Athletes score a spot on college teams

As the school year comes to an end and seniors commit to colleges, several VHHS athletes have made the decision to continue their sport in college. Their passion, commitment, and drive to always be better is reflected in their decision to continue playing in college. 

Jack McDonald

McDonald will be attending Carthage College where he will be part of the men’s volleyball team. After watching his brother play in high school, he decided he wanted to play as well and began training in middle school. His recruitment process began his junior year, and it picked up over the summer. 

McDonald was able to visit campuses and meet the guys on the team. Despite the challenges COVID-19 has brought to the recruiting process, the coaches made it flexible and tried to present him with as many opportunities and Zoom meetings as they could.

What are you looking forward to the most in your athletic future?

“Being on a competitive team that really enjoys the sport as much as I do and being around some of my future best friends.”

Any advice for kids or fellow high schoolers who are looking to play sports in college?

“Be totally yourself when talking with coaches and make sure to always have good communication.” 

What’s your favorite memory of volleyball in high school, and what are you going to miss the most?

“My favorite memory was this past Monday. It was the first time we had a game in two years, and it was awesome being able to suit up with a bunch of guys my age—that was a great experience. I’ll probably miss the players and coaches the most. I made a great bond with all of the coaches in the program over the past couple of years, and I’m definitely going to keep in touch with them and [other] kids I’ve played with.” 

Casey Craffey

Craffey will be attending Northern Arizona University, where she will also be part of the swim team. 

Her mom ran the ‘learn to swim’ program at LHS which is where Craffey’s love for swim originated. She joined Cats Aquatics at just eight years old and has been on the same team ever since. In high school, she was on the varsity swim team for all four years. 

Her recruitment process started at the beginning of junior year, and it was really smooth. She was able to visit all the colleges she was interested in before COVID-19, which she said was really nice. 

What are you looking forward to the most in your athletic future?

“I’m looking forward to growing not only as an athlete but also as a person in college.”

Any advice for kids or fellow high schoolers who are looking to play sports in college?

“Work hard and look for colleges early on if you want to do it.”

What are you going to miss the most about swimming in high school?

“I’m going to miss the swim team and all the memories we’ve made in and out of the pool.”

Ryan Mann

Mann will be attending Northern Illinois University, where he will be part of the football team. His dad introduced him to sports at a young age and he’s been playing football since second grade. Mann’s recruitment process started his junior year. Although the process became more difficult during the pandemic, Mann said it all worked out for him in the end. 

What are you looking forward to the most in your athletic future?

“Meeting new guys and building new relationships amongst my teammates and coaches.” 

Any advice for kids or fellow highs schoolers who are looking to play sports in college?

“Stay focused and if you really want to play, stay determined and workout.”

What’s your favorite memory of football in high school, and what are you going to miss the most?

“I’m going to miss the camaraderie and the brotherhood the team has built.”

Erik Ramirez 

Ramirez will be attending the University of Dubuque, where he will be part of the lacrosse team. His parents pushed him into sports at a young age and he decided to pick up lacrosse, which he ended up falling in love with. 

His recruitment process began at the end of his freshman year. In order for him to get a reaction from coaches, he had to play outside of the high school and visit a bunch of schools. 

What are you looking forward to the most in your athletic future?

“Bonding with new teammates and being in a new area and a whole new environment in general.”

Any advice for kids or fellow high schoolers who are looking to play sports in college?

“Find what you love and perfect it. There’s going to be a lot of nights where you don’t want to workout, but you gotta put in the work if you want to play at the highest level. Also, stay up to date with your schoolwork. They like to look into your schoolwork rather than your ability to play the sport you chose to play in college. If you’re a multiple-sport athlete, definitely mention that in the recruiting process; college coaches love to see multiple-sport athletes.”

What’s your favorite memory of lacrosse, and what are you going to miss the most?

“Becoming top 25 in the country with my lacrosse team would have to be my favorite. [I’ll miss] bonding with my high school teammates and seeing them for one last time.”