Student-athletes are committing to four-year schools even though they were unable to compete this year due to Delta’s decision to cancel participation in spring competition amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
To make up for a season without official competition, sophomores are getting attention from four-year coaches through training videos as well as using stats from their freshman year to get signed to a athletics program at a four-year university.
Several players from Delta’s baseball team are moving on to higher education programs.
Among those committing are pitchers Kohl Drake and Nate Morris, as well as catcher Carson Stevens.
Drake pitched 19 strikeouts in 2020 and is transferring to Lipscomb University, while Morris pitched nine strikeouts and is committing to East Tennessee State University.
Stevens scored 10 runs and batted in five during the 2019-20 season and has signed with California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo to continue his college athletics career.
Committing to four-year schools is still a major challenge for the players as athletes at higher education institutions are not being charged a season of play, meaning fewer options for those transferring from community colleges.
Known for transferring players to Division I schools, the successful history of Delta’s baseball program is the main reason why players have been able to get signed.
“We are moving on some [players] thanks to the reputation of our program,” said baseball head coach Reed Peters. “The Division I schools all gave their players their year back last year, so most programs are severely impacted with five years worth of players.”
Delta’s women’s water polo team has also seen several of its players committing this year, which include Whitney Lee, Jordan Alford and Alexis Acosta.
All three players were a part of the team when it placed third in the state championship in 2018 as freshmen.
Now committing to Concordia Irvine University, Lee scored 22 goals and gave one assist during the 2018-19 season.
Alford scored 11 goals and gave two assists in her freshman year with the Mustangs and has signed with the California State University in Sacramento to continue her education and career in college athletics.
Acosta scored four goals in 2018 and is now committing to CSU Chico.
The Mustangs women’s soccer team sees player Scylla Alavizos moving on after committing to UC Merced.
During her freshman year, Alavizos won the Big 8 Conference Championship and made it to the final four in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championship tournament with the Mustangs in 2019.
Many athletes were still able to transfer last year even after the pandemic cut the season short.
“[For] 2019-20 we were right around 90 student-athletes that moved on to a four-year and continued their athletic career,” said Director of Athletics Tony Espinoza.
With the COVID-19 pandemic limiting transfer options for athletes, it’s expected that the number of students moving on to a higher education program will be low compared to previous years.
The athletics department is expected to have the number of student-athletes signing with four-year schools for 2020-2021 by early May.