Football: Freedom's Cameron Nizialek to Kick in the Ivy League at Columbia

South Riding (Feb. 11, 20013) - Freedom High School senior punter/kicker Cameron Nizialek signed his letter of admission last week in a cermony to attend and play football at Columbia University in New York, NY beginning in the fall of 2013.

Nizialek will be competing as a punter and a placekicker for the Lions. Columbia University is a member of the Ivy League in the Football Chamionship Series level of the NCAA. He will be playing for coach Peter Mangurian who is entering his second season with the Lions.

News: Two Freedom Seniors Make College Choices - Placekicker Cameron Nizialek to Tee it Up at Columbia and Kevin Dean to Play Baseball at Salisbury

(Oct. 18, 2012) - Two Freedom High School seniors have made their college choices with kicker Cameron Nizialek to tee it up in the Ivy League at Columbia University in New York City next year and baseball midfielder Kevin Dean to play at Salisbury University on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Boys Basketball: Woodgrove Celebrates Columbia-Bound Brad Gilson

Photos from celebration courtesy of Carl Lukat/Loudoun Times-Mirror

Purcellville (May 2, 2012) - Woodgrove High School held a celebration last week for senior basketball standout Brad Gilson who is taking his high-scoring game to Ivy League Columbia University next year in New York City.

Gilson averaged 26.2 points per game last year including back-to-back games of 43 and 54 points.

Football: Tuscarora SR Cameron Molina to Play at Columbia

(Feb. 2, 2012) - Tuscarora High School senior running back/linebacker Cameron Molina is headed tot he Ivy League to play football.

"All set baby NYC here I come! Columbia University Football:) Its Official," Molina posted on Facebook yesterday afternoon after the signing ceremony at the 2nd-year school in Leesburg.

Molina helped the Huskies to the playoffs in 2011 as the team advanced to the semifinals of the Division 3 Regionals.

Boys Basketball: Woodgrove's High-Scoring Senior Brad Gilson Commits to Play at Ivy League's Columbia

(Jan. 18, 2012) - Woodgrove High School high-scoring senior Brad Gilson -- who scored so many points (54!) in a game Jan. 4 at Park View that they had to go to the videotape to confirm the all-time points night for a Loudoun high school player -- has committed to play next year at Ivy League's Columbia University in New York City.

"Columbia was my top choice. Coach (Kyle) Smith and his staff really recruited me hard for over a year," said Gilson, who averages 30.7 points per game, currently No. 1 in the Washington Post's metro area scoring charts.

Continued Gilson: "Ivy League academics were also important to me. Also, the vibe at Columbia and NYC is great. Their alums and students are really supportive and they sell out their conference games."

College Corner: Stone Bridge Grad Ronnie Shaban is Ivy League Men's Soccer Player of the Week at Columbia

College Corner with editor Noelle Dormio
(Nov. 9, 2011) - Stone Bridge High School grad Ronnie Shaban scored three goals over two matches to help Columbia to a pair of 2-1 victories on the week. For his efforts, the senior defender was named the Ivy League Men's Soccer Player of the Week.

Shaban came off the bench to score on a diving header attempt in the second half against Adelphi, then notched the first two-goal match of his career in a critical Ivy League win over Harvard on Senior Day that helped keep the Lions’ hopes alive.

Shaban’s first tally against the Crimson came on a penalty kick in the 17th minute, and the second less than 10 minutes later on another header off a corner. On the year, Shaban is tied for second on the team with four goals and boasts a .364 shooting percentage. He is the first Lion to earn Player of the Week honor since Sept. 5.

Shaban’s Weekly Stats
2-1 GP-GS, 3G, 6 Pts., 3 Shots, 2 SOG, 2 GWG

College Corner: Stone Bridge Grad Kayla Lechler Named First Team All-Ivy League Softball

(May 15, 2010) - Columbia University sophomore catcher Kayla Lechler became the seventh softball player in program history to be named first team All-Ivy League on Friday, headlining three players that were recognized by the conference for their outstanding 2010 seasons. Lechler played at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn.

Lechler had one of the best hitting seasons in Columbia history, setting program records for batting average (.368), runs (37) and total bases (79). Her hit total of 57 was one off the single-season record set in 2009 by Keli Leong '09CC, and her batting average was the fourth-best in the Ivy League.

The Ashburn, Va. native also led the Lions with 17 multi-hit games, nine multi-RBI games and had a team-best 10-game hitting streak from March 28-April 10 during which she batted .528 with 13 RBIs.

College Update: Stone Bridge Grad Kayla Lechler's Walk-Off Blast Gives Columbia 6-5 Win Over Princeton, Caps Booming Week for Sophomore Slugger

(Apr. 21, 2010) - Former Stone Bridge High School standout and current Columbia University sophomore Kayla Lechler, fresh off hitting her first career home run earlier in the week against Fairleigh Dickinson, cracked a game-tying solo home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh to send the first game of a scheduled doubleheader with Princeton on April 17 to extra innings.

And after the Tigers had taken a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth, Lechler came through again with a walk-off two-run homer to give the Columbia University softball team a thrilling 6-5 victory at Columbia Softball Stadium.

The two home runs capped a 4-for-5 day for the Ashburn, Va. native, who drove in three runs and scored two more.

Trailing by a run and with a runner on in the ninth, Lechler drilled her third career home run over the left-field fence. All of Lechler's home runs in her career have come in a four day span.

A one-out walk in the seventh set up Lechler's heroics.

Lechler continued her hot hitting the next day with a pair of doubles and three hits in another doubleheader.

In earlier in the week, Lechler belted the first home run of her career, a grand slam in the top of the fourth inning to cap an eight-run frame that led Columbia to a 12-8 win in the first game of a doubleheader with Fairleigh Dickinson.

Lechler leads the Lions in hitting this season with a .347 average in 35 starts. She has scored 26 runs with 22 RBIs. Lechler's slugging percentage is .492. She is an astro physics major at Columbia.

Above photo courtesy: Columbia University Athletics/Gene Boyars