Nation Ford athletes sign on the dotted line
Five Nation Ford athletes have signed to play college athletics, including three more football players from this past season’s history making team.
The three football players were running back Tyree Chaplin, cornerback Greg Wilson and quarterback Cole Martin. Basketball standout Cameron Holmes and lacrosse player Rachel Denney also signed.
Martin, 18, rewrote the school record books at quarterback for the Falcons, passing for 9,678 yards and 88 touchdowns in his time under center. Martin will be taking snaps next season at Stetson University in Deland, Fla.
“Stetson made an offer to me toward the end of the year,” Martin said. “They were also one of the first schools really on me.”
Martin – who plans on majoring in political science – also considered North Greenville and Gardner-Webb University, but said it was Stetson’s consistency in wanting him that really helped to make his mind up.
“I knew I really wanted to go to a school with high academic standards,” he said.
Chaplin, 18, will be heading to Aurora University in Aurora, Ill., about 40 miles west of Chicago. Chaplin will play running back and returning kicks and punts on special teams. He rushed for 358 yards on 79 carries for Nation Ford including scoring nine rushing touchdowns his senior year.
Chaplin said once he met Aurora head coach Rick Ponx, he knew he wanted to go to Aurora.
“The head coach is a guy that has integrity and the players and I seemed to mesh,” he said. “It is very nice there. The field was nice and their facilities are impressive.”
Chaplin will be majoring in business management.
Wilson, 17, will be staying closer to home and playing football at Catawba College. He also looked at Guilford College, Greensboro College and Limestone College.
Wilson will be a cornerback and had 100 tackles this past season on defense for Nation Ford, along with three tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, an interception and a quarterback sack.
He said that Catawba College stood out above the other schools because of the potential to play as a freshman. Wilson plans on majoring in journalism.
“The coaches showed a lot of interest in me,” he said. “They said as a freshman, I have a chance to play a lot. They said I have an opportunity to earn a starting spot.”
Holmes, 17, will be taking his talents to Jefferson City, Tenn. to play college basketball at Carson-Newman University.
Holmes averaged 10 points a game over three seasons at Nation Ford, but really caught the attention of colleges his senior season by averaging 14 points a game. Holmes will be playing at either the point or as a shooting guard for Carson-Newman and said that the philosophy the program had when it comes to winning and wanting to win, was what drew him to the school.
“They seem to have a good chemistry and what they want to strive for is what I want,” he said. “I want to be a part of that.”
Holmes was recruited by North Greenville, Lander and Anderson University in-state, among other schools. He plans on majoring in biology.
Denney, 17, was the only female to sign on Wednesday and is one of the school’s first girls’ lacrosse players to sign to play in college. She will play next season at Limestone College and has helped carry the Nation Ford team to a No. 1 ranking in the state this season.
She has scored 92 goals over 41 games played during the three years she has been playing for Nation Ford.
Denney looked at Belmont Abbey College and had verbally committed to go there until Limestone convinced her otherwise.
“They have my major (athletic training) and I really fell in love with the whole environment,” she said.
Denney will continue to play midfield in college and said being able to compete for a national title at the Division II level helped sway her decision as well.
This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Nation Ford athletes sign on the dotted line."