Top area athletes making their college choices official

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By Skip Weaver, Staff Writer 1:41 AM Wednesday, November 10, 2010

MIDDLETOWN — Several area high school athletes are planning to make their college commitments official during the early national signing period, which begins today.

Middletown High School seniors Brianna Lipscomb and Kyle Schwarber plan to sign their national letters of intent at a 10 a.m. ceremony today in the high school media center.

Lipscomb will sign to play softball for Miami University.

“Once I made my official visit to Miami, I canceled all the others I had,” Lipscomb said of visits she had planned with Ohio University, Bowling Green and Kent State. “I just fell in love with the campus, the coaches and the facilities. I didn’t want to go anywhere else.”

Lipscomb has a three-year batting average of .396 with six home runs. She also is a two-time Greater Miami Conference first-team selection.

“I feel a lot more relaxed about my senior season now that this will be out of the way,” said Lipscomb, adding that she has an individual goal of breaking the school’s career home run record of 10. “I’ve always looked up to big hitters. To set a record like that would really mean a lot to me.”

Schwarber will sign to continue his baseball career at Indiana.

“It’s finally here,” said the senior catcher, who made his verbal commitment just before the start of his junior baseball season. “I’ve been excited about this for a while. I’m ready to go.”

Schwarber has a three-year career batting average of .390 (82-for-210) with 10 home runs and 75 RBIs. He was a GMC first-team selection last year and was on the second team his sophomore season.

“When I visited Indiana, it just reminded me a lot of home,” Schwarber said of the Big Ten school in Bloomington, Ind. “The people were really nice and it is pretty close to home.

“It’s going to be weird wearing crimson instead of purple, but I’ll get used to it,” he added.

Two Madison athletes also will make their commitments official next week.

Sarah Chaney will sign her letter of intent to play volleyball at Miami University in a 3 p.m. ceremony on Monday at the school.

“I grew up watching Miami play, and it has always been a dream to go there,” Chaney said. “It’s a big step from high school. I know I have to be ready physically when I get there, but I can’t wait to actually go play for them. I’m really excited.”

Chaney is a two-time Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division Player of the Year.

Ally Malott will make her basketball commitment to the University of Dayton official at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17.

“This is a really exciting time,” said Malott, who just recently made her verbal commitment to the Flyers. “I’m excited to get the high school season started, but I’m also looking a little farther ahead to the next part of my life.”

Malott helped lead the Mohawks to the Division III state championship game a year ago. She is a two-time All-Ohio D-III first-team player and a two-time Southwest District player of the year.

National Signing Day

National Signing Day is today, and The Middletown Journal wants to know who intends to sign letters of intent through Nov. 17.

If you’re planning to do so, contact The Journal at universal_sports@coxohio.com and include name, sport, college, stats and contact information. Also, send signing ceremony photos to that address. Sports are baseball, basketball, bowling, golf, softball, swimming, tennis, volleyball and wrestling.

National Signing Day for football, field hockey, soccer, track and field, and cross country is Feb. 2.

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