DANVERS — On Wednesday, St. John’s Prep athletics proudly announced nine Eagles student-athletes who made written commitments during the recent early signing period to compete at the college of their choice. Scholar-athletes representing four sports at St. John’s inked commitment letters
“What a great day and a remarkable accomplishment for all of our student-athletes, their families, teammates, and coaches,” said St. John’s Prep Athletic Director Jameson Pelkey. “These signings are a testament to all of the time, energy and effort that our guys have put in over the years. We congratulate them and wish them all the best.”
Additional athletes at St. John’s are expected to commit to play at the next level this spring. A primary provision of the National Letter of Intent (NLI) program is that competing collegiate athletic programs must cease recruitment of a prospective student-athlete once an NLI is signed with another institution. Athletics scholarship aid is renewed on an annual basis at the discretion of each school’s athletic department.
This recruiting window’s signees from St. John’s, who represent eight cities and towns along the North Shore as well as New Hampshire’s Seacoast Region, are listed by sport below along with individualized comments from their respective head coaches, all four of whom are Prep graduates.
FOOTBALL
DE Collin Taylor (North Andover, 6-foot-5, 235 pounds), Princeton University
Brian St. Pierre ’98 on Taylor: “Collin will graduate as a three-year starter for us at defensive end and represents one of the very best pass rushers we have ever had here at St. John’s Prep. He is a very athletic player. He is tall and lean and runs very well for someone his size. Collin has a strong work ethic, plays with a non-stop motor and is very cerebral as well. Great leader. Great teammate. Princeton is a perfect fit for him both as a player and, more importantly, as a student. He will thrive there, just as he did here. It has been a privilege to coach him.”
BASEBALL
SS/3B Patrick D’Amico (Lynnfield; 6-0, 185), Seton Hall University
Dan Letarte ‘86 on D’Amico: “Patrick has improved every year at St. John’s Prep. Although he missed his season last year, as we all did, I expect big things from him this spring. His potential is unlimited. He has all the tools in the shed. Can run, can hit for average and power as well as field and throw. He can be an immediate impact as a college freshman.”
RHP Sam Belliveau (Wenham; 6-foot-1, 210 pounds), University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Letarte on Belliveau: “Sam is a tireless worker. He’s always looking for ways to improve. UMass is getting a good player and a good human being. I’m excited to see what his senior year at the Prep brings on the diamond this spring. Everything Sam has achieved, he has earned.”
SS/3B DJ Pacheco (Danvers; 6-0, 190), University of Richmond
Letarte on Pacheco: “DJ is a very good athlete and has gap-to gap power. He can field a number of positions and is a great team player. Having grown up down the street from the Prep, this is something he set his mind to at a young age and worked hard to achieve: A Division 1 collegiate baseball opportunity. DJ will lead us to a great season.”
LACROSSE
G Kaden Quirk (Nahant; 5-10, 160), St. John’s University
John Pynchon ‘01 on Quirk: “Kaden is an outstanding goalie. Through years of practice, he has demonstrated excellent fundamental skills both in the net and in the clearing game. In addition to his technical skills, Kaden plays the game with a spirit that inspires his teammates and demonstrates his true passion for the game. We are excited to see Kaden continue his lacrosse career at St. John’s University.”
MID Michael Kelly (Marblehead; 6-foot-1, 190 pounds), Princeton University
Pynchon on Kelly: “Michael has been a key member of our program since his freshman year. He has the athletic ability, skill set and mental toughness to be a dominant player at the Division 1 level. We are thrilled to see him continue his career at Princeton.”
MID/Face-off Specialist Graham Tyson (Hampton, N.H.; 6-0, 185), Bryant University
Pynchon on Tyson: “Graham is one of the best face-off men in the state. He is quick, physically dominant and has worked incredibly hard to become a true tactician at the face-off dot. We are excited to see the impact Graham will have at the next level.”
CROSS COUNTRY
DIS George Nikolakopoulos (Lynn; 5-9, 135), Bucknell University
Zach Lankow ’07 on Nikolakopoulos: “George showed excellent ability and promise early on, but was plagued by injuries a few times throughout his career. He ran a jaw-dropping 9:36.35 in the 2-mile indoors as a sophomore, which took 8th at New Englands. He learned that injuries are a part of the sport, but coming back after them made him a more fierce and dedicated athlete. George spent hours of time at PT, massage-therapy, strength training, and cross training in 2019, returning in October of that year as a key contributor to our team title at the MIAA All-State Division l Cross Country Championships. He is the epitome of resilience in the face of adversity. Bucknell is adding one of the toughest athletes and mentally sharp individuals I’ve had the pleasure of coaching.”
DIS Noah Mooney (Georgetown; 5-foot-6, 145 pounds), Northeastern University
Lankow on Mooney: “Noah has been a model student-athlete on our cross country and track teams for four years. He understood early on that there are no shortcuts in our sport, just dedication and patience. He steadily improved from 11:03.13 in his first ever 2-mile as a freshman to a staggering 9:28.20 as a junior indoors, which was No. 10 in the state last winter. He’s been a conscientious teammate and student of the sport—always willing to talk with less-experienced guys on the team about preparation and strategy. Northeastern is adding a phenomenal athlete, but an even better young man to their roster.”
