College Update: A repeat national champ and 9 other area high school grads come up big

Shining a light on 10 graduates from the Elmira-Corning region who excelled at the college level this winter and into spring.

Sophia Verkleeren, Williams College

Horseheads alumna Sophia Verkleeren secured All-American recognition in seven events for the Williams College women's swimming & diving team, which placed fourth in Division III nationals the week of March 20-23 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Verkleeren won two national titles, giving her four in her career.

She was All-American in the 200-yard individual medley, 400 medley relay, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 200 medley relay, 800 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay. Verkleeren earned College Sports Communicators first-team academic All-America honors, which requires at least a 3.5 grade point average for consideration.

She won a repeat national title in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:59.59.

Verkleeren finished second in the 200 backstroke with a career-best swim of 1:57.20 after winning the title in the event last season. She also placed second in the 100 backstroke (53.87) and helped Williams to the national championship in the 400 medley relay (3:39.17).

Jalea Abrams, Queens College

Jalea Abrams, an Elmira High graduate, started all 27 games for the Division II Queens College women's basketball team and averaged 13 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Her season-high was 32 points against Molloy in a 73-67 overtime loss.

She was named East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week four times.

Jillian Casey, Quinnipiac

Jillian Casey, a Horseheads graduate, was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference all-academic team for the third season in a row for Quinnipiac University's women's basketball team.

The senior guard had a season-high six points in a 64-62 victory over Marist.

Zaria Shazer, Marist

Zaria Shazer, from Elmira High, went over 1,000 career points during her senior season with the Marist women's basketball team and was named academic all-district by the College Sports Communicators for the third straight season.

She earned All-MAAC third-team honors after earning second-team recognitition last year. Shazer scored 14.1 points per game and averaged 8.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals. She ranked sixth in MAAC scoring and second in rebounding while putting up 10 of her 19 career double-doubles.

Kiara Fisher, Marist

Elmira High alumna Kiara Fisher averaged 8.8 points, a team-high 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game as a senior at Marist after earning second-team All-MAAC honors last year. Fisher was limited to 18 games as she dealt with injuries.

Fisher's season-high of 21 points came in a 67-62 loss to Canisius.

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Morgan Gentile, Edinboro

Gentile, another Elmira High graduate, scored 15.6 points per game for the Division II Edinboro women's basketball team, highlighted by a 36-point effort in a 95-94 triumph against Charleston (West Virginia). She averaged 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest.

She was named to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West second team, earning All-PSAC honors for the first time.

Markel Jenkins, SUNY Cobleskill

Markel Jenkins had a second-consecutive stellar season for the Division III SUNY Cobleskill men's basketball team. The Elmira High graduate averaged 10.3 points and 9.4 rebounds while starting 18 of the 19 games in which he played. Last season, Jenkins averaged 10.6 points and 9.3 rebounds.

He helped Cobleskill to the North Atlantic Conference Western Division title, putting up 11 rebounds and eight points in an 84-82 win over SUNY Delhi. Jenkins came back with 12 points and 19 rebounds in an 80-70 loss to Husson in the overall conference final.

Jenkins was named NAC Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending Feb. 11.

Nick Jubilee, Villanova diving

Former Corning Hawks standout Nick Jubilee captured the Big East title in 1-meter diving and was named Men's Co-Outstanding Diver at the meet, the sixth diver in Villanova history to earn the honor.

In addition to earning All-Big East honors for the second year in a row, the junior was named to the Philly-SIDA all-area academic team and the College Sports Communicators academic all-district team.

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Zach Levey, Alfred State wrestling

Zach Levey, a Horseheads graduate, was named to the Scholar All-American team for the second time and advanced to the NCAA Division III nationals during his senior season with the Alfred State wrestling team.

Levey posted a 1-2 record at nationals at 133 pounds and finished his season with a 30-5 record. It was the second time qualifying for nationals for Levey, who advanced as a freshman while at SUNY Brockport. Levey's season included individual and team titles at the Allegheny Mount Collegiate Conference tournament.

Tyler Simpson, North Carolina State

Elmira Notre Dame graduate Tyler Simpson, who attends North Carolina State University, was part of an All-American finish in the 3,200-meter relay at the National Intercollegiate Running Club Association Track & Field National Championship, held in April at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Simpson joined former Elmirans Jackson Bruins and Colin Bruins, along with Alec Lootens, in placing eighth with a time of 8:19.66.

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: 10 area high school graduates doing big things at college level