Traverse City Record-Eagle

Top 10 Sports Stories of 2009

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December 24, 2009

Top 10: Athletes get D-1 looks

Number of area athletes getting offers on the rise

BY DENNIS CHASE

Editor's Note: As we count down the top 10 sports stories of 2009, read them as they're published at record-eagle.com/top10sports.

TRAVERSE CITY -- Northern Michigan's produced some quality Division 1 college recruits in the last few years.

There's Leland's Alisha Glass, who played a pivotal role in Penn State's three successive NCAA volleyball championships; Traverse City West's Eric Gordon, a three-year starter in football at Michigan State; and Traverse City West's Casey Townsend, a key contributor on Maryland's NCAA championship soccer team in 2008, to name a few.

But the number of Division 1 recruits spiked dramatically in 2009, making it our No. 7 sports story of the year. Already, four area football players have committed to Division 1 schools, including three to Big Ten schools. St. Francis linebacker Max Bullough is headed to Michigan State; St. Francis safety/linebacker Matt Zakrzewski and Charlevoix offensive lineman Bill Ivan are bound for Indiana; and Traverse City West offensive lineman Blake Goodell is set for Northern Illinois. Bullough, who actually committed in 2008 as a junior, plans to graduate early and enroll at Michigan State in January.

And it's not over. The number of area Division 1 football recruits could grow before signing day in February.

In addition to the football commits, Traverse City Central's Laura Spencer and Petoskey's Joey Garber accepted Division 1 scholarships -- Spencer to George Mason for volleyball and Garber to the University of Michigan for golf.

"You're seeing more interest now (from college coaches) in kids up here," St. Francis football coach Greg Vaughan said.

Coaches attribute that to a number of factors -- a proliferation of camps, especially in football; the advancement of AAU programs; and use of the internet. They have all helped area athletes gain exposure and attention outside the area.

"It's easier to get your name out there now," Vaughan said.

Bullough, Zakrzewski and Ivan went to numerous summer camps and ended up with multiple offers. Bullough's finalists included Notre Dame, Iowa and UCLA. Zakrzewski received an offer from Missouri, a top team in the Big 12.

Vaughan, a former assistant at Grand Valley, said the internet has become an increasingly helpful tool in recruiting. He used it at Grand Valley to help find and track players. In fact, You Tube's exploded as a popular site for athletes to download highlight videos for all to see.

"It's made the world smaller as far as recruiting is concerned," Traverse City Central coach Tom Passinault said.

St. Francis junior fullback Joe Kerridge looks to be one of next year's top recruits. He's heard from a number of Division 1 schools, including top-ranked Alabama.

"You think, 'How in the world do they find a kid in northern Michigan?'" Vaughan said. "It's just a lot easier to get information now."

Coaches and parents have also taken a more aggressive approach in "marketing" their athletes. Some turn to recruiting services, with the parents paying a fee to get the word out. Others do the leg work themselves.

"The days of college coaches coming up to find you are over," West coach Tim Wooer said.

Playing in AAU competition has benefitted athletes in basketball and volleyball, in particular.

Suttons Bay junior Dwaun Anderson saw basketball recruiting interest intensify after his AAU performance last spring. That interest continues to grow.

Also on the hardwood like Anderson, Central Lake junior Jasmine Hines has Division 1 offers on the table.

Next year could be as bountiful as 2009 for area athletes.

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