Across the county, there have been impressive NCAA commits by junior and senior athletes. From athletes in various sports, at Quince Orchard HS to Richard Montgomery HS and many others, this year’s commits do not disappoint.
Junior Charlie Begin, Penn State University, Swim
Winston Churchill HS junior Charlie Begin of committed to swim for Penn State University for the fall of 2026. Begin began his swim journey when he was 5 years old, and then joined the RMSC swim club. Begin is a team captain for the school’s boys varsity swim and dive team. “Last season Charlie was on a state winning Medley Relay team and was the runner up in the 100 backstroke & third in the 500 Freestyle. His performances helped him earn All-American status in the 100 backstroke that year,” according to Churchill Athletics.
Senior Mckinley Heaven, University of Maryland, Soccer
RM senior Mckinley Heaven is a soccer commit for the University of Maryland. Like most, the stairway to Division 1 soccer wasn’t an easy climb. Heaven made her commitment during her junior year of high school, and her accomplishments along the way are a testament to that. In both her sophomore and freshman years, Heaven broke the all-time scoring records for the respective grade level. As a sophomore, Heaven surpassed expectations, making the All-State, All-Region, and All-Met teams. As a junior, Heaven continued to build her legacy by being named to the first team All-State, as well as becoming a team captain while being a junior. As a bonus, in her junior year, Heaven was also named an All-American and made the South All-Region Team.
Senior Evelyn Javers, Columbia University, Soccer
Walt Whitman HS senior Evelyn Javers made her commitment to play soccer for Columbia University in her junior year of high school. Scoring two of the three goals that Whitman captured in their state championships win this year, Javers is a strong player. Making both the All-State and All-Met teams in both her sophomore and senior years, she has proved to be a consistent and skillful player. After Whitman’s girl’s soccer won the state title, Javerswas named as Montgomery County High Schools’ Athlete of the week. Additionally, Javers’ has a notable selection of out-of-school honors. “She was selected captain by her teammates her senior year. She plays as a forward and in the midfield for Fairfax VA Union/McLean club in the ECNL league, the WPSL and Pro23 summer leagues. Javers was tied for second highest goal scorer for her McLean team in the WPSL league this past summer,” according to MCM’s Athlete of the Week.
Senior Charlie Buckles, Florida State University, Baseball
Walt Whitman HS senior Charlie Buckles of signed to play baseball for Florida State University. Signing to play Division 1 is a long and strenuous path, but Buckles did it with style. As a transfer from Bullis, Buckles has had the opportunity to play in many different settings. Buckles was named to the 2023 All-Star Weekend while playing for Bullis. Buckles stated in an interview with Coach Pillari (@coach_pillari on instagram) that you need to be concise and consistent with a strong work ethic, and that at home training makes up a big part of his – and really anyone’s – progress. Buckles was also ranked as number eight for the MD/DE Class of 2025 rankings, which campaigns for the top 10 players across the states.
These athletes and the many others across the county with equally remarkable commits worked hard for their respective successes, and their journeys have only just begun.
Article written by Ronya Sen
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons