Two basketball players, a swimmer and a baseball player signed with their respective Division I programs at a signing day ceremony on Wednesday at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo.
Lamel Robinson
Nebraska-Omaha
Robinson ended his recruitment in late September, opting to commit to the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
The 6-foot, 160-pound combo-guard ultimately inked with the Mavericks, a member of the Summit League.
“It feels really good,” Robinson said.
Robinson, a two-time first team all-state honoree, said he looked at Wichita State, Missouri State, Kansas State and Colorado State, among others.
“They welcomed me with open arms,” Robinson said of Nebraska-Omaha. “I think I’ll have a chance to play right away. I feel like if I go down there and compete ... my attitude and my work ethic will control everything else.”
Robinson also fielded an official offer from Kansas State, according to Rivals.com. The site listed the playmaker as a three-star recruit.
Robinson poured in 23.8 points per game last season and 21.3 points in his sophomore campaign.
“It goes to show how good he’s become,” Panthers coach Dan Parra said. “His game has evolved. Everyone knew that he can drive to the basket, but now he’s really become such a good shooter to passer.”
Nebraska-Omaha currently has two Kansas City-area players on its roster — junior KJ Robinson of Blue Springs South and redshirt freshman Zach Thornhill of St. James Academy.
Alecia Westbrook
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Westbrook is set to become the first D-I female basketball player from Park Hill South.
“It’s good. I want the younger girls to reach my level and pass my level, so I’m happy to set that example,” Westbrook said after signing with Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, a member of the Southland Conference.
“I fell in love with Corpus Christi,” said Westbrook, who added she also received looks from Creighton, Central Missouri and Northwest Missouri. “Everything, the coaches, the team and it’s on an island, so it’s beautiful out there.”
Westbrook, a 6-1, 130-pound forward, averaged 18.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game last season for the Panthers.
Westbrook, who was the program’s first all-stater (first team), was a DiRenna finalist after last season.
“She kind of does it all,” Panthers coach Josh Dorr said. “She’s done that through hard work and expanding her game.”
Georgia Clark
Iowa
Ever since Clark began swimming competitively, signing an athletic scholarship at a Division I program was a goal.
“I thought of this as my future and now it’s coming true,” Clark said.
She unlocked that goal after inking with the Iowa Hawekeyes.
“It does feel good,” Clark said, “because I know there are a lot under me (at Park Hill South) that will keep it going here.”
Clark said the Iowa coaching staff first showed interest in April of 2018 during an unofficial visit.
“I just love the town in Iowa City,” said Clark, a seven-time all-stater who also talked to Kansas, Missouri State, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Tulane, Auburn, Connecticut, among others. “I just love the atmosphere, the coaches, all of it. It’s awesome.”
Clark posted her top prep finishes last season with a pair of top-3 finishes at the MSHSAA Class 2 Championships.
Clark took runner-up honors in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 56.93. She entered the finals with the top prelim time of 57.18. Karisa Franz of Cor Jesu won in 56.49.
Clark placed third in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:07.76, finishing behind first-place finisher Nicole Williams of Rock Bridge.
“What really makes her so good is her dedication to it,” Panthers coach Tim Busenhart said. “She’s a year-round swimmer but she has this attitude of competitiveness. You have to have that to be a D-I swimmer.
Sam Beuerlein
Georgetown
Beuerlein signed to pitch for the Georgetown Hoyas.
Beuerlein, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound righty, made five starts and two relief appearances, recording 20 strikeouts while posting a 1-2 record and 8.40 ERA during an injury-riddled junior year.
Beuerlein also contributed in the outfield for the Panthers, who went 15-13 and ultimately fell 3-1 in a district title game against St. Joseph Central last season. Beurelein started that title game for the Panthers, who upset No. 1-ranked Staley in the semifinals.
Beuerlein batted .203 with four doubles, 12 RBI and 12 bases on balls in 64 at-bats. He also swiped eight bases.
“It is great for us, it expands the brand of the program and tells kids if they work hard and see what out there and work for it, they can get it,” Park Hill South coach Jeff Walker said. “It is always nice to have kids go to big-name schools, but I like to watch them play. Only bad thing, I don’t think Georgetown doesn’t play much to close here.”
He had interest from Nebraska, Memphis, Murray State, Brown and Dartmouth.
“I chose Georgetown because of the balance of academics and athletics,” Beuerlein said. “I wanted to go where I received the best degree to set myself up for the rest of my life.”
CODY THORN/Citizen photos
Four Park Hill South student-athletes signed national letters of intent to play at the Division I level next season. Alecia Westbrook became the first Division I basketball signee for the Panthers girls basketball team when she signed with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, a member of the Southland Conference. Swimmer Georgia Clark signed to compete at the Univeristy of Iowa and becomes the fourth Division I swimmer in the past three years to come out of the Riverside, Mo., school. Basketball player Lamel Robinson had plenty of Division I offers but ultimately landed on attending the University of Nebraska-Omaha, a former Division II school now competing in the Summit League. Baseball player Sam Beuerlein will pitch for Georgetown University, a Big East school.