Connor Hill, Nayeli Mancilla and Gabby Sangillo all graduated from Goodyear high schools in May, secure in the knowledge they will continue their athletic careers at a four-year university.
They all locked in their college sports choice by the fall of 2020. After hearing the stories of friends and club teammates during a recruiting process severely compromised by COVID-19, all three realize how fortunate they are.
Since March 2020, normalcy has disappeared from the NCAA sports recruiting calendar. “Dead” periods when college coaches are not allowed to contact high school recruits have been at different times of year and longer than normal, the scholarship pool has shrunk and official visits have been replaced by trips to campuses within driving distance without talking to anyone or virtual tours.
