COPLEY HIGH SCHOOL

Copley senior distance running standout Nick Pupino, flanked by his father and mother, Sam and Holly, signed his National Letter of Intent to Ohio State on Feb. 1.

(Re-published from Feb. 1, 2012)

COPLEY TWP., Ohio – A scholarship distance runner, headed to Ohio State, Copley senior Nick Pupino still can’t get over the competitive company he keeps.

“I remember when Nick was a sophomore, competing at his first state cross country meet,” Copley distance coach Jim Chaney said. “He was in total awe to be in the same environment as defending state champion Zach Wills of Mason.

“We kidded that someday a kid will be standing next to you saying, ‘I can’t believe I’m in this race with Nick Pupino.’”

Well, that day is here – and actually, it has been here -- and will continue to be here throughout the 2012 high school track & field season.

Just don’t tell Nick Pupino, who with complete humility, still shakes his head, almost in disbelief, when he considers his competitive contemporaries.

From 76th in the state as a sophomore to fourth at last year’s OHSAA Division I cross country race, Pupino yesterday signed his National Letter of Intent to attend OSU and run for the Buckeyes.

He literally will follow in the footsteps of his idols at Ohio State. Former Copley star Chris Fallon and Revere greats Julian Meyer and Josh Sabo blazed a trail which led Ohio State recruiters to the Suburban League and the connection to Pupino.

“Chris Fallon was a good mentor for Nick,” Chaney said. “The Ohio State distance kids sat with us at the state track meet.”

Notre Dame, North Carolina, Akron, Kent State and Cincinnati were among the suitors trying to secure Pupino, but a family tie to Ohio State and the opportunity to run with Suburban League alumni was too much to pass up.

“Nick has a really strong inner-drive and a great work ethic,” Chaney said. “He understands the student aspect (of attending Ohio State) and the running is a huge bonus.  I think he’ll be a tremendous 10K runner.”

Pupino was the Suburban League and Akron Division I District cross country champion (15:56.84) in 2011. He was the only runner to cover the challenging 5K Goodyear Metro Park course in under 16 minutes.

Pupino was second to Walsh Jesuit standout Tony Howkins at the Youngstown Boardman cross country regional. At the 2011 Division I state track championships, he placed third at 3,200 meters (9:24.72).

Elms softball star signs Division I scholarship

Earlier this week, on Tuesday (Jan. 31), Our Lady of Elms senior Kaitlin Morse signed a National Letter of Intent to attend and play softball for Northern Kentucky University.

A catcher, Morse was the top hitter in Summit County last year as a junior, batting .558 with 24 RBI.

She was joined by her parents, Michelle and Bill, for the happy moment when she put her signature on the document.

Northern Kentucky is moving into NCAA Division I for the 2012-13 academic year and will compete as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.  NKU has been to the NCAA Regional the last two seasons and has had a winning record 11 of the last 13 years.

Northern Kentucky is located in Williamstown, Ky.

Five Medina girls soccer standouts ink letters

On Wednesday, five holdovers from Medina’s 2009 state championship girls soccer team signed National Letters of Intent.

They helped to fashion a memorable run through 2009 and into 2010 when the Bees were ranked No. 1 in the nation by ESPN Rise.

The 2011 team finished 8-3-6 and earned the top seed in the district.

Seniors Jen Jankowski (Cleveland State University), Ali Kovarik (Ashland University), Beth Lang (Ashland University), Kelsey Nemeth (Point Park University, Pittsburgh, Pa. - NAIA) and Michaella Stucky (Walsh University, North Canton) all will compete at the college level.

