Recruiting Notes: Baseball Gains Verbal

UVa Baseball Scores Local Commit

Harrison, shown here in 2013 in STAB's home game against Bishop Sullivan, has committed to UVa baseball
Harrison is a 3-sport athlete (including football) at STAB but has committed to UVa for baseball

St. Anne’s-Belfield (Charlottesville, VA) sophomore Jalen Harrison has verbally committed to the University of Virginia. A multi-sport talent, the 6’3″, 200-pound Harrison pledged to Cavalier baseball head coach Brian O’Connor.

Harrison, a native of Fluvanna in his first year at St. Anne’s, drew major college interest in football, baseball, and basketball before deciding to make baseball his future focus. In addition to Virginia, Harrison had a baseball scholarship offer from Florida State and serious interest from Florida, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina and South Carolina. He plays centerfield on the high school level.

Mike London and the Virginia football program had expressed some early interest in Harrison, who plays wide receiver and defensive end on the St. Anne’s varsity squad. At this point it is unclear if he will attempt to play two sports on the next level.

Stay tuned to TheSabre.com for more from Harrison. In the meantime, check out a football-related report I wrote on him back on September 17 by clicking here (for EDGE subscribers).

UVa Basketball Awaits Decision From Dastrup

Decision day is almost here for longtime Virginia basketball target Payton Dastrup , a 6’10” senior center out of Mountain View High School in Mesa, Arizona. The versatile post player will announce his college choice this Friday, November 8, and the finalists include BYU, Florida, Ohio State, and Virginia. Dastrup took an official visit to UVa earlier this fall, but the consensus favors BYU as the choice on Friday.

Wherever Dastrup chooses to go to school, though, fans may have to be patient in awaiting his arrival. He is leaning towards serving a 2-year LDS mission right out of high school. If he follows through, he won’t enroll in college until the summer of 2016.

Virginia currently has three commitments in the class of 2014, including guard BJ Stith, combo forward Isaiah Wilkins, and New Zealand center Jack Salt. All three prospects are expected to sign letters of intent during the early signing period, which begins Wednesday, November 13, and lasts through Wednesday, November 20.

Kamara Down To Four

– Top class of 2014 wide receiver target Jamil Kamara (Bishop Sullivan in Virginia Beach, VA) took an official visit to Michigan State this past weekend. This was the second official visit the 6’2″, 200-pound senior has taken, as he made one to Wisconsin earlier this fall. Kamara will visit Pitt this weekend before taking an official to UVa the weekend of the Virginia Tech game.

The Michigan State trip capped a big week for Kamara, who was officially named to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in a ceremony on October 31. The standout receiver plans to announce his college choice at the event, which takes place on January 4. Kamara also revealed to the Pilot Online that he has narrowed his list to the aforementioned four schools.