One Dozen Blue Jay Student-Athletes Make College Commitments

Posted May 4, 2016 / Last updated May 5, 2016

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May 2016 signees from back left are: Jacob Niehaus (tennis) John Sewell (football) Chase Rushing (soccer), José Aleman (soccer), Max Murret (lacrosse), Sammy Martin (lacrosse),and  Peter Hontas (football). Kneeling from left are Charles Rice (soccer), Brandon Beck (tennis), Brandon Briuglio (baseball), and Rob Hinyub (lacrosse).

May 2016 signees from back left are: Jacob Niehaus (tennis), John Sewell (football), Chase Rushing (soccer), José Aleman (soccer), Max Murret (lacrosse), Sammy Martin (lacrosse), and Peter Hontas (football). Kneeling from left are: Charles Rice (soccer), Brandon Beck (tennis), Brandon Briuglio (baseball), and Rob Hinyub (lacrosse).

Birds of a feather — an even dozen of them — flocked together to make their college athletic commitments. It happened at a standing-room only event in Jesuit’s St. Ignatius Hall on Wednesday, May 4.

View the May 2016 Signing Day Photo Gallery.

Assistant athletic director and head baseball coach Joey Latino served as master of ceremonies, welcoming the honorees, their families, administrators, faculty, friends, and a large group of students. After an opening prayer from Jesuit president Fr. Anthony McGinn, S.J., Latino introduced each player’s coach, who offered words of support and appreciation for the players who have helped advance their programs and, thus, Jesuit High School. Presenters included Latino (baseball), Travis Smith (tennis), Dave Storm (soccer), Steve Krobert ’05 (lacrosse), and Mark Songy (football).

Inking their letters of intent were:

José Aleman  / Barry Univ. (Miami Shores, FL) — Aleman played as an attacker for Jesuit soccer, scoring 18 goals and assisting on five others during his senior season. He was a member of two all-district teams, a state-runner up squad, and was selected to play in the 2016 LHSAA All-Star Game.

Brandon Beck / Millsaps College (Jackson, MS) — Beck and his doubles partner, junior Trey Hamlin, finished first at the 2016 LHSAA Tennis Division I Region IV Tournament and second at the 2016 State Championship Tournament in Monroe. Beck was a doubles state champion in 2014 and doubles state finalist in 2015. He was a member of four state championship teams at Jesuit. In addition he was named to the Times-Picayune’s 2014 & 2015 All-Metro tennis teams.

Brandon Briuglio / Florida International Univ. (Miami) — Briuglio, an All-District 9-5A performer in 2015, leads the 2016 Jesuit baseball team in almost every category: batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBIs, and walks. The second baseman/pitcher (6-0) also leads the team with three shutouts and currently owns a 1.20 ERA.

Rob Hinyub / Univ. of Indianapolis (Indiana) — Hinyub, a senior captain, tallied 121 saves during the 2016 lacrosse season. He was named LHSLL First Team All-State in 2016 and Defensive MVP for his play in the 2016 state championship semifinal and final, a game the Blue Jays won, 15-6. He also won the Defensive MVP for his work in the 2015 state championship tournament. Hinyub was a member of three lacrosse state championship teams at Jesuit.

Peter Hontas / Case Western Reserve Univ. (Cleveland, OH) — Hontas was a reserve quarterback during Jesuit’s 2014-15 championship season before becoming the starter for the 2015-16 campaign, in which he completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,296 yards and 19 touchdowns. Against Brother Martin on Nov. 7, 2015, Hontas completed 35 of 48 passes for 496 yards and five touchdowns.

Sammy Martin / Hendrix College (Conway, AR) — Martin, a defensive captain known for his physicality, recorded 19 takeaways and scooped up 52 groundballs his senior season. Martin was a member of three lacrosse state championship teams at Jesuit.

Max Murret / Univ. of Tampa (Florida) — Murret, a four-year letterman and senior captain, led the Blue Jays with 50 goals and 41 assists in 2016. He was named LHSLL First Team All-State in 2016 and Offensive MVP for his play in the 2016 state championship semifinal and final. He had two goals and three assists in the 2016 final against Brother Martin. Murret was a member of four lacrosse state championship teams at Jesuit.

Jacob Niehaus /Millsaps College (Jackson, MS) — Niehaus and his doubles partner, Jonathan Niehaus, were doubles finalists at the 2016 LHSAA Division I Region IV Tournament and quarterfinalists at the 2016 state championship tournament in Monroe. Jacob was a doubles state champion in 2015 and a doubles state finalist in 2014. He was a member of four state championship teams at Jesuit. In addition, he was named to the Times-Picayune’s 2014 and 2015 All-Metro tennis teams.

Charles Rice / Howard University (Washington, D.C.) — Rice played left midfield for the Blue Jays and was a member of two district championship soccer teams and a state-runner squad. He joins his brother, Jordan, a 2013 alumnus, on the Howard soccer team. Their father, Charles Rice, Jr, also attended Howard.

Chase Rushing / Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham — From his position as a center midfielder, Rushing scored 23 goals in 29 games during the 2015-16 soccer season. He assisted on another 29 goals. Rushing scored 51 times and posted 77 assists during his four-year Jesuit career. He was voted to the LHSAA All-State, All-District, and All-Metro teams in 2016, 2015, and 2014. He was a member of the LHSAA’s All-Freshman Team in 2013. Rushing is a four-year varsity starter. He helped Jesuit win the LHSAA Division I state championship in 2013.

John Sewell / Sewanee: The Univ. of the South (Sewanee, TN) — Sewell is a two-year starter and three-year letterman. He was a starter on Jesuit’s 2014-15 LHSAA Division state championship football team. Sewell played both center and guard for the Blue Jays.

Grant Glorioso, who was unable to attend the official signing event because he was competing at the LHSAA Division I State Golf Tournament in Carencro, is signing with Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. Glorioso has played as Jesuit’s top-seeded golfer since his sophomore season, winning individual tournament titles, including the 2015 Gulf States Junior PGA Championship and the 2015 Beau Chene Classic. He led his Blue Jay teams to district titles during all four of his varsity seasons.

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