one (D1)  team, which means they play in the highest league. Most D1 teams are very strenuous and focus a lot on the physique of their athletes more than their education making their team work double time to keep up with school and their sport.

Halczuk said that one of the reasons why she chose UMBC was because of the “… team dynamic and the academic focus.”

For others, like Young, her motive for picking UMBC was partly due to “… the close proximity to home so that my friends and family will have the opportunity to see me play and to visit.”

Most colleges and universities require their athletes to maintain a certain grade point average (GPA) in order for them to be able to play; this is similar to how in high school the athletes have to maintain certain grades in order for them to be eligible for their sport.

As most people would think, in order to be a college athlete, students must be fit and in shape.

Young said that ¨they will expect me to come in physically ready to play lacrosse. They will give me a plan over the summer to follow to make sure I come in in the best shape possible. Right now, I am playing as much lacrosse as possible and meeting with a trainer a few times a week to work on speed, agility and strength.¨

Lowe can also agree with. He said, “They are expecting us to show up on campus in game form, ready to go and compete at a high level. They are really big about time in the weight room and how we eat and fuel our bodies.”

In addition to joining a new team and attending a new school, these athletes will be gaining another family.

“I have already met all the girls I will be going into UMBC with, and I am super excited to spend the next four years together,” said Young.

Lowe also said that joining the Millerville family is something he is looking forward to along with beginning to build his future for himself and his future family.

The next steps for all of these seniors is to focus on the academic and athletic sides for the next four years of their lives.