Athletic Letter of Intent Fall Signing Ceremony

“George Haracz is a great young man who exemplifies what it means to put the team first. Last season, he worked incredibly hard at three of the four infield positions to offer the team the versatility we needed to be successful. He always comes to practice ready to work and get better, with a genuine smile on his face. Umass Boston is not only getting a great player but one that will continue to grow and work his tail off for the next four years! I am incredibly proud of George and look forward to him having a successful end to his Loyola Baseball career, and a great career at Umass Boston and beyond! Congratulations, George!” Coach Josh Howard

“Connor Lasch is a natural leader who kids look up to. Connor was called up to varsity as a sophomore at Loyola and has grown tremendously in our three years together. Connor has a tireless work ethic that will put him in a great position to get on the field early in his collegiate career. He leads by example and always makes good decisions on and off the field. When Connor needs to hold his teammates accountable, they respond well to him and respect the way he carries himself. I can’t wait to see what the spring season has in store for Connor and look forward to him having a great career at Concordia Wisconsin over the next 4 years! Congratulations, Connor!” Coach Josh Howard

“Michael Southard is a bulldog who never lets a moment get too big. He has an incredibly high baseball IQ and uses those tools on the field to help the team win baseball games. I have had the pleasure of coaching Michael for a number of years and it has been fun watching him grow, not only as a baseball player, but a great young man with a very bright future ahead. Concordia Wisconsin is getting a great pitcher in Michael and he will help the program in numerous ways throughout his four years there. I can’t wait to see what the spring has in store for the final chapter of Michael’s Loyola career and look forward to watching him compete at Concordia for the next 4 years! Congratulations, Michael! “ Coach Josh Howard

 “Sophia showed an incredible amount of potential on the first day of crew her freshman year and she lived up to her potential over the past four years.  She has been in the first varsity eight since her sophomore year, and has led the team on and off the water three years straight.  She was highly recruited to many schools, including Cornell, Penn, and Georgetown, and has made the great decision to become a Hoya.  We wish her the best at the Hilltop!” Coach Mike Kelley

“Anya sat in the coaching launch as a freshman and immediately took to the sport.  The daughter of a rower, she understood what it took to excel in crew.  She is a determined rower and a natural leader on the team.  She earned her spot in the first varsity eight this year, and many colleges reached out to recruit her.  She made the list of the top recruits to the University of Wisconsin and she accepted their offer a few weeks ago to become a Badger.  We wish her nothing but the best up in Madison!” Coach Mike Kelley

“From the Class of 2023, Katelyn Passino graduates as one of the fastest rowers in the USA.  As a sophomore she won the u17 crash B erg championships and she has attended team USA’s u19 selection camp in both 2021 and 2022. As a senior she is currently sitting in the 6 seat of the CRF varsity 8. Katelyn will be a huge asset to the University of Virginia as a first year next fall.” Coach Mike Wallin, Chicago Rowing Foundation

“I have had the pleasure of coaching Ms. Rucker during her time at CRF. In the short time I have been coaching Liv, I have seen her consistently on and off the water. Liv was a key asset to her boat this past spring as she brought speed and a contagiously good attitude to every practice and race. She comes to practice with an open mindset and is never afraid of putting in the work. Liv constantly raises the bar for herself and her teammates as there is constant growth and improvement with her ‘we’ never ‘I’ attitude. Her ability to create a positive team culture shows how she acts with dignity and confidence in her leadership. This past summer, Liv attended the USRowing Olympic Development Program, where she was invited to train with other top athletes within the national team system under world-class coaches in Sarasota, Florida.” Coach Nicki Kane, Chicago Rowing Foundation

“Ellie had an outstanding four years in cross country and track. She is a four-time cross-country and track athlete letter winner. Ellie was a two-time GCAC cross-country champion and an all-state athlete in the 3200m relay. As a country team captain, Ellie led the cross-country team to a school-best finish in cross-country at the IHSA state championship.” Coach ChrisJon Simon

“Ryan Banas is a four year varsity player who competed at the highest level in the state. 2x state qualifier, 2x medalist at CCLs, and broke a CCL record shooting an 8 under round of 64. More importantly, Ryan was a great example of sportsmanship, respect, leadership, work ethic, and being a great teammate. There is no doubt that Ryan will have a successful career on and off the course at Marquette.” Coach Sean Batti

“Eileen has achieved great success in lacrosse as a fast, strong, athletic midfielder who is a consummate 2-way player as an attacker, defender, and draw circle standout. She also is an outstanding student and has been honored multiple times as an All Conference and All State player. She comes from a very athletic family and will be fortunate to join her sister Maeve and numerous other Ramblers on the Marquette University team that competes in the Big East Conference.” Coach John Dwyer

“Riley is an athletic midfielder who excels at every phase of the game. She is a strong finisher at the offensive end, a tenacious defender, and also a standout in the draw circle. She exemplifies the best of student/athletes at Loyola as she is also a star in the classroom and has earned USA Lacrosse Academic All American honors, in addition to multiple All Conference and All State recognition. Riley will be a valuable addition to Marquette’s lacrosse program as they contend in the Big East Conference.” Coach John Dwyer

