The first Wednesday of February is a day that many elite high school athletes look forward to their entire careers – and for three Harker seniors, that day has arrived! Today, on National Signing Day, Joelle Anderson, Kailee Gifford and Lyndsey Mitchell inked commitments to play college soccer. Anderson will play for the Pepperdine University Waves, Gifford will play for the Golden Bears at UC Berkeley and Mitchell will travel to the Midwest to play for the Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolves.

Anderson, who played basketball and soccer at Harker, is currently leading all girls CCS soccer players in goals and points and was recently named the NSCAA/MaxPreps California Player of the Week. “This is unreal,” said Anderson. “I am so excited to attend Pepperdine in the fall.”

Gifford, who played basketball, football and soccer at Harker, hit 81 percent of her PATs this year for the varsity football team. However, at Cal she will concentrate on soccer. “I have worked hard for so many years,” stated Gifford, “and the view from the top of the mountain gives you a little retrospective on your journey, and it’s really cool.”

Mitchell, who played softball and soccer at Harker, is second on the girls soccer team in points this season, while mainly playing defense. Mitchell was turned on to NWU by her grandmother who took classes at the university. “This is really emotional,” said Mitchell. “All the hard work my family and I have put in to get here has paid off.”

Congratulations to Joelle, Kailee and Lyndsey on this exciting new chapter in their athletic careers! Go Eagles!