College signings: 10 more Seacoast student-athletes choose their schools
Ten more high school student-athletes from across Seacoast New Hampshire and southern Maine have committed to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.
Read on for a look at the most recent standouts who have made their college choices known, with Portsmouth, Exeter, Oyster River and Winnacunnet high schools represented.
If you are a student-athlete who has committed to play a sport at the college level and haven't been featured, please email sports editor Jay Pinsonnault at jpinsonnault@seacoastonline.com to be included in our next batch of student-athlete college commitments.
Talia Banafato, Oyster River High School, women's cross country/track and field, Loyola Maryland University
Banafato has been a part of four state championship teams at Oyster River, and hopes to lead the Bobcats to their second straight Division II spring track title in June.
After that, it’s off to Loyola Maryland University in Baltimore to join its Division I cross country and track and field teams.
“Throughout my childhood I was very involved in athletics,” Banafato said. “I was doing soccer, basketball, swim team, gymnastics, track, cross country and lacrosse. I knew from a young age that sports would have a big presence in my life, and as I got older, the most difficult thing was cutting out sports that I loved as my passion for running grew.”
Banafato was part of three state championship indoor relay teams (4x400 as junior and senior; 4x800 as senior) at Oyster River, competing in the New Balance Indoor Nationals three times.
She chose Loyola Maryland, which competes in the Patriot League, over the University of Maine, Smith College, the University of New Hampshire and Marquette University.
“One of the main reasons I chose Loyola Maryland was for its strong speech pathology program,” said Banafato, who received a merit scholarship. “I also loved the opportunities that living close to two different cities (Baltimore, Washington, DC) would present. Other than that, I loved the beautiful campus and Coach Horst's leadership style.”
Jacob Carlisle, Portsmouth High School, baseball, Saint Joseph’s College
Carlisle was going into his sophomore year at Portsmouth when he was a member of the Booma Post 6 team that won the New Hampshire American Legion baseball state championship and advanced to the New England regional tournament.
It is then that Carlisle set a goal to play baseball at the collegiate level.
“Playing ball with that (legion) team was one of the greatest experiences of my short career,” Carlisle said.
After looking at other business schools across the Northeast, Carlisle chose to continue his academic and baseball careers next year at Saint Joseph’s College, a Division III program in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference in Standish, Maine.
“I loved the campus near Portland, Maine, and the opportunity to study business,” said Carlisle, who received a merit scholarship and plans to study business management and healthcare systems. “Coach Sanborn and the entire staff demonstrated strong leadership through the recruiting process and introduced me to the players who helped facilitate and host each campus visit. I immediately felt like part of the team. I respect the way they approach the game, and I look forward to representing the Monks.”
Annie Christiana, Exeter High School, softball, United States Military Academy at West Point
Christiana, entering her fourth season with the Exeter varsity, will take her softball and academic talents next fall to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
“I wanted the opportunity to serve my country,” said Christiana, who helped lead the Blue Hawks to a state championship as a sophomore in 2022 and plans to study either mechanical or chemical engineering. “I really liked the environment and the people and the softball team. West Point gives me the opportunity to continue my softball career, and it has really good academics.”
West Point is a Division I program that competes in the Patriot League. It reached out to Christiana in the summer of 2022. Christiana, who has played club softball for Polar Crush for nine years, was also looking at the United States Naval Academy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Swarthmore College.
“I believed I could play beyond the high school level starting at my freshman year when I began the recruiting process with my club team and I began emailing and getting in touch with college coaches,” said Christiana, who has played catcher, second base and outfield. “Committing to West Point very early in the recruiting process allowed me to enjoy my final years of travel softball in a way that it would have been difficult if I was still trying to be recruited.”
More: College signings: 27 Seacoast student-athletes choose their schools for 2024
Mackenzie Lombardi, Portsmouth High School, women's basketball, Transylvania University
Lombardi had two goals when her basketball playing days at Portsmouth High School were over. The first one was to go to a college in Kentucky, and the second was to play basketball.
Check and check.
Lombardi, after looking at a handful of schools including St. John’s Fisher, Assumption, Adelphi and Stonehill, chose Transylvania University, a Division III program in Lexington, Kentucky.
“I’ve always wanted to go school in Kentucky, my family is from there and I love Lexington,” said Lombardi, a Greenland resident. “The first time I stepped on campus I knew this is where I wanted to play. The school is surrounded by a great community, team, and coaches, and it is a very driven and competitive program. I am super excited to join them next year.”
Lombardi helped the Clippers reach the Division I semifinals in each of her four years.
“I’ve wanted to play college basketball since I was in middle school,” said Lombardi, who will receive a merit scholarship. “I’ve been lucky enough to have a great support system throughout the entire process and am so thankful to have played for such an amazing team and program.”
Maddie MacCannell, Portsmouth High School, women'sbasketball, University of Hartford
MacCannell was being recruited by different schools to play basketball, volleyball and track.
Ultimately, MacCannell chose to play basketball at the University of Hartford, a Division III program in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.
“I liked the potential of the basketball program,” MacCannell said in reference to choosing Hartford. “I really liked the coaching staff and was impressed by the facilities.”
MacCanell was also impressed with Hartford’s state-of-art nursing program.
“My drive has always been for nursing,” MacCannell said. “Finding a program that balances sports with academics was a critical item for me. Nursing programs are not an easy fit with college athletics, but at Hartford, I met with the dean of nursing as well as the coaching staff; they are really committed to my success both on and off the court."
