Nineteen Iona Preparatory School scholar-athletes committed to playing collegiate sports as part of the school year’s second National Signing Day. This brings the total to thirteen Division I signings from the Class of 2023, seven members of its 2021 Catholic State Championship team sign with Division 1 schools, including the previous season’s New York MaxPreps Player of the Year, Catholic High School Football League Player of the Year and Westchester/Putnam Player of the Year senior Ajani Sheppard, who signed with Rutgers. (Video Clips of Ajani Sheppard can be found here: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/6VPjdUwwcl) An incredible thirteen students – 8 percent of the graduating class – signed with Division 1 schools compared to the less than 7 percent of all high school athletes going on to compete at any level.
The average GPA for the nineteen scholar-athletes was 91.29, and over the course of the fall season, 6 of 7 teams – some 254 students – posted combined GPAs over 90 with the highest going to cross-country (the largest team) at 93.30. The following Gaels committed on December 21, 2022:
Iona Prep student athletes from Westchester included:
Brandon Blenk, 17, New Rochelle, NY
Commitment: D1, Siena College, Sport: Lacrosse – Midfield
Other offers/interests: LIU Post, St. John Fisher University, Nazareth College
Sports at Iona Prep: 3-years Lacrosse and 1-year Winter Track
Team Accomplishments: Member of the 2022 Catholic State Championship Lacrosse Team
Personal Accomplishments: Captain of JV team, earning most competitive player award “MVP of GFW College Showcase. Selected to All-Star game at Maryland College Showcase and one of three players selected to play for the National Team . GPA: 93
Gaetano Corrao, 17, Thornwood, NY
Commitment: D3 – SUNY Cortland, Sport: Soccer – Midfielder/Forward
Other offers/interests: SUNY New Paltz, Bard College, Eastern University, SUNY Potsdam
Other sports: 3-years Indoor Track & Field
GPA: 3.4
John DeStefano, 17, Eastchester, NY
Commitment: D3 – University of Scranton, Sport: Baseball – Right Hand Pitcher
Other offers/interests: Ursinus College, Johnson & Wales University, Skidmore College, Leslie University, SUNY New Paltz, Clarkson University, Hobart College
Other sports: 4-year member of baseball program
GPA: 3.8
Jonathan Mayer, 18, White Plains, NY
Commitment: D1, Cornell University, Sport: Crew – Port
Other offers/interests: Princeton, UPenn, Dartmouth and Harvard
GPA: 97
Matteo McIver, 17, Scarsdale, NY
Commitment: D1 – Bryant University , Sport: Track & Field – Discus & Hammer
Other offers/interests: Stonehill College, College of the Holy Cross, University of Vermont
Other sports: 3 years of Football, 2 years of Crew and 3-year member of Track & Field program, where he is a captain of both Indoor & Outdoor Track.
GPA: 91
Marcus Nahim, 17, Ossining, NY
Commitment: D1 – State University of Binghamton, Sport: Track & Field, also committing to Soccer; Position: Sprinter, Winger, and Striker
Other offers/interests: Arcadia University, Manhattanville College, College of Staten Island, George Mason University, West Point, Holy Cross, Dartmouth
Personal Accomplishments: Qualified for 114th Millrose Games (First Runner from Iona to do so); 21st in the 200m at Nike Indoor Nationals for Emerging Elite; 10th in the 60m at Nike Indoor Nationals for Emerging Elite, 8th in the SMR at Nike Indoor Nationals for Championships; 3rd Fastest Outdoor 4x200m Time for School Record; Fastest 100m Time in School History; Fastest 4×100 Time in School History, 100m County Champion (2022); 2nd in 200m and 4x100m at County Championships (2022)
GPA: 92.35
Blaise New 18, Bedford, New York
Commitment: D1, UMASS, Sport: Lacrosse – Midfield
Other offers/interests: Holy Cross, Drexel, Merrimack, Providence
Sports: 4-years of varsity basketball & 4-years of Varsity lacrosse
GPA: 94.5
Colin O’Garro 17, New Rochelle, NY
Commitment: D1, Dartmouth College, Sport: Football – RB
Other offers/interest: Colgate University, Bucknell University
Sports: 4 years of Football (4) & 3 years of Track (3)
GPA: 94.2
Sean O’Neill, 17, Yonkers NY
Commitment: D1 – University of New Hampshire, Sport: Football – Punter
Other offers/interests: University of Miami Ohio
GPA: 86
Ciaran Phibbs, 17, Yonkers, NY
Commitment: D3, Dean College
Sport: Soccer – Left Back
Sports at Iona Prep: 4 years of Soccer and 4 years of Track
GPA: 93.8
Seamus Ruiseal, 17, Yonkers, NY
Commitment:D3, Tufts University
Sport: Crew – Port
Other offers/interests: Holy Cross
GPA: 96.16
Tomas Schulz-Langendorf (New Rochelle, NY) – Football DII, Trinity College
To learn more about Iona Preparatory, please visit www.IonaPrep.org.
