Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Fourteen student-athletes at Christiansburg High School signed letters of intent to continue their careers in college. They included: Zalen Akers (baseball, King University), Hannah Carr (basketball, Roanoke College), Andrew Morgan (wrestling, Belmont Abbey), Ethan Mills (track, Virginia Tech), Cooper Neeble (track, Roanoke College), Liam O’Reilly (football, Emory and Henry), Mac Padgett (football, Shenandoah University), Andy Smith (wrestling, Virginia Tech), Madison Thompson (softball, Bluefield State),
Carly Walden (soccer, Emory and Henry), Alex Watty (track, Concord), Michaela Weber (soccer, Emory and Henry), Xavier Wright (football, Concord) and Maddie Yancey (cross country, Radford).
Wednesday, they signed their John Hancocks on papers in front of family, friends, coaches and fellow student athletes in the school’s auditorium.
Zalen Akers plans to attend King University to play baseball. He has played baseball for the past four years at Christiansburg High School and was named offensive player of the year in 2017 and 2018 and a first team All-River Ridge selection at first base in 2018. At King, Akers plans to pursue a degree in Forensic Science.
Hannah Carr plans to attend Roanoke College to play basketball. She has played basketball the past four years at Christiansburg High School and is a four-year varsity letter winner and was named second Team All-River Ridge District. She is a member of BETA and the National Honor Society and on the NRCC Dean’s List. At Roanoke, Carr plans to pursue a degree in elementary education.
Andrew Morgan plans to attend Belmont Abbey College to wrestle. He has wrestled the past four years at CHS and is a three-time state place winner and helped CHS to three state championship titles and a state runner-up finish. At Belmont Abbey, Morgan plans to pursue a degree in criminal justice.
Ethan Mills plans to attend Virginia Tech to run cross country and track. He has run cross country, indoor and outdoor track the last four years at Christiansburg High School. He is an 11-time region champion, three-time state champion and 13-time All-State performer. Mills is also a severn-time National Qualifier and two-time Emerging Elite National Champion and a member of the 2019 boys indoor track 3A state championship team. At Virginia Tech, Mills plans to pursue a degree in finance.
Cooper Neeble plans to attend Roanoke College to run cross country and track. He has run cross country, indoor and outdoor track the last four years at Christiansburg High School. In indoor, he is a three-time All-State runner and a National Place winner, a member of the 2019 4x800m State Champion Relay team, a member of the school record setting 4x800m Relay and Distance Medley teams and a member of the 2019 Boys Indoor Track 3A State Championship Team. In outdoor, Neeble is the 2K Steeplechase school record holder, a member of the school record setting 4x800m Relay Team, Distance Medley Relay Team and 2018 Outdoor New Balance Nationals Distance Medley Emerging Elite National Champions. In cross country, he was awarded the 2018 Pheidippides Leadership Award. At CHS, he is a member of BETA, National Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa and on the Honor Roll and Dean’s List. At Roanoke, Neeble plans to pursue a degree in Health and Exercise Science planning to be a physical therapist.
Liam O’Reilly plans to attend Emory and Henry College to play football. He has played varsity football the last three years here at CHS. He was a second team All-Conference punter his sophomore year. At CHS, Liam has also played tennis, soccer and lacrosse. He is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Young Life and the chess club. At Emory and Henry, O’Reilly plans to pursue a degree in Biology and Animal Science or business management.
Mac Padgett plans to attend Shenandoah University to play football and lacrosse He has played four years of football and two years of lacrosse at Christiansburg High School. In his career at CHS, Padgett has been named to the All-County, all-district and all-region football teams and to the all-Roanoke lacrosse team. At Shenandoah, he plans to pursue a degree in business administration.
Andy Smith plans to attend Virginia Tech to wrestle. He has wrestled the past four years at Christiansburg High School. During his tenure as a CHS wrestler, he has been a 3A State Champion, 3A state runner-up, a four-time all-American and helped CHS to three state championships and a state runner-up finish. At Virginia Tech, Smith plans to pursue a degree in computer science.
Madison Thompson plans to attend Bluefield State College to play softball. She has played softball the last four years at CHS and has been named the defensive player of the year and twice been named to the second team All-River Ridge District softball teams. At Bluefield State, Thompson plans to pursue a degree in nursing and pediatric oncology.
Carly Walden plans to attend Emory and Henry to play soccer. She has played soccer the last five years at CHS. She is a four-year letter winner that has been named second team All-Region 3D, two-time All-River Ridge District and co-defensive player of the year. She is also a member of New River United Travel Soccer, a member of BETA, National Honor Society, been junior class treasurer and is on the honor roll and NRCC President’s List. At Emory and Henry, Walden plans to pursue a degree in pre-health.
Alex Watty plans to attend Concord University to run cross country and track. He has run cross country, indoor and outdoor track the last four years here at Christiansburg High School. In track, he is a two-time state champion, nine-time All-State runner, three-time national qualifier, and a member of the New Balance National Emerging Elite Distance Medley National Champion Relay and the 2019 Boys Indoor 3A State Championship team. Watty is also FBLA vice president, DECA secretary, a member of the leadership team for Y-Street; member of FCA, National Honor Society and mentorship program all while maintaining a 4.10 GPA. At Concord, Watty plans to pursue a degree in sports management to become an athletic director.
Michaela Weber plans to attend Emory and Henry College to play soccer. She has played soccer the last five years at CHS. She is a two-time varsity letter winner that has been named second team All-Region 3D and second team All-River Ridge District. She was the JV soccer MVP and Offensive Player of the Year and is a member of VBR Star Travel Soccer. Weber is also a member of BETA and National Honor Society and is on the CHS Honor Roll and NRCC President’s List. At Emory and Henry, Weber plans to pursue a degree in pre-health.
Xavier Wright plans to attend Concord University to play football. He has played football the last four years at CHS. He has been named first team All-Region 3D, first team All-River Ridge District Offensive and Defensive Lineman and second team All-Time and Offensive Lineman. Wright was named the CHS Student of the Month for February. At Concord, he plans to pursue a degree in business entrepreneurship.
Maddie Yancey plans to attend Radford University to run cross country and track. She has run cross country, indoor and outdoor track at CHS for the last four years. She is a captain for the cross-country team and has been named girls Runner of the Year for past four years. She is a member of BETA, National Honor Society and has been accepted into the Honors College RU. At Radford, Yancey plans to pursue a degree in nursing.
