By Jeff Odom
The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent
A school-record five Steinbrenner student-athletes signed to continue playing their sport in college.
Volleyball player Miranda Powell (Florida Atlantic University), softball player Anna Wilkins (Fisk University in Nashville) and football players Alex Vega (Lindenwood University in Illinois), Daniel Fernandez (Florida Institute of Technology), Brian Gainer (University of Mount Union in Ohio) all made their college plans official at a signing ceremony May 3.
“It’s a huge weight off the shoulders,” Vega said. “I can wake up every day smiling, knowing that I have a place to go next year.”
For Powell, signing on the dotted line was as sweet as it gets, because she is the first in program history to sign a Division I scholarship.
“I’m really excited just to start the new chapter of my life,” Powell said. “I’m hoping to bring the same enthusiasm and the same energy (to FAU) that I’ve always had. This is the icing on the cake.”
Wilkins spent two years playing club softball for the Lutz Lightning after one season on the Warriors squad her sophomore year. She said her experience at the club level propelled her to this opportunity.
“It’s kind of a relief, to be honest,” Wilkins said. “It’s kind of like all of that has come down to this. All of the hard work I’ve put in since I was really little and I never thought I’d actually play in college, but I am. It’s a really big relief more than anything.”
