Five BE and Hanahan student-athletes sign early with colleges
Five area high school student-athletes took advantage of the NCAA’s early-signing period by firming up their matriculation plans earlier this month.
Three of the players were from Bishop England. Camryn Deames, a star tennis player is headed to Colorado Springs, Colo. now that she has signed with the Air Force Academy. Jenna Vroman, another tennis star, signed with Wofford College, while golf standout Kathleen Sumner signed with Florida State University.
Meanwhile, two all-state athletes at Hanahan signed to play at the next level. Volleyball star Madison Malloch will continue her career - and studies - just up the road at Charleston Southern University, while softball player MacKenzie Dyson signed with North Greenville University.
Deames’ signing with the Air Force Academy continues a family affair. Her paternal and maternal grandfathers both served in the military and her father, Dave, graduated from the Air Force Academy.
Vroman was the No. 1 singles player for the Bishop girls’ team and Deames was No. 2. Both had big roles in the Bishops’ sixth straight state title and first undefeated season in school history.
“Jenna and Camryn had big roles,” coach Kristen Fleming-Arnold said after the state championship match against Mid-Carolina. “They helped build this team and the program. They had talent on the court and leadership abilities off. They will be missed.”
Vroman, who missed the Lower State championship due to an illness, survived a challenge in a 7-5, 6-4 victory win over Mid-Carolina’s Elise Mills in the season finale.
Deames played well as usual in the state finals with a 6-0, 6-1 singles victory over Caroline Magnet. She lost just nine games in four state championship matches.
Sumner won the Class AA individual state championship in 2015 as a junior to lead Bishop England to the school’s first team title. Sumner finished second individually this season to lead the Bishops to a repeat as state champs.
She also has played on the BE boys’ team.
Sumner was third at the 2016 Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship and third at the Sea Pine Junior Heritage Championship earlier this year.
She also has a knack for making holes-in-one. In 2012, she recorded two aces six weeks apart. She just recently added a third when she competed in an SCJGA tournament at Cheraw Country Club in Cheraw.
She used an 8-iron to ace the No. 9 hole, which is 135 yards and plays uphill.
Hanahan’s Malloch helped the Hawks advance to the third round of the Class AAA volleyball playoffs where the Hawks dropped a 3-0 decision to Bluffton. She earned all-state honors and had some impressive stats including 375 kills, 49 block and 224 digs.
Dyson joins her brother and sister as student-athletes at the next level. Her brother Kyle is a senior at Charleston Southern and was an accomplished pitcher at the high school and college levels. Her sister Kayla played softball at USC Sumter.
The youngest Dyson, Mackenzie was 19-1 with 180 strikeouts last spring to earn the region player of the year honors and a spot on the all-state team. She had an ERA under 1.00.