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Gilmour Academy Hosts NCAA Signing and Commitment Ceremony
The Gilmour Academy athletic department hosted its final Signing and Commitment ceremony for the 2017-2018 school year on Wednesday, April 11. A total of 13 student-athletes participated in the ceremony. (View photos from the ceremony.)
Dylan Henry '18, of Chagrin Falls, committed to participate in track and field at Division I Villanova University, where he plans to study biology. He said he chose the school for its “academic prestige, athletic excellence and the community.” Henry has been a member of the varsity track team at Gilmour all four years, earned the Most Valuable Runner Award three times and the Lancer Award once. He competed at the New Balance Nationals Indoor and Outdoor last year as a junior and plans to compete again this year.
Ava Thomas '18, of Chesterland, committed to compete in track and field at Division I Yale University. She will study biology and economics at Yale, which she chose because it is “an Ivy League institution rich in both tradition and innovation, offering the benefits of a research university and liberal arts college.” During her four years as a varsity track runner, Thomas was named to the Academic All-Ohio Team at the completion of her sophomore and junior seasons, was named a News-Herald All-Star her sophomore year, the MVP of sprints her junior year and a captain this year. She also participates in USA Track & Field and AAU.
Off the track, Thomas has met great success as well. She was inducted into the Cum Laude Society her junior year and the National Honor Society her sophomore year. During her junior year, she received the Harvard Book Award, the Glen Oak Scholarship and the RIT Innovation Award. She also won a civics pitch contest open to all Clevelanders, and was an OHSSL state speech semifinalist. She has earned Subject Awards in math, science, English, history and foreign language. Finally, she has completed Gilmour’s esteemed VECTOR program, which is a concentrated set of experiences and coursework organized around one of five themes. Thomas completed both the science & medicine and entrepreneurship & commerce strands of the program.
Daniel Menges '18, of Novelty, signed a tender to the North American Hockey League (NAHL), where he will play for the Coulee Region Chill. Menges has played hockey at Gilmour for five years and is completing his post-grad year this May. He was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player in 2017. He says he signed with the Chill because he “really liked the coaching staff and the culture they have created.”
Kelly Cingel '18, of Macedonia, pledged her commitment to play women’s ice hockey at American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division I Miami University, where she plans to study biology. She said, “Miami University offers a great education that will guarantee me a successful future. At the same time, the hockey program has an outstanding facility that will allow me to develop to my full potential.”
McKenna Gehner '18, of Sioux City, Iowa, made a commitment to play women’s ice hockey at ACHA Division I Midland University in Fremont, Neb. She intends to study nursing. Gehner has played on the girls prep hockey team at Gilmour for four years. Additionally, she is involved in the school’s Tobit Ministry program, which is a group of student volunteers who serve as pallbearers at funerals for homeless people or those with no families. Gehner chose Midland “because of the head coach, who is very good for the program and really excited for me to be a part of the team.” Also, the school is closer to her home in Sioux City.
Dechlan Kirincic '18, of University Heights, signed a commitment to play basketball at NAIA Marian University, in Indianapolis, where he will major in mechanical engineering. He chose Marian “because of the opportunity it presented to continue my basketball career and get a quality education.”
While at Gilmour, Kirincic played four years of varsity basketball and two years of varsity football. He earned the GA Most Promising Award his freshman year, Northeast Lakes All-District Team Honorable Mention his sophomore year, News-Herald Third Team and GA Best Offensive Player Award his junior year, Northeast Lakes All-District Second Team and All-Ohio Honorable Mention his junior and senior years, and News-Herald First Team his senior year. As a senior, he also became a 1,000-point scorer and the all-time leading scorer in boys basketball (for the 20 years record have been kept) at Gilmour. Kirincic plays AAU basketball with OBC and is a member of Gilmour’s ESPN Club.
Logan Wright '18, of Lyndhurst, pledged a commitment to play baseball at Division II Walsh University, in Canton, and will major in athletic training. Wright has played three years of varsity baseball at Gilmour and earned the Silver Slugger Award after his junior season. He said he was first interested in Walsh “from an academic standpoint, but then having the opportunity to play baseball just finalized my decision.” Wright also plays for the Diamond Hit Club’s 18U team.
Lucia Cannata '18, of Hunting Valley, made a commitment to compete in track and field at Division III John Carroll University, where she plans to study business or communications. She said she chose John Carroll because “it is close to home, so I am able to visit family when I need to, the business school is great, and I love the welcoming atmosphere the campus has.” Cannata has been a member of the cheerleading squad for three years and the track and field team for four years. She was a state qualifier her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons and placed each time at the state meet. She was also named All-Ohioan each of those years. Cannata is also involved in the Peace and Justice Club and indoor track at Gilmour.
Chase Filicko '18, of Olmsted Township, pledged her commitment to play volleyball at Division III University of Mount Union, where she “fell in love with the team and coach.” She added, “The campus really like home for me.” Filicko will major in biology.
Filicko has played varsity volleyball for two years at Gilmour and is also a member of the Maverick Volleyball Club. She earned the Head of School Award this year and earned Highest Honors in Academic Excellence her junior and senior years. In addition to volleyball, Filicko is a member of Linked-Up, Baking for Rainbows, Peer Tutoring, Women in STEM and the National Honor Society.
Ben Foltz '18, of Chagrin Falls, committed to play golf at Division III College of Wooster. He plans to study computer science and chose Wooster because it felt the most like Gilmour.
During his four years of varsity golf, Foltz earned the Most Valuable Player Award as a junior and the Lancer Award as a senior.
Erin O'Connell '18, of Lyndhurst, made a commitment to play volleyball at Division III Capital University in Bexley, Ohio. She intends to major in nursing and is excited to be a part of the community at Capital. She said, “I chose Capital because of the comfort I felt as soon as I stepped on campus.”
O'Connell has been a four-year member of the varsity volleyball team; earned academic honors her freshman and junior years; and is a member of the Prom Committee, the Peace and Justice Club and Baking for Rainbows.
Morgan Tefft '18, of Redwood City, Calif., committed to play women’s ice hockey at Division III Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., where she will study biology. She said she chose Norwich for their good biology program, small class sizes and the opportunity to play hockey. She has been a member of the girls prep hockey team for three years and was the assistant captain this season. She is also a member of Tobit Ministry and the Psychology Club.
Gabrielle Venne '18, of Ontario, Canada, committed to play women’s ice hockey at Division III Hamilton College, in Clinton, N.Y. She is undecided on her major but chose Hamilton because “it is a liberal arts school that allows me the opportunity to continue playing hockey.”
