Four Lindale athletes sign D-I scholarships
Published 1:27 am Thursday, November 9, 2017
- PHIL HICKS/STAFF FOUR LINDALE EAGLES signed Division I athletic scholarships on Wednesday at Lindale High School. From left, Kollin McCartney (baseball, Sam Houston State University), Brad Burckel (baseball, University of Houston), Jamey Richey (Texas State University) and Evan White (golf, Texas State University).
LINDALE – Four Lindale Eagles will be soaring into Division I athletics after graduation.
Three baseball players and a golfer all signed scholarship agreements with schools in Texas during a ceremony Wednesday at Lindale High School.
Signing baseball letters from coach Rich Sanguinetti’s standout baseball program were Brad Burckel (University of Houston), Kollin McCartney (Sam Houston State University) and Jamey Richey (Texas State University).
Inking the golf letter from coach Ben Shipley’s powerhouse team was Evan White (Texas State University).
“There are many hills and valleys in life and athletics and today is a hill,” Lindale athletic director Mike Maddox said, addressing the four students. “… take time to reflect on this day and look out here at your family members, friends, coaches and teammates – treasure the moment.”
BASEBALL
Sanguinetti is in his third year as coach of the baseball team and when he first met Burckel, McCartney and Richey, he knew he had found the foundation of his baseball team.
Burckel, who sports a 100.9 GPA, is a senior shortstop “who is the definition of what a coach wants in a player – dedicated on and off the field,” Sanguinetti added.
He is a two-time Tyler Morning Telegraph/ETFinalScore.com All-East Texas player.
Burckel loved the Houston program and “their will to win and the competitive” nature of the Cougars program. The speedy Burckel is set to play center field in H-Town.
Sanguinetti said McCartney “makes practice fun. He may be light-hearted in practice, but he hates to lose. Kollin is cheerful in practice, but he is a straight gamer.”
The Eagles’ cleanup hitter has led the team in RBIs the last two years and has hit over .400, while being named the District 17-5A Defensive Player of the Year.
McCartney also plays football and returned an interception for a touchdown against Nacogdoches. He is projected as an outfielder for the Bearkats.
Richey is also a two-time All-East Texas player who played second base as a sophomore and has now transitioned to playing third for the Eagles.
He hits in the three hole and was All-East Texas Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore.
Richey had also been recruited by the likes of Stanford and other Division I programs around the country, but in the end he felt the San Marcos school was the best fit for him. He is slated to play third for the Bobcats.
Both McCartney and Richey sport top GPAs as well.
GOLF
Shipley recalled how White, as a seventh-grader, would take the bus to the Hide-A-Way Lake Club pro shop every day.
“Here is the payoff for those thousands hours of practice, the thousands of miles Evan’s parents have driven him to tournaments and the thousands of dollars they have spent for Evan’s pursuit of golf,” Shipley said. “Here is the payoff today.
“These athletes have grinded and grinded, worked hard, had a setback or two, but they kept coming back to overcome those setbacks and get to the payoff. They should take the day off, relax and be proud of what they have accomplished. They may take a day off, but knowing Evan and (the other signees), they will be back at it (Thursday).”
White said his mentor, David Lancaster, attended Texas State and his attendance at the Central Texas school sparked his interest.
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