4 Elmira Notre Dame senior standouts finalize college plans
Four seniors who left sizable footprints with their athletic achievements at Elmira Notre Dame have finalized plans to compete at the college level.
The signing ceremony packed the Notre Dame library June 6, with family, friends, coaches and administrators among those offering support.
The signings:
Ella Chicone of Montour Falls committed to Division III Lake Forest College (Illinois) for soccer.
Piper Young of Pine City committed to Division III Chatham University (Pittsburgh) for track and cross country.
Olivia Switzer of Canisteo committed to NJCAA Division III Corning Community College for softball.
Lawson Bigelow of Beaver Dams committed to NJCAA Division I Chipola College (Marianna, Florida) for softball.
Lawson Bigelow
High school achievements: During three seasons with the Crusaders, Bigelow had a batting average of .536 and hit 32 home runs. Her 13 home runs this season broke the school record of 12 set by Olivia May in 2013. Bigelow was all-state in 2021 and 2022 and earned All-Interscholastic Athletic Conference first-team honors three times.
While the New York State Public High School Athletic Association record books are not all-inclusive, the highest previous career homer total for a Section 4 player on the record book was 31 by Thomas A. Edison's Katelyn Warren.
On signing with Chipola: "I expected it and hoped for it all along. I think it's crazy it's finally coming into perspective and reality."
On her time at END: "I think I'm just going to cherish being able to be with all my my girls. ... Just leaving behind a legacy I hope everyone else looks up to."
Coach's quote: "There are very few people whose name you can say and just say their first name and know who they’re talking about. Cher, Madonna, Lawson," joked END softball coach Mike Maloney. "Chipola, who is a big national powerhouse when it comes to softball, is benefiting greatly."
Ella Chicone
High school achievements: Two-time Interscholastic Athletic Conference first-team all-star who was a key part of the Crusaders' run to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C final four as a junior. Received the IAC Character Award.
On playing soccer at Lake Forest: "It’s amazing. You (play soccer) since you’re five years old and all of the sudden it doesn’t end and you get to do it for another four years. It doesn’t feel like it ever leaves you. It’s such a happy feeling. … My mother, my aunt and my uncle all went there and my mom is from Illinois. It just feels like home there."
Coach's quote: "The school should be extremely proud to have her as a steward for Notre Dame and I think (Lake Forest) is going to be extremely proud to not only have her represent them on the soccer field, but certainly as a great steward for their university," END girls soccer coach Joe Picco said.
Olivia Switzer
High school achievements: Switzer was a three-time IAC first-team all-star, pitching the Crusaders to conference championships each season. She was selected IAC South Large School Most Valuable Player for the second time this season. Switzer had a career batting average of .480 and averaged 150 strikeouts on the mound per season. She was named second-team all-state as a sophomore and junior.
On signing with Corning CC, which earned a third straight NJCAA Division III runner-up finish this season: "It makes me so happy. There’s no place I’d rather be than on the softball field, so the fact that I can play for two, maybe four more years it’s so exciting. … I like to win, just like anybody else, and coach (Stacy) Johnson does a great job. She’s a great coach, she’s a great person. That makes it a little bit more comforting to go to college."
Coach's quote: "My hat’s off to Olivia as far as her commitment when it comes to getting better. Regardless of how good she was the prior year, she kept working to get better and that’s going to carry her a long way in life," Maloney said.
Piper Young
High school achievements: She was a four-time state qualifier in cross country, a Section 4 Sportsmanship Award recipient and an IAC all-star multiple times. She took up the steeplechase in May of her senior season and set a Notre Dame record and ran the third-fastest time in Section 4 this season. Young was a two-time national qualifier in the mile and won multiple IAC and Section 4 Class C championships.
On signing with Chatham: "Incredibly excited. It’s been a wonderful past six years and I am so excited to keep going. Originally I was looking at big schools down South and I ended up visiting Chatham just before I made my decision and I ended up loving a small school up North. It was a surprise to me, but I know that I made the right decision."
Coach's quote: "Just a great person, great leader, helped me very much when I got here," Crusaders coach Brett Shelton said. "Another coach on the field. I can't say enough. Chatham is getting a great athlete, they're getting an awesome person."
Follow Andrew Legare on Twitter: @SGAndrewLegare. You can also reach him at alegare@gannett.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today
This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Elmira Notre Dame holds signing ceremony for four senior athletes
