HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - Thursday, May 18, 2023, marked a monumental day for 20 Marina High School (MHS) student-athletes as they signed their National Letters of Intent, solidifying their collegiate athletic careers.

Surrounded by coaches, Athletic Director Nick Racklin, Principal Morgan Smith, friends, and family, these student-athletes took their seats in a packed MHS gymnasium, with their college’s paraphernalia proudly displayed behind them. One by one, each coach stood by their athletes, proudly boasting about their accomplishments over the last four years and excited for what their future holds.

The 20 student-athletes who signed to compete at the collegiate level include:

1. Presley Anderson - Women’s Wrestling - University of the Cumberlands 
2. Emmi Burdine - Field Hockey - Sweet Briar College
3. Jordyn Chrisco - Women’s Wrestling - Life University
4. Lily Ensley - Women's Water Polo - Concordia University
5. Samantha Esparza - Women's Soccer - Idaho State University
6. Ethan Faulkner - Men’s Soccer - Penn State Brandywine
7. Mia Grasse - Softball - Milligan University
8. Alexa Hartenberg - Rugby - Drury University 
9. Haden Hernandez - Men’s Wrestling - Missouri Valley College
10. Mika Ikemori - Women's Tennis - University of California, Davis
11. Hailey Jamison - Cheer - Alma University
12. Adrian Jimenez - Men’s Wrestling - Missouri Valley College
13. Gabriella Lopez - Track - University of California, San Diego 
14. Destiny Marquez - Women’s Wrestling - University of the Cumberlands 
15. Makayla Mathis - Softball - Eastern Kentucky University
16. Collin Miskelly - Baseball - Long Beach State University
17. Khang Nguyen - Track - University of California, Berkeley 
18. Heather Nugent - Softball - Trinity College
19. Sai Preciado-Meza - Women's Wrestling - University of the Cumberlands
20. Dominique VadeBoncoeur - Women's Volleyball - Concordia University

MHS Athletic Director Nick Racklin explained, “I think in this day and age, signing day can be equally important for the school and the individual. Not only do the 20 kids we had signing get an opportunity to play at the next level, but they all get to represent Marina outside of our community. As part of changing the athletics culture here at Marina, we are really trying to instill a sense of pride and tradition that our Vikings can carry on after graduation, so that they never lose sight of where they came from!”

The Huntington Beach Union High School District is so impressed by these athletes’ commitment to excellence in both athletics and academics. As they move forward to compete collegiately across the country, we will continue to cheer these students on and look forward to seeing all they will achieve in the future!