Washington State basketball coaches wanted the letter of intent early in the morning.
The Cougars wanted to make sure they had Robert Franks signed, wanted to make sure it was official.
Franks, a senior from Evergreen, signed his letter at 7 a.m. Wednesday. The document was faxed over to Pullman, and just like that, Franks was a Cougar.
“Committing is a whole different thing than signing on the dotted line,” Franks said. “All the hard work I did for my whole career just leads up to that one signature. It’s still amazing to me that I just signed my letter of intent to play college basketball at Washington State.
“It’s been a humbling experience. A humbling and blessed experience.”
Wednesday was the “early” signing period for most NCAA sports. Clark County had several athletes either sign today or were expected to sign this week. Football and soccer players must wait until February.
Franks, who was The Columbian’s All-Region player of the year as a junior, said he never had second thoughts after telling Washington State head coach Ernie Kent in September that he would sign with the Cougars.
“I felt love there,” Franks said. “I like how Ernie Kent coaches. I think it will help me play better. It’s not far, and I’ll be playing in the Pac-12. Since I was little, I always wanted to play in the Pac-12.”
He also said he appreciates the early signing period. The recruiting process has officially concluded for him.
“Time to focus on Evergreen and trying to take them as far as I can this year,” he said of his final season with the Plainsmen.
Other athletes from the region also found a home in the Pac-12.
Skyview senior Sammi Hampton, a three-time state tennis champion who has never lost a high school match in her career, is expected to sign with Arizona State.
In baseball, Camas senior McKinley LeFore signed with Oregon.
“My parents graduated for the University of Oregon. I’ve been a Duck fan my entire life,” LeFore, a pitcher, said. “My dream school forever.”
Thomas Lampkin of Union, meanwhile, signed an agreement to be a preferred walk-on at Washington State for baseball.
Union’s Cody Hawken will play baseball for the University of Portland.
In softball, Camas pitcher Katie Schroeder is headed to Utah State.
“They kind of just found me. It just fell in my lap,” Schroeder said of the recruiting process. “It was closer to home than all the other places I’d been recruited to, and when I went on my visit, I just loved the school. That made my decision so easy.”
Rivals from Union and Camas will become teammates at Boise State. Alexis Fuller of Union, who finished third in the Class 4A state cross country meet last week, and Alissa Pudlitzke of Camas, who finished fifth and was part of the team championship, were expected to sign with the Broncos.
In volleyball, Heritage’s Dalaney Tuholski is going to West Texas A&M.
“The program is all I could ever ask for,” Tuholski said. “When I went on my visit, I wasn’t treated any differently than the players already on the team. It felt like my home away from home.”
Over at Woodland, Nathan Patterson is expected to sign with Northern State University in South Dakota for track and field.
Meanwhile, Camas swimmer Kasey Calwell said he will likely announce his college decision by the end of the week.
Note: Coaches and athletic directors, please send us signing information as it becomes available in the coming days. E-mail us at sports@columbian.com
