Friends, family members, staff and coaches gathered in the Atrium at Westerville North High School on Wednesday, May 11, to watch and celebrate as three student athletes signed Letters of Intent to continue competing at the collegiate level. Brandon Goldsmith will wrestle at Baldwin Wallace; Quinn Nicodemus will play Lacrosse at Sierra Nevada College; and Alex Stefanelli will play baseball at Hope College.
Goldsmith was a four-year varsity letterman in wrestling and placed 6th in the 2016 Division 1 State Tournament, losing his final two matches by default due to a knee injury. “It felt pretty good to reach the podium” he commented to Columbus Dispatch reporter Frank Direnna; adding “it’s not how I planned to finish, but I worked hard to get on the podium.”
Goldsmith was a multiple time conference champion, placed 6th at districts in 2014, 5th in 2015 and 3rd in 2016. During his time at Westerville North, the team captured three consecutive conference titles. He was named 2nd team OCC twice, 1st team OCC twice and was named 3rd team all-metro this year. During all four years he was awarded a Westerville North Coach’s award for Leadership, Courage and MVP. He received the Scholar-Athlete Award his junior and senior years and served as Team Captain this past season.
In addition to wrestling and academics, Brandon was a member of the Leadership Team and Superintendent’s Advisory. He served as a junior mentor and enjoyed being a Student Section Leader at various sporting events throughout the year. He has also tried to pay forward, the help and support he’s received from his coaches and the community, by helping out with the Westerville United Youth Program. His hard work on the mat and in the classroom, have earned him the opportunity to wrestle at the next level for Baldwin-Wallace University in Berea, Ohio.
Quinn Nicodemus is a passionate young man with a zest for life. He loves to inspire and motivate others by treating each person with respect and kindness, no matter their background or skillset. Nicodemus thrives in a team environment and hopes to one day utilize his skillset to manage and coach others. Quinn’s love and dedication to the game of lacrosse has earned him a scholarship to play for The Eagles at Sierra Nevada College in Tahoe, where he plans to earn a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Sports Management.
Westerville North senior Alex Stefanelli affirmed his intent to attend Hope College in Holland, Michigan, to play baseball for the Flying Dutchmen. The two-year starter at second base for the Westerville North Warriors, and a captain this season, will study Business/Management at Hope.