Congratulations to 20 members of the Padua Franciscan High School’s Class of 2025 who have announced their intentions to play sports at the collegiate level.
All 20 put pen to paper and signed letters of intent in front of family, friends and their teachers in the Padua Gym on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
The following athletes participated in the event and announced their college choices:
Emily Black - Softball - Otterbein University
Major - Nursing
Reason for choosing Otterbein - “Great coaches and players that I would love to surround myself with for the next four years. They are all so supportive and have been so kind in sharing their knowledge about college softball and the school overall. They also offer a good nursing program and have a beautiful campus.”
Braelyn Boguski - Softball - Cuyahoga Community College
Major - Business
Reason for choosing Tri-C - “CCC is a great fit for me to start my college career with a great coaching staff and group of girls. I plan to get my business degree before pursuing a degree in psychology and hope to continue to play at a four-year university after my two years at CCC.”
Ava Bonfili - Lacrosse - Walsh University
Major - Exercise Science
Reason for choosing Walsh - “I wanted to continue to play lacrosse at the collegiate level, and Walsh is providing me this opportunity.”
Alexiah Bryan - Lacrosse - Ohio Northern University
Major - Neuroscience with minor in Spanish
Reason for choosing Ohio Northern University - “I chose ONU because it is the place for me to receive the best level of education in order to succeed in the future. I realized that I didn’t want a big-city school, and ONU felt like home to me. Plus, ONU is my parents’ alma mater. I can’t wait to get involved in everything ONU has to offer, along with the honor of having a chance to continue playing the sport I love. Go Bears!”
Audrey Butler - Track & Field - University of Mount Union
Major - Exercise Science
Reason for choosing Mount Union - “I chose the University of Mount Union because I felt like it was the right fit for me. It is a very athletic school, which I like, plus they have a great program for exercise science. The campus is gorgeous, and I really like the people at Mount.”
Riley Cervenka - Basketball - Lake Erie College
Major - Finance
Reason for choosing Lake Erie - “I really liked the basketball program and appreciate the coaches giving me an opportunity to play there. Plus, I think the education at Lake Erie will help me pursue a career in Finance.”
Giovanni Duniec - Wrestling - University of Mount Union
Major - Education
Reason for choosing Mount Union - “I like the wrestling program and wanted to continue wrestling with my brother in college.”
Taylor Hallock - Track & Field - Muskingum University
Major - Biology (pre-med)
Reason for choosing Muskingum - “When I visited the campus, I instantly felt like I could spend the next four years there. I really love their campus, especially their new indoor track facility and science department.”
Valerie Harris - Track & Field - Oberlin College
Major - Biology or Business
Reason for choosing Oberlin - “They have an amazing academic program, and it’s close to home.”
Nathan Krayzel - Baseball - Walsh University
Major - Finance
Reason for choosing Walsh - “I chose Walsh because I liked what their baseball program had to offer. They have a really nice campus, and I felt like I belonged there.”
Anna Kwiatkowski - Rowing - Ohio State University
Major - International Business
Reason for choosing Ohio State - “I knew this opportunity would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance that I could not pass up. I’m excited to compete at the highest level and grateful to see what my future has in store for me.”
Jenna Manson - Track & Field - Point Park University
Major - Forensic Science
Reason for choosing Point Park - “Point Park is located in the heart of Pittsburgh and is like a big family. Their forensic science program is very strong, and the track team strives for success with all of their student-athletes.”
Trey Martin - Baseball - University of Mount Union
Major - Sport Business
Reason for choosing Mount Union - “Mount Union has a strong Sport Business program, and I really like their campus, which felt like Padua to me. I also liked their baseball coaching staff and facilities.”
Alex Moore - Football - Capital University
Major - Criminology
Reason for choosing Capital - “I really liked their school community, which supports everyone. Plus, I’m excited about the amazing opportunities that Capital offers being located in Columbus.”
Grace Padavick - Volleyball - Bethany College
Major - Criminal Justice, minor in Pre-Law
Reason for choosing Bethany - “I love the volleyball team, coaches and fans at Bethany. I can tell that everyone supports everyone in the community. Also, it had my perfect major and minor that I want to study, which made it an easy choice for me!”
Lucas Palange - Baseball - Walsh University
Major - Undecided
Reason for choosing Walsh - “I loved the opportunity to continue my education and athletic career at a great university.”
Logan Schnell - Baseball - Ohio Wesleyan University
Major - Business
Reason for choosing Ohio Wesleyan - “I liked the campus and how it felt. The coaches, players and students were very welcoming, and the campus is located in a great area.”
Spencer Siedlecki - Baseball - Chatham University
Major - Sports Management
Reason for choosing Chatham - “I’m excited for the opportunity to continue my education plus play baseball at the college level.”
Eva Stearns - Track & Field - University of Findlay
Major - Exercise Science
Reason for choosing Findlay - “They have a very good physical therapy program, plus I was accepted into their early assurance program, which will allow me to get undergrad completed in three years followed by three years of grad school.”
Makhi Williams - Baseball - Baldwin Wallace University
Major - Computer Science
Reason for choosing Baldwin Wallace - “I wanted to stay close to home with friends and family, plus play in a very strong baseball program in hopes of playing at the professional level one day.”
The 20 athletes who signed Thursday joined five of their senior classmates who committed to playing sports at the collegiate level earlier this year.
Roderick Love (Ohio Dominican University), Conner Williams (University of Charleston), Nick Barker (Allegheny College) and Brandon Homady (West Virginia University) all committed to play football in college. Angelina Gaal will play volleyball at Bloomsburg University.
