Five Corona Del Mar Student-Athletes Sign Letters of Intent

Corona del Mar High held an official ceremony Wednesday for five student-athletes who were signing NCAA national letters of intent to attend various universities and also recognized several others who had previously committed or otherwise signed to play at the next level.

Among the signees were two teammates who helped the Sea Kings win a CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship in water polo in November. Emery Molnar and Chase Watson will continue their water polo careers at USC. Watson’s father is a USC alum and Chase has some friends attending the school, so there were several factors influencing his decision. The Trojans are also currently on a three-consecutive NCAA National Championship winning streak.

“It was just a good fit for me,” Watson said.

Watson was an All-CIF selection, a national and junior national honoree and a Pacific Coast League Player of the Year during his career at Corona del Mar. Molnar was a first-team all-league selection this year, as well as a Water Polo Academic All-American, AP Scholar and member of the National Honor Society. He was attracted to USC's engineering program. He wants to study to be a mechanical engineer. He understands the athletic and academic challenges that await him.

“I don’t know 100 percent what to expect, but I know it isn’t anything that is going to come easy. I’m going to have to work hard and be dedicated,” Molnar said.

Also advancing from the Sea Kings' water polo team to the collegiate ranks is Evan Ramsey, who has verbally committed to Harvard University. Harvard does not sign Letters of Intent, so Ramsey did not have a letter to sign.

Others who will be playing their college ball in the state are Brian Ford, who signed to play soccer for UC Davis. Ford was a two-time all league selection as a sophomore and junior and was the CIF Southern Section Division IV defensive player of the year last season. Also staying in state will be previous signees Morgan Boukather, who will play women’s volleyball at Stanford, and Spencer Haly, who will play men’s volleyball at Stanford.

Madeline Schwartz previously signed to play water polo at San Diego State, while crew members Michael Delahanty and Trevor Russell are headed to Cal to row for the Bears.

Two signees on Tuesday will be leaving the comforts of home for greater distances. Peter Markel signed to play football for the University of British Columbia and soccer player Lindsey Luke will be taking her shin guards to North Carolina to play for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. For Luke, her campus visit told her all she needed to know.

“I fell in love with the school, I fell in love with the team, the coaches are amazing, pretty much the whole package for playing soccer in college, it was everything I could have dreamed of,” Luke said.