Four future Division I athletes highlight Olympia High School signing ceremony

Carly Becker sat beside her classmates on Tuesday morning at Olympia High School during a ceremony that recognized nine athletes who will play at the college level next season.

“It was definitely a super-exciting thing,” said Becker, who will play soccer at the University of Portland.

“It was like all of the work and all of the time and effort I put into soccer and school had finally paid off. It was really awesome to be sitting with my friends, seeing how excited and happy they were to be committed.”

Becker is one of four Division I-bound athletes who participated in the ceremony.

She chose Portland, which won national titles in 2002 and 2005, over the University of California at San Diego and Portland State, and signed her National Letter of Intent in March.

“I know it’s a super competitive and strong program,” Becker said. “Soccer is the main sport at UP. After I went on my visit and spent time with the team and met the coaches, it felt like the right fit.

“I knew it would be a place where I could thrive and grow as a soccer player and a person.”

Becker, an Olympian All-Area selection at goalkeeper, averaged seven saves per game last fall and posted six shutouts. She was also named first-team 4A South Puget Sound League at goalkeeper.

“I think I can impact the team, and I think I’ll bring a strong sense of leadership and commitment,” she said.

Olympia advanced to the 4A state tournament Becker’s freshman and sophomore seasons, including a third-place finish in 2013. The Bears fell one game short of a state tournament berth this season, losing to Kennedy Catholic in a shootout in the 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict tournament.

In a university release last month, Portland coach Garrett Smith said Becker has the size and strength necessary to be a Division I player.

“She has a high ceiling for growth with a ton of untapped potential,” he said in the release. “She also has a big personality and confidence, so the sky is the limit for her. We are very excited to watch her development in our program during the next four years.”

Jamie Bautista, a three-time Class 4A tournament placer, signed to play tennis at the Air Force Academy.

Bautista placed sixth in 4A as a freshman, fourth as a sophomore and third last season as a junior, beating Graham-Kapowsin’s Niko Convento (6-1, 6-3) in his final match.

Two athletes, Maddy Cope and Nick Taylor, signed with Pac-12 programs to compete in rowing. Both have previously competed in the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships.

Cope signed with Washington, which was the top-ranked program in the nation in the most recent NCAA coaches poll (April 5), while Taylor signed with Oregon State.

BEARS DUO COMMIT TO FOOTBALL PROGRAMS

Zaiden Hernandez, a mainstay of Olympia’s linebacker core for the past three years, signed with Cabrillo College.

He announced his commitment to the junior college in Northern California on March 27 via Twitter.

“Blessed to be able to further my education and football career at Cabrillo College,” he wrote.

Hernandez finished his senior season with 80 tackles, six tackles for losses and three sacks. He was a first-team 4A SPSL selection at linebacker, and a second-team Olympian All-Area selection.

He was praised by coach Bill Beattie for his speed in pass coverage, as well as his ability to close gaps and stop the running game.

Cody Barnett, a defensive back for the Bears, signed with Pacific Lutheran University, a local Division III football program in Tacoma. He was a 4A SPSL honorable mention selection.

THREE ATHLETES STAYING ON DIAMOND

Two Olympian All-Area baseball selections from 2016 will play at the junior college level next season.

Scott Gunther, an outfielder, signed with Olympic College. Gunther, who also led the area in rushing in football last fall, stole 25 bases as a junior while posting a .307 batting average. He signed his National Letter of Intent on Feb. 7.

Derek Downey, Olympia’s towering ace at 6-foot-7 signed with Lower Columbia College after recording a 6-2 record as a junior. He finished with a 0.89 earned run average last season, posting 42 strikeouts. Downey signed his National Letter of Intent on Jan. 13.

Both Gunther and Downey were also first-team 4A Narrows League selections last season.

Olympia softball player Hailey Lasmanis, an infielder, signed with Division II program Northwest Nazarene. Lasmanis was a 4A Narrows honorable mention selection as a junior.

This story was originally published April 11, 2017 at 11:06 PM with the headline "Four future Division I athletes highlight Olympia High School signing ceremony."