Vintage’s Gleeson, Crocker, and Brandt are all off to play college sports
By Kyle Foster
Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
It’s a big step in a high school seniors life to sign a National Letter of Intent.
On Wednesday, Vintage High School was able to send Nicole Gleeson, Sierra Crocker, and Taylor Brandt onto the next level of their respective sports.
Nicole Gleeson
Gleeson will be playing her college basketball at Dominican University in San Rafael where she’ll major in communications.
“Honestly, it’s probably one of the best feelings ever,” she explained. “Just like feeling so accomplished with like all the work I’ve put into this it’s just really relieving to know I finally reached my goal.”
Last season the Penguins went 21-7 and finished with a 18-4 mark in the PacWest Conference. They also made it to the NCAA Division II West Regional where they lost in the first round to UC San Diego 81-55.
“Well, it’s fantastic,” Vintage girls basketball coach Joe Donohoe said. “I couldn’t be more proud of her. She’s put in the work, she’s gonna have a great college career, and we’re going to be able to follow her since she’s pretty close by, San Rafael we’ll be able to go to some games with the team hopefully, and yeah I couldn’t be more proud.”
During her three-year varsity career she averaged 7.1 Points Per Game, 1.6 Assists Per Game, 3.9 Rebounds Per Game, 3.1 Steals Per Game, and 1.8 Blocks Per Game. She also won back-to-back league titles in her junior and senior seasons. The Crushers lost in the first round of the CIF North Coast Section playoffs to San Ramon Valley-Danville on February 12th.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better team,” Gleeson explained. “To be able to say I was a back-to-back league champ and defensive (player) of the year and all that it’s it’s honestly so amazing to be able to have something to say like in high school I had because honestly don’t have the best grades, so this team is like my whole high school career.”
In her senior season as a team captain she averaged 9.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2 APG, and 1.5 BPG all while winning the Vine Valley Athletic League defensive player of the year.
“She changed the spacing on the floor single handedly,” Donohoe explained of Gleeson’s impact. “Whatever teams would practice they’d go try and run it and it wouldn’t be the same with her out there because they’d be ten feet further out than they planned on, so definitely a great tool to have in your tool box.”
Gleeson will graduate on June 6th from Vintage.
Sierra Crocker
Crocker is off to play softball at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota. The Vikings are a NAIA school.
“I am incredibly nervous, but also I’m really happy to say that I can do it,” Crocker said of moving on in her softball career. “There’s a lot of things that I’ve hesitated to do and the college search was difficult for me, so to finally say that I have a place to go, and that I have a place where I know I already kind of fit in. It’s really reassuring.”
“The college money is a byproduct,” Sierra’s father Mark said. “In the end the relationship and the time spent is well worth the money.”
Last season the Vikings went and astounding 54-3 overall and boasted a 26-2 record in North Star Athletic Association. When she gets there she’ll be joined by former Vintage shortstop Joelle Aiello who is a 2017 VHS graduate.
“It’s definitely comforting for me because I don’t do well with new people,” she added. “So, having her there is great, and it was definitely a confidence boost for me to know that she was the one who suggested that I go there. She was the one who pushed me to go to college there.”
While there she’ll major in education or business.
At Vintage, Crocker hit .410, had an on base percentage of .461, slugged .554, with 71 hits, 40 RBIs, and 17 runs. During her senior season, however, she hit .415, had an on base percentage of .508, slugged .584, with 22 hits, 19 RBIs, and 6 runs.
Crocker also batted cleanup in for the Crushers last season who went 14-7 with a 8-4 mark in the VVAL. She’ll graduate June 5th from New Tech. Vintage saw their season come to an end last Wednesday when they lost to Carondelet-Concord.
It’s also a big day for first-year Vintage softball coach Robert Poppe who will be losing two key pieces in the middle of his order.
“Honestly, sad,” he explained of losing his key seniors. “Those are two two of my top players that I’m losing, so it stinks to have my first year and only have them for one year. But with that being said, super proud of them. Those two were huge contributors to our success, kinda leaders of our group.”
Taylor Brandt
Brandt will be heading to Eastern Nazarene College, which is located in Quincy, Massachusetts.
“It’s a sigh of relief,” Brandt explained. “It’s definitely a different feeling playing uncommitted vs committed, and it’s just kind of knowing that all that work you’ve committed has paid off, and it will continue to pay off.”
Last season the Lions went 29-15 overall with a 14-2 mark in the New England Collegiate Conference. Eastern Nazarene College is a NCAA Division III school.
At Eastern Nazarene College Brandt will be dual majoring in business administration and sports management.
During her senior season she hit .552, with a .630 OBP, slugged .791, with 37 hits, 22 RBIs, and 24 runs. She also batted third for the Crushers.
On June 6th Brandt will graduate from Vintage High School.
