WSU football signs 24 athletes, so far

By Communications staff, Washington State University
 
 
Primary locations where WSU is recruiting football athletes
 
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PULLMAN, Wash. – Hey Cougar football enthusiasts, it’s National Letter of Intent Signing Day!

For college football, it’s one of the most important days of the year, as they sign up high school athletes who will strongly influence their team’s success for the next four years.

Washington State University’s football coaching squad is hosting its signing event at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, providing live updates on the process via the WSU Cougars website, Twitter and Facebook.

The action began at 4:30 a.m. Pacific Time. WSU, As of 2:51 p.m., had signed letters of intent from 24 athletes:

  • Darius Lemora, 6-0, 185, S, Port Arthur, Texas
  • Charleston White, 6-1, 170, WR, Amarillo, Texas
  • Carlos Freeman, 6-3, 290, OL, Oklahoma City, Okla.
  • Vince Mayle, 6-3, 220, WR, Natomas, Calif.
  • River Cracraft, 6-2, 205, WR, Trabuco Canyon, Calif.
  • Matt Meyer, 6-6, 290, OL, Lynden, Wash.
  • Cody O’Connell, 6-8, 350, OL, Wenatchee, Wash.
  • Gerard Wicks, 5-10, 195, RB, Long Beach, Calif.
  • Jamal Morrow, 5-8, 180, RB, Menifee, Calif.
  • Isaac Dotson, 6-3, 210, ATH, Bellevue, Wash.
  • Cole Madison, 6-6, 270, TE, Burien, Wash.
  • Peyton Pelluer, 6-2, 225, LB, Sammamish, Wash.
  • Gerald Sterling, 6-4, 275, DL, Aliceville, Ala.
  • Riley Sorenson, 6-5, 320, OL, Santa Margarita, Calif.
  • Daquawn Brown, 6-0, 175, CB, Los Angeles, Calif.
  • Paulo Lepua, 6-3, 265, DL, Narbonne HS `13
  • Daniel Ekuale, 6-4, 290, DL, Pago Pago, American Samoa
  • Tyler Bruggman, 6-2, 202, QB, Phoenix, Ariz. 
  • Emmitt Su’a-Kalio, 6-4, 250, DL, Pago Pago, American Samoa 
  • Robert Lewis, 5-10, 160, WR, Los Angeles, Calif. 
  • B.J. Salmonson, 6-5, 285, OL, Everson, Wash. 
  • Ivan McLennan, 6-3, 220, LB, Hawthorne, Calif. 
  • Lyman Faoliu, 6-2, 275, DE, Vallejo, Calif. 
  • Jacob Seydel, 6-6, 285, OL, Riverside, Calif.
 
 
What’s the National Letter of Intent Day all about?
 

National Letter of Intent Day marks the the first day a high school athlete can sign a college letters of intent in football.

The football signing period runs from Feb. 6 through April 1.

The NCAA, which manages the NLI program, considers a letter of intent (LOI) as a “binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an National Letter of Intent member institution.”

Verbal commitments by athletes made prior to national signing day are not binding. So, without a LOI they can change their commitments to another team.

The NLI is a voluntary program with regard to both institutions and student-athletes. No prospective student-athlete or parent is required to sign the National Letter of Intent, and no institution is required to join the NLI program.

Here are a few of the basics terms, according the the NCAA:

  • By signing a LOI a prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the institution full-time for one academic year.
  • Participating institutions agree to provide athletics financial aid to the student-athlete, provided he/she is admitted to the institution and is eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules.
  • Participating NLI institutions agree to cease recruitment of a prospective student-athlete once a LOI is signed with another institution.
  • Basic penalty for not fulfilling the NLI agreement: A student-athlete has to serve one year in residence (full-time, two semesters or three quarters) at the next NLI member institution and lose one season of competition in all sports.
  • If a student does not attend the institution for one full academic year and the student enrolls in another institution participating in the NLI program, the student may not compete in intercollegiate athletics for one full academic year in residence at the latter institution.
  • Student-athletes are assured of an athletics scholarship for a minimum of one full academic year.

Additional sports participating in the NLI today include field hockey, soccer, track and field, cross country and men’s water polo.

Other sports have a signing period that runs Feb. 6 through Aug. 1.