“Easton Bello has been on varsity since sophomore year.  Major contributor at both attack and midfield.  Very skilled offensively. Will be a senior leader for the team this upcoming season.  Scored a big goal in the state finals to close out the 3rd quarter for the team.  I think Colby is getting a Division 1 caliber player.” Coach Rob Snyder

“Jameson Kane has been on varsity since sophomore year.  Has consistently improved each year.  Will be a key contributor to the team heading into the 2023 season.  Was more than willing to play multiple positions to help out our team.   Will be an impact player for us this spring and when he steps on campus at Ithaca College.” Coach Rob Snyder

“Luke Bobby has been on varsity since sophomore year.  Been a great teammate.  Will do whatever it takes to help our team.  Reliable defender that will be counting on to make a huge contribution this year.  Athletic and fast.  Can be a difference maker for us.” Coach Rob Snyder

“Derek Brier is a returning varsity player.  Looking to play a significant role in the upcoming spring in the midfield.  Athletic player.   Plenty of upside potential which the coaching staff will be hoping to see all of it this spring.” Coach Rob Snyder

“Nate Schwitzenberg has been on varsity since freshman year.  Been a 3yr starter.  Selected as a junior team captain.  Big, strong, and athletic defender that plays very disciplined and cerebral.  Guards opponent’s best offensive player each game.  Leader of our defense.  We will be team leader for the upcoming spring.   Should make an impact as a frosh once he steps on campus at Notre Dame. “ Coach Rob Snyder

“Seels joined our program in the Spring of 2022 and had an immediate impact on our team.  She anchored our backline and was an integral part of our team's success in limiting our opponents' chances on goal.  She reads the game well.   Seels is fantastic on the ball and often started our attack and helped us maintain possession out of the back.  She is a fantastic leader on the field- her communication and her tireless work rate have been key to our success.  We are thrilled that she will continue her career as a student athlete at Northern Michigan University.” Coach Shannon Hartinger

“Eva is a game changing defensive talent with the ability to make everyone around her better.  She has the rare combination of athleticism and skill to play in a Power Five conference like the Big Ten.  Under Coach Diianni, Iowa has used a defensive-first mentality to compete for and win Big Ten Championships.  Eva is a perfect fit for this style of play and will help Iowa continue on their recent run of success.” Coach  John Soltani, Eclipse Soccer Club

“After COVID canceled freshman year, Emily made an immediate impact on the field with LAVS.  Emily's positional flexibility has allowed us to use her as an outside or center back, as well as push her into the midfield.  She is a tough defender who reads the game well and is hard to break down.  She also has a dynamic attacking presence out of the back and is dangerous on set pieces.  Emily and I crossed paths years ago when I was her coach at U8, so it has all come full circle for me to see how she has grown as a soccer player and person and achieving her goal of playing Division 1 soccer.  It will be exciting to watch her continue to grow at the University of St. Thomas.” Coach Shannon Hartinger

 “Emma is a three year member of our varsity soccer team. Emma's improvement over the past three years has been fantastic and a credit to her for the extra work she has done.  Her impact on the field has continued to grow and she has developed into a fantastic midfielder.  She is a hard nose defender who disrupts play well.  Her composure on the ball provides a steady presence to help us keep possession, while breaking down our opponents.  We look forward to a big senior season from her and know that she will do great things as part of the women's soccer team and Calvin University community.” Coach Shannon Hartinger

“Mercedes is a fierce competitor; she is a powerful force at the plate and an intimidating presence in the circle. She is a fantastic teammate and friend; she helps other members of our program strive for excellence. She will do big things at Maryville University!! We can’t wait to cheer her on as she does!!” Coach Leah Herlocker

“Maureen (or Mo) is a hard worker and a great athlete. She pushes her teammates to be better each day and consistently elevates our team’s level of focus and perseverance. Mo will be an incredible addition to the University of New England’s softball program as a player and as a person. We are so excited for Mo!!!” Coach Leah Hartinger

“Ava has been a starter on the varsity volleyball team for the past two years. This season, she led the team in kills with 253 as well as in blocks at 109. Often when Ava would step on the court for warm-ups, the players on the other team were immediately intimidated by her due to her height and aggressive kills. She was our go-to hitter this season and we would not have as much success as we had without her. I can’t wait to see her continue to play at the next level at Cornell next year!” Coach Mallory Thelander

“Catherine has been a starter on the varsity volleyball team the past two years and was one of our captains this year. Catherine sets very high standards for herself and is extremely dedicated to volleyball so is always looking for ways to improve. Her aggressive hitting and strong blocking led us to many victories this season. This season, she had the 2nd highest number of kills and blocks with 232 kills and 85 blocks. I am looking forward to watching her continue her volleyball career at Penn State next year, they are lucky to have her!” Coach Mallory Thelander