Pen to paper: National Signing Day makes dreams become reality in South Jersey

Gloucester Catholic's Guy Lynam (center) poses for a picture with his family after signing his National Letter of Intent to Auburn University at Gloucester Catholic High School in Gloucester City, New Jersey on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Photo provided by Lynam for D2 Sports Network

Growing up, many young athletes dream of reaching the highest level possible in their favorite sport.

For most, that is merely just a fantasy without much substance.

For the minority, those once skyscraping standards become everyday life.

On November 12, the first of several National Signing Days marks a pivotal moment for the few who transition from high school sports to collegiate athletics.

Now, note that there are multiple signing days depending on the sports. Early Signing Day is November 12, which includes every sport besides football. The "regular" Signing Day that most are accustomed to is the football National Signing Day, which ranges from December 3 to December 5. Many schools may host their signing days on December 3 so they can include every sport at once instead of having to host multiple events.

Not every school will have its signing days on November 12 or December 3. Some may wait until the spring or closer to graduation for those seniors signing their letters of intent. Some may not have it at all, and the athletes may do it at the training facility they go to for their sport.

Another thing to note before delving further down the rabbit hole, National Signing Days are for every level of collegiate athletics. The NJCAA, NAIA, NCAA, and NACE all have LOI (Letters of Intent). So, whether you're signing your NLI (National Letter of Intent) to your local community college for Esports, or you're headed to a SEC school for football, or you're committed to a NAIA school for equestrian, you more than likely can and/or will sign a LOI to your future institution.

Now that you're caught up on the basics of signing day, I got the chance to speak with a few of the top athletes from South Jersey about their experiences on signing day last week. Gloucester Catholic's Guy Lynam, Northern Burlington's Cole Marchetti, Sterling's Montgomery Draham and Woodstown's Delaney Walker took time out of their days to answer a few questions regarding their process of recruiting, working to reach the point they're at now, and what it was like to be able to sign that piece of paper further solidifying their commitment to the next chapter in their lives.

Lynam is the top baseball player in all of New Jersey. Per Prep Baseball Report's New Jersey class of 2026 rankings, Lynam is ranked No. 1 in his class. The senior infielder pledged to Auburn University in October of 2024. From the jump, Lynam's stardom and success on the diamond proved beneficial to the Rams, being a key part of three-straight state championships and certainly in line for a fourth. To date, the Auburn commit hails a .373 batting average with 68 runs batted in and four home runs in his career.

"It's amazing to make my commitment to Auburn official," Lynam said. "I've known Auburn was my future home for a little over a year now, but for it to be official is truly amazing."

Being one of the top baseball players on the East Coast is more than likely going to come with lots of eyes on you at the professional and Division I level. With New Jersey becoming a hotbed for talent in recent years, it's no surprise that someone like Lynam had some of the top SEC schools chomping at the bit for his commitment.

"I was focused on wanting to play in the SEC once my recruitment started to get going," Lynam said. "I talked to multiple schools like LSU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Alabama, but Auburn stood out the most to me. I narrowed it down to Alabama and Auburn, but once I got home from my official visit to Auburn, I knew that was the one. The environment on campus, the coaching staff, everything about it just made me feel right at home."

Northern Burlington's Cole Marchetti (bottom center) poses for a picture with his Northern Burlington teammates after signing his National Letter of Intent to Rutgers University at Northern Burlington High School in Columbus, New Jersey on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Photo provided by Marchetti for D2 Sports Network

Marchetti is also one of New Jersey's top baseball players. Ranked the No. 21 overall prospect and No. 5 right-handed pitcher in New Jersey's 2026 class by Prep Baseball Report, Marchetti made his commitment to Rutgers University in August 2024. At the same time that Northern Burlington baseball started making major waves in the region, Marchetti did the same. As a No. 26 seed in the 2024 Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic, the Greyhounds made a run to the semifinals, where they ended up being walked off by eventual runner-up Delsea. The deep run put the area on notice, and Marchetti was at the forefront of the team that returned a year later and dominated its way to a 28-2 record and Group 3 state championship.

