Wednesday’s fall signing day saw five Southwest County high school standouts sign to play at the college level.
Things got started in the Hidden Valley library early in the afternoon where Kristen Hearp and Bre Lockhart inked to continue their respective sports, golf and volleyball.
Hearp, a four-year varsity player at Hidden Valley, will attend Virginia Tech where she will become a member of the Hokie golf team that is currently in its initial season with a women’s golf program.
“During my sophomore year I knew where I wanted to go,” Hearp said Wednesday. “It’s an awesome new program under head coach Carol Robertson, and assistant Russell Abbott is an amazing coach as well. I love the mountains and wanted to stay in Virginia.”
Hidden Valley volleyball standout Bre Lockhart, who joined the Titan varsity late in her freshman year, will take her talents to Randolph-Macon.
“I looked at a couple Division-II and Division-III schools, but Randolph-Macon was the first school I visited and I fell in love with it,” Lockhart noted. “The players and coaches were great to be around, and they have a beautiful campus.”
Later Wednesday, volleyball standouts Piper Roe and Shannon Holsinger, along with Knight basketball sharpshooter Brody Hicks took to the stage in the Cave Spring auditorium.
Holsinger signed with Lake Erie College in Painsville, Ohio, a Division-II school with about 2,000 students. She also considered Francis Marion University. Erin has been a varsity player for three years at Cave Spring under head coach Tamalyn Tanis.
“It’s a beautiful campus and I’m a cold weather person, so it was a perfect fit,” Holsinger said of Lake Erie. “I’m glad I get to keep playing volleyball in a college program.”
Roe, who committed to the University of Louisville in May, 2014, has been a 4-year varsity player for the Knights. She holds the VHSL all-time career block record (428 and counting) and topped the 1,100 career kill mark earlier this year.
“I received a number of offers, but Louisville was the first campus I visited and it was love at first sight,” Piper noted Wednesday.
On the basketball side, Brody Hicks signed as a preferred walk-on at Liberty University. Hicks has been a 4-year starter at Cave Spring.
“Everything about Liberty helped me make this decision,” Hicks said. “The environment with academics, the students and my faith made this the perfect fit. I had also looked at Navy, Army, W&L and Randolph-Macon. This keeps me close to my family.”
Bill Turner
