Four Gaels sign with colleges

Several area athletes made their college choices official on Wednesday with the opening of the spring signing period.

Bishop Gorman led the way with four athletes signing with Division I schools. Gorman swimmer Erica Christianson signed with Boise State, girls volleyball player Simone Smith signed with Missouri-Kansas City, baseball player Devin Flynn signed with North Dakota State and girls golfer Lauren Hernandez signed with UNR.

Christianson earned two state titles as a member of relay teams for Gorman. Smith was a two-year starter at middle hitter, and Flynn was the starting third baseman on Gorman's first state championship team last spring.

Hernandez placed seventh at state in the fall to help the Gaels to their fourth consecutive team title.

Bonanza baseball standout Ryan Pineda signed with Cal State Northridge, and Silverado girls volleyball star Jamie Mellies signed with Division II Seattle University.

Pineda currently is batting .388 with a team-high 17 RBIs for the Bengals. Mellies was the Southeast Division's Most Valuable Player in both volleyball and soccer.

• GATORADE AWARD -- Galena boys basketball star Luke Babbitt was named the Gatorade Nevada Player of the Year.

Babbitt, a junior, was named the Class 4A Player of the Year by the Review-Journal and Reno Gazette-Journal last month.