SportsInk.com Area Signings List 

Anna Anderson, Softball, Wadsworth, Walsh University

Sara Andrasik, Softball, Nordonia, Grand Valley State

Eric Ashley, Boys Soccer, Coventry, Ashland

Alexis Becker, Girls Soccer, Hoban, Edinboro

Kevin Besser, Football, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Walsh University

Tyler Bischof, Football, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Walsh University

Taylor Bolender, Girls Gymnastics, Hoban, Central Michigan

Patrick Boggs, Football, Field, Tiffin

Heather Buckwald, Girls Soccer, Cloverleaf, Ohio University

Grace Campbell, Girls Soccer, Wadsworth, Ohio University

Tyler Cetnarowski, Baseball, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Shawnee State

C.J. Chatman, Football, Copley, Walsh University

Jon Cipa, Football, Tallmadge, Ashland University

Dion Collins, Football, Firestone, Campbellsville, Ky.

Trent Donald, Football, Walsh Jesuit, Gannon

Dan Dunn, Football, Stow-Munroe Falls, Walsh University

Amy Feher, Girls Soccer, Revere, Illinois

Kyle Finch, Football, Green, Tiffin

Sae’Von Fitzgerald, Football, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio Dominican

Graeme Frye, Baseball, Walsh Jesuit, Slippery Rock

Katie George, Girls Soccer, Walsh Jesuit, U. of Akron

Emily Giesen, Girls Soccer, Buckeye, Ohio University

Sasha Haverchak, Girls Soccer, Copley, Ohio University

Evan Hollar, Baseball, Highland, U. of Findlay

Tony Howkins, Cross Country/Track, Walsh Jesuit, U. of Akron

Caitlin Jakubek, Girls Soccer, Walsh Jesuit, U. of Akron

Jen Jankowski, Girls Soccer, Medina, Cleveland State

Brock Jones, Football, Walsh Jesuit, Gannon

Rachel Jones, Volleyball, Wadsworth, Palm Beach Atlantic U.

Madison Kaser, Girls Soccer, Hoban, U. of Akron

Ali Kovarik, Girls Soccer, Medina, Ashland

Matt Krakora, Cross Country, Walsh Jesuit, Dayton

Beth Lang, Girls Soccer, Medina, Ashland

Maria Libertin, Girls Soccer, Hoban, Xavier

Aaron Male, Football, Ellet, Walsh University

Matt Matuska, Football, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Walsh University

Darren McGinnis, Football, Buchtel, Walsh University

Tyler McHugh, Boys Golf, Walsh Jesuit, Wright State

Lauren McKinzie, Girls Golf, Highland, Ohio University

Kaitlin Morse, Softball, Our Lady of the Elms, Northern Kentucky

Christian Morgan, Football, Firestone, Youngstown State

Adam Motter, Boys Swimming, Hudson, Milligan (Tennessee)

Steve Nagy, Football, Hudson, Ashland

Kelsey Nemeth, Girls Soccer, Medina, Point Park (Pa.)

Ryan Predovic, Football, Nordonia, Notre Dame College

Nick Pupino, Cross Country/Track, Copley, Ohio State

Krista Roehlig, Cross Country/Track, Green, Ohio University

Colleen Rosen, Girls Soccer, Hoban, Ursuline

Chad Sedio, Baseball, Highland, Miami of Ohio

Kaylee Semelsberger, Girls Soccer, Walsh Jesuit, Alabama

Nate Skonieczny, Wrestling, Walsh Jesuit, Iowa

Alyson Smigel, Girls Soccer, Walsh Jesuit, Dayton

Antoine Smith, Football, Walsh Jesuit, Lake Errie College

Drew Stadelman, Boys Soccer, Tallmadge, Tiffin

Cory Stainbrook, Wrestling, Walsh Jesuit, West Virginia

Michaella Stucky, Girls Soccer, Medina, Walsh University

Alex Tulley, Boys Soccer, Cuyahoga Falls, Shawnee State

Tessa Weigand, XC/Track, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio University

Christen Westphal, Girls Soccer, Walsh Jesuit, Florida

Tyrin Williams, Football, Tallmadge, Baldwin-Wallace

Stefan Willis, Football, Firestone, Tiffin

Sachem Wilson, Boys Soccer, CVCA, Liberty University

(List compiled from several sources: SportsInk.com Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer)