Three Athletes Sign Letters of Intent

Thu. April 12, 2012 at 1:02 a.m. | By Solange Reyner

George Jenkins' Linda Williams, Lake Wales' Jose Hernandez and Ridge Community's Ali Blackledge have been awarded athletic scholarships to compete in their respective sports in the fall.

Williams, a golfer who will receive her associate arts degree in three weeks from the Lakeland Collegiate High School at Polk State College, will attend the University of Arkansas at Monticello to play golf.

The school competes in the Gulf South Conference.

Williams, who will sign her letter-of-intent today, initially had her heart set on attending Florida Gulf Coast before receiving an email from Arkansas at Monticello head coach Heather (Burgner) Wall, who also is a Jenkins grad.

"She emailed me and asked me if I was interested, and I wasn't going to email her back because it was so out of reach," Williams said. "My friend told me I was silly for not emailing her back so I did, and I visited and I loved it."

Blackledge, an infielder for Ridge, will play softball for Webber International University in the fall, the same team her high school coach played for during her college years.

"I wasn't really sold on it until my coach brought me to Webber and it was awesome," Blackledge said. "I was kind of shocked that I'm getting the opportunity to play at the collegiate level. With my school not being state champions every year it's nice that I have the opportunity, so I'm excited."

Webber competes in the Sun Conference.

Hernandez, both a catcher and a pitcher for the Highlanders, will be the first member in his family to attend college.

And he's going on an athletic scholarship to Texas Southern University, a Division I school which is based in Houston. The Tigers play in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

AUBURNDALE'S ALLEN TO PLAY SOCCER FOR WARNER

Auburndale senior midfielder Victoria Allen will play soccer for Warner University in the fall, coach Steve Linamen said Tuesday.

Allen, who was awarded an athletic scholarship, will be playing against current teammates Jamie Paton and Bre Eldridge,

Paton signed with Southeastern University and Eldridge with Polk State College. Warner and Southeastern compete in the Sun Conference.

GIBSON'S SWANSON SNAGS OFFER FROM PITTSBURGH

Lake Gibson defensive lineman Kennard Swanson picked up his seventh collegiate football offer on Tuesday, this one from the University of Pittsburgh, Braves' defensive line coach Robert Whitaker said.

[ Solange Reyner can be reached at solange.reyner@theledger.com or 863-802-7526. ]