MacCannell, who received a merit scholarship, played four years of basketball and volleyball, and three years of track at Portsmouth. She was a Division I all-state basketball honorable mention selection in both her junior and senior seasons.
Jake Magri, Winnacunnet High School, men’s lacrosse, Saint Joseph’s College
Magri was selected to play in the annual New Hampshire CHaD East-West All-Star football game, but he will continue his athletic career in college playing men’s lacrosse.
“I’ve always wanted to be a college athlete, but freshman year was when I decided I wanted to play lacrosse at the next level,” said Magri, a North Hampton resident.
Magri selected Saint Joseph’s College, a Division III program in Standish, Maine, over Nichols College, Plymouth State University, Keene State, and Rivier College.
Ultimately, he chose Saint Joseph’s, which competes in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, because of head coach Bill Cosentino, who also serves as high school program director for Magri’s club team, New England Elite Lacrosse.
“The guys at (Saint Joseph’s) didn't treat me like a recruit, they treated me like a guy who was already on the team,” said Magri, who was a Division II all-state second-team selection last year. “A lot of the guys on the team said they chose the school because of (Coach Cosentino) and the family atmosphere of the team.”
Magri, who received a merit scholarship, plans to study physical education and wellness.
Amelia McAfee, Winnacunnet High School, field hockey, Lasell University
The thought of playing field hockey beyond high school was something that came late for McAfee, a Hampton Falls resident.
“It hit me when I started my senior season,” McAfee said. “I came to the realization these would be my last games. I knew what field hockey meant to me and knew that I needed to take action to be able to continue playing.”
McAfee had a strong senior season with the Warriors, sharing team MVP honors, and being placed on the Division I all-state second team.
McAfee had a handful of schools interested in her, including Albertus Magnus, Western New England University, Roger Williams, Saint Joesph’s, Colby Sawyer, Lasell University, and Westfield State.
Ultimately, McAfee, who played club field hockey for five years at Seacoast United, chose Lasell University, a Division III school in Newton, Massachusetts, and competes in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.
"I wanted to be close to home,” said McAfee, who received a merit scholarship. “I also really like the coach and the players and knew I would fit in at the school. Lasell is just outside of Boston and there are a lot of internship and job opportunities in the area.”
McAfee plans to study psychology.
Angus Moss, Portsmouth High School, football, Endicott College
Moss was a two-sport standout for his first two years at Portsmouth High School, starring in both football and baseball for the Clippers.
However, it was one month before his junior baseball season when he realized football where his heart was and dedicated himself to the gridiron, putting down his bat and glove.
After visits to both Western New England University and Endicott College, both Division III schools in Massachusetts, Moss has committed to play football at Endicott.
“Culture and competitive atmosphere come hand in hand at Endicott,” Moss said on his decision. “I admired it and knew I’d become a better version of myself.”
Moss, an all-state cornerback and wide receiver the past two years, received a merit scholarship and intends to study business.
Endicott won the Commonwealth Coast Conference last year and finished 9-2, losing to Cortland State in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament.
Rachel Poulin, Exeter High School, volleyball, University of New Hampshire
Poulin doesn’t have to travel to far to fulfill her longtime dream of playing collegiate volleyball – choosing the University of New Hampshire.
Poulin, a Brentwood resident, gave a handful of reasons why she ultimately choose her hometown Wildcats over Lynn University, located in Boca Raton, Florida.
Those reasons included UNH’s successful communications program, the welcoming atmosphere she received, opportunities within the school, and the certainty of knowing that “I’ll be successful no matter what I experience during my college years.”
UNH, a Division I program, competes in the America East Conference. Head coach Chris Feliciano also works with Poulin’s club team, 603 United Volleyball.
“When he first got in touch with me about the possibility of playing for him, I was participating in a volleyball camp at UNH,” said Poulin, a right side hitter at Exeter but will transfer to outside hitter at UNH. “He pulled me aside to discuss the idea.”
Poulin began to realize she could play beyond high school in her sophomore year at Exeter when she made varsity,
“I had already made so much progress in my level of play and skills from when I played (middle school) and it was inevitable that I would only continue to get better,” Poulin said. “I made it my goal to play beyond the high school level, so as I entered the recruitment process, I put in twice the work. It really clicked for me that all of my hard work paid off. It’s so validating when someone notices your hard work and appreciates you for it by solidifying you a future.”
Eliza Wheeler, Oyster River High School, women’s track and field, Thomas College
Wheeler placed in the top-15 at last spring’s Division II state championship meet, placing 15th in the shot put (23 feet, 07.25 inches) and 11th in the discus (78-02).
Wheeler, a Lee resident, was named Oyster River’s Most Improved Female Thrower last spring, but didn’t think she was good enough to compete at the collegiate level. She then received a letter from Thomas College expressing its interest in her, and offering her a merit scholarship.
Wheeler was also looking at Montana State University, Environmental Science and Forestry, and Vermont State University, Warren Wilson College. Ultimately, Wheeler, who served as captain this winter for the Oyster River/Portsmouth girls hockey team, chose Thomas College, a Division III program which competes in the North Atlantic Conference, and is located in Waterville, Maine.
“I chose Thomas because I felt like I could further my education while participating in college level sports,” Wheeler said. “There's lots of wonderful opportunities for advancement, internships, and close relationships to be built between students and faculty.”
Wheeler plans to study criminal justice with a conservation law enforcement concentration.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: College signings: 10 more Seacoast student-athletes choose schools
