CHAT ARCHIVE: Local athletes take part in National Signing Day

PrepZone Preview: National Signing Day

PrepZone breaks down the best of the ...

Today is the first day high school seniors can sign national letters of intent to play for college programs, and the area will have its share of Football Bowl Subdivision recruits.

Daily News multimedia journalists Adam Fisher, Scott Butherus, Dana Caldwell, Kevin Johnson, Roger LaLonde and Scott Clair will be live tweeting from National Signing Day beginning at 7 a.m.

Eleven local players will make their commitments to Division I schools official. Eight of them will sign with teams in Bowl Championship Series conferences.

ESPN's college sports network, ESPNU, will broadcast live from Immokalee's auditorium as defensive back Mackensie Alexander announces his college choice. Though he hasn't revealed much about his recruitment, Alexander, ranked the No. 4 player in Class of 2013 by ESPN, reportedly is picking between Auburn, Clemson, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. The live announcement will be at 11:15 a.m. (Watch the announcement)

A list of local high school seniors expected to sign with NCAA Division I colleges today:

Football

Mackenro Alexander, Immokalee — Undecided

Mackensie Alexander, Immokalee — Undecided

Jake Berman, Barron Collier — Central Florida

Kenny Bishop, South Fort Myers — Youngstown State

Joe Fennell, South Fort Myers — Western Kentucky

Mike Heuerman, Barron Collier — Notre Dame

Tshumbi Johnson, Immokalee — Cincinnati

Jayron Kearse, South Fort Myers — Clemson

Jacky Marcellus, Immokalee — West Virginia

Manny Morgan, Naples — Akron

Kendrick Mouton, St. John Neumann — Navy

Deadrin Senat, Immokalee — South Florida

Cross country

Carlos Miranda, Palmetto Ridge — Florida

Track

Danielle Avery, Naples — Louisiana State

IT'S OFFICIAL

7:20 a.m. NAPLES HIGH

The following players signed national letters of intent to play college athletics:

DANIELLE AVERY

High school: Naples

Sport: Cross country, track

Signed: Louisiana State (Baton Rogue), Division I

Of note: Avery had the highest finish of any local girl at last year’s Class 3A state track and field finals. She finished third in the state in the 800-meter run. Avery made the All-Collier County Athletic Conference team the past two seasons. This past fall she was All-CCAC in cross country after finishing fifth at the district race and helping Naples qualify for state.

AINSLEY BLANCHETTE

High school: Naples

Sport: Soccer

Signed: Johnson and Wales (North Miami), NAIA

Of note: Blanchette is headed to a small-school program on the rise. The Wildcats had a winless season in 2009 and have steadily increased their victory total every year since. Last season Johnson and Wales went 8-8, their first eight-win season and first time finishing with a .500 record. Blanchette was honorable mention All-CCAC as a junior.

FRANK CIRONE

High school: Naples

Sport: Football

Position: Offensive line

Signed: Charleston Southern (S.C.), FCS

Of note: In his only season at Naples after transferring from Palmetto Ridge, Cirone was the starting left guard on a line that helped the Eagles rush for 302.8 yards a game. The 6-foot-3, 260-pounder was an All-CCAC selection this season and was honorable mention on the Daily News all-area and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association all-district team.

JULES DORNEVIL

High school: Naples

Sport: Football

Position: Defensive back

Signed: Florida A&M (Tallahassee), FCS

Of note: Dornevil was one of the area’s leaders with six interceptions and nine passes defended this past season to go with 39 tackles. A two-year varsity player for the Golden Eagles, Dornevil was one of three defensive backs named to the Daily News All-Area team. Dornevil (5-10, 170) also was on the Class 6A All-State honorable mention list and the All-CCAC team.

DAN GALLMAN

High school: Naples

Sport: Football

Position: Offensive line

Signed: Carson-Newman (Jefferson City, Tenn.), Division II

Of note: A two-year starter, Gallman helped Naples rush for 302.8 yards a game this year from his left tackle position. The 6-foot-1, 300-pound lineman earned Class 6A All-State first team, Daily News All-Area, All-CCAC and FACA all-district recognition. Gallman also was one of four area players selected for the statewide North-South All-Star game. Carson-Newman advanced to the Division II quarterfinals last season.

BUDDY GATES

High school: Naples

Sport: Cross country, track

Signed: New York University (N.Y.), Division III

Of note: Gates was a running star as soon as he got to Naples. He was an All-CCAC and All-Area selection in cross country for four straight years, leading the Golden Eagles to the state finals each season. He also has gone to the state track and field finals in the 3,200-meters the past three years. Last spring Gates helped the Naples 4x800 relay team finish fourth in the state. He has won individual district titles in cross country and track.

MANNY MORGAN

High school: Naples

Sport: Football

Position: Running back

Signed: Akron (Ohio), FBS

Of note: After rushing for 4,546 yards in his career, Morgan is second on Naples’ all-time rushing list. He posted three straight 1,000-yard seasons, just the second Golden Eagles back to do so. Morgan (5-8, 190) ran for 2,069 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior. He was named to the Class 6A All-State first team, and was named Most Valuable Player of the FBU International Bowl Game Championship in San Antonio in January.

KELLY OLSON

High school: Naples

Sport: Softball

Position: Infield

Signed: South Florida State College (Avon Park), junior college

Of note: Olson begins her third season playing varsity at Naples. She also played on the Golden Eagles golf team for four years. She joins a South Florida State College team that features two other locals – Gulf Coast grad Kelly Brown and Barron Collier alum Kaitlin Conway.

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