Tracking Charlotte-area athletes as NCAA football early signing period begins
The NCAA early signing period for football begins Wednesday and runs through Friday.
We’re tracking where Charlotte Observer-area players are heading to school. The regular football signing period begins Feb. 5, 2026.
Check back often as we’ll be updating the list of football players signing as well as some athletes signing in other sports.
AL BROWN: Tucker Farabee, football, Washington & Lee.
CHARLOTTE CHRISTIAN: Jamel Rule, football, Nebraska.
CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY: Olivia Roark, women’s volleyball, Randolph-Macon.
DAVIDSON DAY: Kipenzi Perry, women’s soccer, N.C. State; Alex Haponik, men’s cross-country, Emory; Izzy Pierce, women’s lacrosse, Wingate; Will Stevens, men’s basketball, Clemson.
EAST LINCOLN: Grant Lawless, football, Wake Forest; Emma Monatanari , women’s basketball, Drexel.
EAST MECKLENBURG: Jordan Buzzard, men’s basketball, Coastal Carolina; Liam Parsons, baseball, UNC-Greensboro; Jacob Addison, baseball, Gaston College; Gabe Johnson, baseball, Illinois Tech; Cailtin Fowler, women’s volleyball, Emory and Henry; Destiny Davis, women’s track and field, Milligan College.
GARINGER: Jace Garrett, men’s soccer, King University; Eylin Granados, women’s soccer, King University.
GASTON CHRISTIAN: Cooper Summerlin, baseball, Belmont Abbey College; Xander Sutton, baseball, Appalachian State; Anthony Marano, baseball, Anderson University; Noah Cooper, baseball, Cleveland Community College; Collins Clinard, women’s golf, Palm Beach Atlantic; Happy Arune, women’s basketball, Charleston Southern.
HICKORY GROVE CHRISTIAN: Charles Gerst, men’s swimming, Wheeling University.
INDEPENDENCE: Gianna McCloud, Salem College, softball; Jamie-Lynn Chowning, UVA Wise, women’s lacrosse; Mariah Parks, Piedmont University, women’s lacrosse; Hannah Daddie, App State, women’s track; Dallas Brannon, Virginia, football; Nick Reddish, Notre Dame, football
LINCOLN CHARTER: Adam Rodgers, baseball, Mars Hill; Canton Bare, baseball Surry Community College.
MALLARD CREEK: Khalil Price, football, Campbell
MARVIN RIDGE: Damione “Manny” Lewis, football, Appalachian State.
METROLINA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY: Preston Broadway, football, East Carolina.
MYERS PARK: Penn Craver, football, Davidson College; Rodney Dunham, football, Notre Dame; Josh Hines, football, North Carolina - Charlotte; Broody Keefe, football, Duke University; Damaad Lewis, football, Florida State; Camdin Portis, football, Miami (FL); Hank Thrasher, football, Hampden-Sydney; Mack Walters, basketball, Hampden-Sydney; Smithen Chisholm, women’s basketball, Pitt Community College; Summer Thomason, women’s basketball, Randolph Macon; Kate Willette, women’s cross-country, track and field, Boston University; Henry Boner, men’s soccer, Wofford College; Vlad Grigorian, men’s soccer, Merrimack College; Amaya Falzarano, women’s soccer, Indiana University; Suzanne Brown, field hockey, Wingate University; Avery Klamfoth, women’s swimming, University of Texas; Teagan Reilly, women’s tennis, Davidson College
NORTH MECKLENBURG: Scholar Bates, women’s volleyball, Alabama A&M.
PALISADES: KJ Bynes, football, James Madison; Jaamare Williams, football, Lenoir-Rhyne.
PROVIDENCE DAY: Gordon Sellars, football, Clemson; Zaid Lott, football, Syracuse; Leo Delaney, football, Clemson; Quintin McCray, football, Richmond.
SOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN: Stevie Seymoure, cheerleading, Appalachian State; Evan Hogg, baseball, James Madison; River Lewis, men’s lacrosse, Wingate.
SOUTH POINT: Caiden Rudisill, baseball, Catawba Valley Community College; Gavin Smith, baseball, George Mason.
WEST CHARLOTTE: Donte Nicholson, football, Charlotte; Antoine “Sam” Johnson, football, West Georgia; Rakim Finch, football, Air Force; Xavier Porter, football, Elon; Jorquis Broome, football, Lenoir Rhyne; Elijah Littlejohn, football, Georgia.
This story was originally published December 3, 2025 at 5:30 AM.