Latest news with #St.FrancesAcademy
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Five-star safety Jireh Edwards sets commitment date, Auburn named a finalist
Five-star safety Jireh Edwards sets commitment date, Auburn named a finalist Jireh Edwards could be the next recruit from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore to sign with Auburn. Auburn football has recruited Maryland well recently, specifically St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. Four players on Auburn's 2025 roster, including UConn transfer running back Durell Robinson and true freshman cornerback Blake Woodby are proud alumni of St. Frances, and three-star safety Wayne Henry has already pledged to Auburn's 2026 class. Despite landing many former players of the Maryland football power, Auburn still wants more. St. Frances safety Jireh Edwards revealed this week that he will announce his commitment on July 5, and Auburn is in the mix. The five-star safety will choose between Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Florida, and Texas A&M after his rounds of official visits that will conclude at Oregon on June 19. Edwards visited Auburn during Big Cat Weekend in April and came away pleased with the environment of campus and the style of play defensive coordinator DJ Durkin produces. He also cited the impact that his former high school teammates have on his decision. 'It's really important for my decision,' Edwards said in an interview with On3. 'I would never think the guys like Blake Woodby, Bryce Deas, Durell Robinson, Darrion Smith would ever lead me wrong. They're good guys and I definitely look up to them.' Edwards is a five-star safety by On3, 247Sports, and Rivals, and ranks as high as the No. 2 safety in the country for the 2026 cycle. His teammate, Wayne Henry, is Auburn's lone defensive back commit at this point of the recruiting cycle. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
CBS News
20-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Baltimore natives Derik Queen, Julian Reese fueling Maryland into NCAA Tournament
Derik Queen and Julian Reese developed a bond on and off the court at Baltimore's St. Frances Academy, despite being three years apart. Years later, they are back together and leading the Maryland Terrapins into the NCAA Tournament. As the fourth-seeded Terrapins prepare for their first-round game on Friday against Grand Canyon in Seattle, the St. Frances Academy community will pay special attention to their former star athletes. "In our lounge, we watch every game," said St. Frances basketball coach Nick Myles. "Them, and a lot of guys we got playing in the NCAA, and there's a lot of pride from guys coming from St. Frances and representing on the big stage." Queen was a freshman during the 2020-2021 season when he played with Reese, who was a senior that year. Queen scored 56 points in a game, while Reese was ranked in the top 15 in the nation at his position, according to ESPN. Myles, who coached Queen and Reese, said they have very different personalities. "Julian is very, very, you know, he's very calm, quiet, where Derik is everywhere, he's talkative, he's lively," Myles said. "But they had a great friendship that continues today." But their former coaches said the duo's skillsets complement each other on the basketball court. "People were like, 'How are you going to play two big guys together in high school?'" Myles said. "They're both very selfless kids, they share the ball. They're a lot more versatile than you know it worked out tremendously that year." Queen transferred to Monteverde Academy in Florida where he became a McDonald's All-American and a five-star recruit, while Reese enrolled at Maryland, where he has played for four seasons. The Baltimore natives reunited this season in College Park where they led Maryland to second place in the Big Ten and a trip to the "Big Dance." Myles credits Maryland head coach Kevin Willard for recruiting within the state. "He's one of the first Maryland guys in a while to prioritize in Baltimore, and Baltimore is a priority in getting guys from this market to get to go play there and play at Maryland," Myles said. "I think between that, and you know, D.C. and Virginia, it's a special market with special talent." Queen, this year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, is averaging 16 points and nine rebounds per game for Maryland. Reese is averaging 13.1 points and nine rebounds per game.
New York Times
24-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Maryland 5-star commit Zion Elee shuts down recruitment, but Mike Locksley's work isn't done
The December signing period for Class of 2026 prospects is still nine-plus months away. But early congratulations are in order for Maryland coach Mike Locksley and his staff, who on Friday afternoon received great news. Now they have one job: Don't mess this up. Five-star edge rusher Zion Elee, the No. 4 prospect in the Class of 2026, is shutting down his recruitment. The Baltimore native, who plays at powerhouse St. Frances Academy, committed to Maryland in December but as of earlier this month still planned to take official visits to Auburn, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas A&M and South Carolina. But with four simple words posted to his personal X page on Friday afternoon — 'My recruitment is closed' — he effectively canceled those trips and pledged his loyalty to Locksley and the Maryland staff. My recruitment is closed. — Zion Elee (@D1zion26) February 21, 2025 Should Elee sign with the program, he'd be the highest-rated Maryland recruit of the modern era, just ahead of star wide receiver Stefon Diggs in the Class of 2012. The 6-foot-3 1/2, 220-pound edge rusher would go down as the biggest recruiting win of Locksley's career, and his commitment is making quite the statement as Maryland looks to rebound from a 4-8 record in 2024. Advertisement But just because Elee announced he is no longer considering other schools does not mean Maryland's competitors won't still pursue him. Five-star defensive linemen command quite the market in the name, image and likeness era, and there is no doubt boosters at other programs are willing to do whatever it takes to convince him to change his mind. Michigan flipping five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood in the Class of 2025 — after Underwood was committed to LSU for 10 months and famously did not take any other visits — is proof that anything can happen in recruiting. Locksley has to do whatever it takes to ensure that the paperwork Elee signs in December has the Maryland logo on it. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that hanging onto Elee will be the most critical task for Locksley in 2025 before developing him takes center stage starting in 2026. What better opportunity than this for Maryland to prove it can sign — and retain — top prospects? The Terps have attracted their fair share of blue-chip talent under Locksley, who took the job in December 2018 after working under Nick Saban as Alabama's offensive coordinator. The problem has been holding onto that talent. In the 2021 cycle, the Terps signed a top-20 class that included three players ranked among the top 110 in the nation — five-star linebacker Terrence Lewis, four-star edge rusher Chop Robinson and four-star linebacker Branden Jennings. All three were gone after one season in College Park. The top prospect in Maryland's 2022 class, linebacker Jaishawn Barham (No. 119 overall), played just two seasons at Maryland before transferring to Michigan. Four-star edge rusher Rico Walker, the top Maryland recruit in the 2023 cycle, bolted after one season and is at Auburn. And four-star safety Brandon Jacob, the headliner of the Terps' 2024 class, is now at UCF. Advertisement See a trend? The Terps can't afford for Elee to follow suit. In 2024, Maryland tied for No. 128 nationally in sacks and tied for 71st in tackles for loss. Overall, the defense tied for 79th. Elee is the type of recruit who can help the Terrapins up front early and often, and change the trajectory of a program that hasn't won nine games since 2010. Locksley, to his credit, signed a top-25 class in the 2025 cycle, highlighted by three top-125 prospects in quarterback Malik Washington, offensive lineman Jaylen Gilchrist and edge rusher Zahir Mathis. The Terps may be on the rise. But Locksley must hang onto Elee — who has given the staff every indication he is not interested in hearing other programs out. Whatever it takes, they must get this to the finish line.
