Westhampton Beach - November 11 marked National Signing Day for athletes across the country, and three Westhampton Beach standouts - Mark Podlas (baseball), Sophia Geraci (softball) and Kelly Dean (girls lacrosse) - wasted little time making their decisions as they all signed to play at Division I programs in the 2010-2011 school year. On the diamond, Podlas signed with Virginia and Geraci with Bucknell, while Dean committed to play at Sacred Heart.

Podlas, one of the top-rated players in all of New York, opted for Virginia over a number of high-profile schools, including Duke, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Kansas. With a 49-15 record, the Cavaliers ended their season ranked fifth according to the final USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 coaches' baseball poll. In the last four Major League Baseball First Year Player Drafts, Virginia has had 23 players selected, including the fourth overall pick in 2005, Ryan Zimmerman, now an All-Star for the Washington Nationals. Podlas is part of a recruiting class that was ranking ninth in the country by Baseball America.

"It's just everything they do for you as a program," Podlas said when asked why Virginia won out. "They have a good coaching staff, great baseball and a good climate. Everything just fit [what I was looking for]."

As a junior at Westhampton, he hit .484 with five home runs and 24 RBI while also chasing down ball after ball in center field, where he has started since he was a freshman. According to Moran, one coach told him that he considered Podlas to be "the best left-handed hitter in the country" and that he suspected he'd land somewhere between rounds three and five in June's draft. When asked about what it would take for him to forgo college and jump to the pros, albeit with a sizable signing bonus, Podlas said "it's too early" to consider with a season to go in Westhampton.

Like Podlas, Geraci has been a cornerstone for Westhampton since her emergence on the varsity scene. In the spring, the first baseman batted in the middle of the Lady Hurricane order and guided them to the Class A playoffs, in which they were knocked off by second-seeded Hauppauge in the first round. Her efforts earned her a spot on the 2009 All-County team.

Bucknell closed the 2009 season with a 19-32 record in the Patriot League. It was also recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) as a top academic program. The Bison were ranked 21st on the NCAA Division I girls got game All-Academic Team with a 3.363 team grade-point average for the 2008-2009 school year. The combination of athletics and academics made it an attractive option for Geraci, who also made official visits to Georgetown and Sacred Heart.

"When the coach made the offer, I was basically in shock," Geraci said. "I was so excited because it was my number one choice. I love the school. It's an amazing place."

Geraci stayed with the current Bison team during her visit to central Pennsylvania and said she felt like she belonged there. Bucknell also graduates Cassie Lloyd, its All-Patriot League first baseman, this spring.

On the lacrosse field, Dean has done a fine job between the pipes as the Lady Hurricanes' goalie. She split time last year with Devin Mandell and Westhampton finished last year with a 4-13 mark. Dean passed on opportunities at Division II and III schools such as Susquehanna and Lynchburg in favor of playing at the sport's highest level.

Dean attended a clinic and exhibited her skills for the Sacred Heart coaching staff. Two weeks later, she received a phone call, and after experiencing what she considered to be a laid-back atmosphere at D-II and D-III schools, opting to play at Sacred Heart was "a no-brainer."

"I fell in love with [the school]," Dean said. "I never thought I'd be playing Division I."

Sacred Heart won 11 of its final 13 games to end last year with a 12-7 record. The Pioneers were also one of six Northeast Conference squads named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Academic Squad, which is designated for teams with collective GPAs of 3.0 or higher.