Zoned Sports Academy Salutes Local Student Athletes

Zoned Sports Academy, a baseball and softball developmental training academy, recognized nearly 50 talented high school athletes from the region during its 9th annual “Signing Day” celebration on March 2, 2023. This fall, they will represent their chosen school on the baseball diamond, and many have earned athletic scholarships.

In front of 247 guests, including proud family and friends, each athlete walked the red carpet to pledge to their college of choice. For parents, the event culminated many days and nights transporting, cheering on and otherwise supporting their children’s athletic pursuits with the goal of helping them realize their college dreams.

"We’re thrilled to host our 9th annual Signing Day event to honor these talented student athletes,” said Duke Baxter, owner of Zoned Sports Academy and a former professional baseball player. "Their achievements are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and passion for their sport, and this is a very special night for the students and their families.”

In addition to signing a “letter of intent,” each student-athlete received a certificate of excellence, a framed jersey representing their high school and the college they will be attending, and posed for pictures.

This year’s class attend Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Hillsborough High School, Seton Hall The Hun School, The Pingry School, Governor Livingston High School, Middlesex High School, Easton High School and many others. Students are set to attend Villanova, Stockton, Towson, Fordham and Bucknell universities, among many others.

“Aside from athletic excellence, our goal at Zoned Sports Academy is to help every student grow as an individual, succeed academically and get the tools they need for the next chapter of their lives,” said Baxter. “They become part of the Zoned family and we’re very proud to see them move on to college.”

Recognized this year were (student name, high school, intended college):

Mackenzie Acevedo, Tottenville High School, SUNY Oneonta

Ty Akins, Somerville High School, De Sales University

Jacob Anderson, Bound Brook High School, New Jersey Institute of Tech.

Jackson Bailey , The Hun School, University of Chicago

Josiah Brown, St. Joseph High School, Manhattan College

Connor Byrne, Ridge High School, Sienna College

Skyla Campisi, Marlboro High School, Muhlenberg College

Ben Carroll, Ridge High School, County College of Morris

Mike Chiaravello , The Hun School, Bucknell University

Nicole Cicchetti, Watchung Hills Regional High School, New York University

Hailey Clarke, Pope John XXIII Regional High School, Skidmore College

Ryan Coulombe, Easton High School, Penn State – Beaver

Jason Cozzi, Bridgewater Raritan High School, UMass Amherst

Michael DaSilva, St. Joseph’s Metuchen High School, Sienna College

Sarah Davenport, Hillsborough High School, East Stroudsburg University

Brianna De La Fuente, Metuchen High School, Providence College

Brandon DeLaRosa, Easton High School, Hagerstown Community Coll.

Samantha Delhoyo, Hunterdon Central High School, University of Central Florida

Jake Francis, The Pingry School, Villanova University

Tre Francis, The Hun School, Drew University

Shea Grady, Cranford High School, Bryant University

Colleen Hannon, David Brearley High School, Kings College

Martin Howell, Watchung Hills Regional High School, Penn State University

Brayden Hubbard, Easton High School, Lehigh University

Joe Jernigan , David Brearley High School, Cairn University

Ty Kobylakiewicz, Woodbridge High School, William Paterson University

Natalia Locurto, Immaculate Heart Academy, Lafayette College

Nick Lorenzo, The Pingry School, University of Richmond

Jordan Martins, Edison High School, New Jersey City University

Amanda Medina, Watchung Hills Regional High School, Towson University

Amber Miltenberg, Woodbridge High School, Monroe College

Shea Murphy, Mount Saint Mary Academy, Salve Regina University

Mary Kate Murray, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, University of Albany

Joshua Perry, Easton High School, Raritan Valley CC

Chase Pintimalli , The Hun School, Haverford College

George Provel , Governor Livingston High School, Pace University

Jules Raymond, Watchung Hills Regional High School, Purdue University

Grace Reed, North Hunterdon Regional High School, Villanova University

Sydney Rosenkranz, Mount St. Dominic Academy, Quinnipiac University

John Schmidt, Governor Livingston High School, Misericordia University

Mike Smith , The Hun School, Gwynedd Mercy

Trennon Stanard, Watchung Hills Regional High School, FDU – Florham Park

George Thomas , Easton High School, Susquehanna University

Kristal Torres, Bethlehem Catholic High School, East Stroudsburg University

James Turchi, Bridgewater Raritan High School, County College of Morris

Emily Walsh, Hunterdon Central High School, Babson College

Zack Wendell, Gill St. Bernard’s School, Lehigh University

Avery Whitney, Hillsborough High School, County College of Morris

Erica Zuckerberg, Tottenville High School, Stockton University

About Zoned Sports Academy

Duke Baxter broke the NCAA’s single-season Doubles’ Record (31) in his senior year at the University of North Florida and went on to play professional baseball for three years finishing with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League. In 2002, he founded Zoned Sports Academy as an indoor baseball and softball training facility built on the belief that every person who walks through its doors will be given the tools to be the best he or she can be. As a result, Zoned trains athletes on both the mental and physical aspects of sports, and employs professionals that know what it takes to educate, motivate, and inspire players to exceed their goals and dreams. Baxter, who holds two U.S. Patents for baseball training devices, is a life-long resident of Bridgewater, N.J., where he still resides with his wife and four children. For more information about Zoned Sports Academy, call 732-537-1770 or visit www.zonedinc.com.