"Signing with Rutgers is an incredible honor," Marchetti said. "I'm proud to be able to represent my school and the community that has always stood behind me."

As mentioned before, being one of the Garden State's top players comes with lots of eyes and interest from coaches and scouts at the next level. One school in particular that keeps a very close eye on in-state talent is Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights had 13 New Jersey natives rostered a season ago, with five of those players from South Jersey.

"I immediately connected with the coaching staff on my visit," Marchetti said. "The facilities and tools available to help me grow as a student-athlete were huge pieces in making my decision. The deciding factor was the ability to represent my home state while being able to get a great education and play in a high-level conference such as the Big 10. When I first stepped onto campus, I knew it was just right. I knew it was the one."

Sterling's Montgomery Draham (center) poses for a picture with her family after signing her National Letter of Intent to Purdue University at Sterling High School, in Somerdale, New Jersey on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Photo provided by Draham for D2 Sports Network

Getting recognition from the United States Women's National Team's U18/U19 team takes a lot of talent. Draham was one of those players brought in for camp this past summer. The senior forward from Sterling committed to Purdue University in this past September. She made a name for herself very early in her high school career. As a sophomore, the Purdue commit tallied 16 goals and 39 points. In her swan song campaign, Draham netted 21 goals and accrued 48 total points, bringing her total career goal amount to 55 goals in 3 varsity seasons for the Knights.

"Signing with Purdue gave me a sense of relief not only because I found my home, but because all I ever worked for came true the second I put pen to paper," Draham said. "It's a feeling that’s hard to explain, but it's something I'll never forget. Being able to make my dreams come true is a memory that'll stick with me forever."

Many prospective student-athletes look for certain things in the schools they're interested in during the recruiting process. For some, it may be how much NIL money they'll get, for others, it may be if they have their major and if the academic program is built for long-term success. Others may have other reasons. For Draham, her biggest ask was to be challenged athletically but also be put in a spot where she can succeed academically. The institute, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, checked those boxes.

"Once I got on campus, everything just fell into place; it felt right," Draham added. "The campus life and the people that make it up are what really sold me on being a Boilermaker. I really wanted to go to a school that had great academics, a great soccer program, and somewhere that I'll feel in place at home. Getting to experience all of that in my visit just made me love it even more. I knew it was the right school on the spot."

Woodstown's Delaney Walker (center) poses for a picture with her family after signing her National Letter of Intent to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell at Woodstown High School in Woodstown, New Jersey on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. Photo provided by Walker for D2 Sports Network

Getting recruited by a collegiate athletic program that is on the rise and starting to hit its stride says a lot about what the coaching staff sees in a player. The coaches get the notion that you're a player who can help take the program to the next step after taking a step up previously. Walker, a Woodstown lacrosse standout, committed to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in September 2024. The program had just come off a 12-6 season after finishing 6-10 the season before. In 2025, UMass-Lowell finished 11-6 but clinched a share of the America East regular season championship. The program has taken steps forward and selected Walker to be a part of the surge.

"I am very excited and emotional knowing that I have accomplished one of my dreams," Walker said. "I'm the first girl at Woodstown to ever sign to play Division I lacrosse. I'm proud to be a Wolverine and to represent my town and community for the next chapter after high school."

When you think of the process of choosing colleges out of high school in the Northeast, the idea of the sunny beaches and vibrant nightlife of schools like the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University, or getting to join a fraternity or sorority at an SEC school, sounds the most ideal, right? Warm weather, great education, eccentric off-campus life, and endless possibilities. For Walker, UMass-Lowell was put over the top because of the Massachusetts weather.

"One of the biggest factors was being able to play in the cold early in the season," Walker said. "I love the cold! Being able to play at a school that's teeming with pride, the major I want to study, and a great lacrosse team, it was a no-brainer! I had a handful of other Division I schools offer me, but I threw everything off the table once UMass-Lowell offered me an official spot. I called Coach [Lisa] Miller and Coach [James] Rippey and told them that I was going to commit that day, and the rest is history."