Several Blacksburg High School student-athletes will continue their playing career in college this fall. Four Bruins signed letter of intents Thursday in the school’s library. Pictured are: (from left) Emily Fugate, Patrick Henry Community College for softball; Morgan McCoy, Ferrum for softball; Solomon Ghosh to VMI for track and field, and Cameron Seeley, East Tennessee State for swimming.
Ghosh to throw at VMI
One the of the area’s and state best track and field participants will continue his career at Virginia Military Academy.
Blacksburg High School’s Solomon Ghosh is headed to the Lexington school in the fall.
Ghosh said VMI has always been one of his top three college choices. “I visited last summer to learn more about the school and met with Coach Zach Scott to gain a better understanding of the track and field program. I was attracted to VMI’s commitment to military training, high quality education with a great faculty to student ratio, and a top-flight track & field program with outstanding coaches and facilities. My family and I are most grateful for the extraordinary scholarship package that was offered by VMI’s athletics department,” he said.
Ghosh broke Blacksburg’s school record earlier this spring that had been on the books for 27 years with a throw of 180 feet six and half inches. He also set the meet record at the Tri-State meet in Johnson City, which qualified him for another national meet. Some rankings have him as the number one discus thrower in the state of Virginia and in the top 40 nationally.
He signed a letter of intent Thursday in front of family, friends and teammates. Ghosh plans to major in international studies and has a long-term commitment to public service.
“I have a commitment to public service and during my time at VMI I will explore whether or not that entails military service. I am looking forward to working hard under the guidance of Coach Zack Scott to become one of the best throwers in VMI and make a mark in the Southern Conference. I also plan on participating in service-learning, internships, and summer study abroad programs,” he said.
The next four years, according to the Blacksburg senior, will help define his goals as a citizen-student-athlete-soldier. “I am looking forward to participating in VMI’s excellent leadership development programs. I am keen to test and expand my physical, emotional, and intellectual limits during my undergraduate years. Graduate school is also in the cards for me,” he said.
Seeley set to attend ETSU
Blacksburg High School swimmer Cameron Seeley has signed a letter to swim collegiately at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). She made the announcement Thursday in front of relatives, friends, teammates and coaches in the school’s library.
Seeley said chose ETSU because of its great pre-physical therapy program, outstanding coaching staff/ future teammates and a unique opportunity to try a new sport (triathlons) while being a student-athlete.
“I am exploring degree programs that would best prepare me for a career in Physical Therapy,” she said.
This winter at the 4A state meet, she placed sixth in both the 100 freestyle and 100 breast stroke event. She also anchored the 200-freestyle relay, which placed third and set a new school record and anchored the 200 -IM that also set a new school record.
Seeley currently holds three school records at Blacksburg- 100 breast stroke, 200 freestyle relay and 200 IM relay, and qualified for the ISCA Junior National cup in both her sophomore and senior year.
The new sports Seeley plans to tackle is a combination of the swimming she has succeeded in for the past few years with the addition of bicycling and running. Competitors being in the pool, then bike and run. Typically, it includes 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run.
ETSU is a Division I program that took third overall this past season at the East Regional Qualifier and ninth in the national championships
Out of the pool, Seeley is a member of the National Honor Society, American Sign Language National Honor Society Vice President, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Member, Volunteer Swim Coach at Shawnee Swim Club, Lifeguard at Shawnee Swim Club, and an intern at University Physical Therapy West.
Seeley was also awarded the Wendy’s Heisman Award for BHS earlier this year.
Her long-term goal for swimming is to be the best possible shape for triathlons while continuing to explore the ceiling of speed.
“My long-term goal out of the pool would be to get a quality education and degree from ETSU and become a physical therapist. My future plans for the rest of the summer are to train with my swim club (H2okie Aquatics) and all begin my training for triathlons that includes running and biking workouts,” she said.
Seeley first started swimming competitively at the age of seven. “I was encouraged by my parents to try it and eventually fell in love with the sport and grind of working hard towards a goal,” she said.
Her younger sister, Peyton, swims summer league for the Shawnee Sharks, but no one else in her family swims competitively.
