On November 21st, Calabasas High School hosted its annual Signing Day in the gym. The event brought in a large crowd, all watching the seven athletes across baseball, water polo, and soccer commit to their respective schools. This is the first “signing day” for high school athletes since the NCAA officially removed the National Letter of Intent on October 9th, 2024. The rapidly changing landscape of collegiate athletics caused the shift toward athletes signing a package with revenue-sharing as an integral component.
Calabasas’ solo soccer commit was Ella Palmer. Palmer, a three-year varsity starter for the Coyotes, committed to Denison University, located in Granville, Ohio. Over 39 games, the midfielder scored three goals and tallied eight points.
“The coaches truly care about developing players both on and off the field,” said Palmer. “Beyond soccer, Denison’s commitment to academic growth made it clear that this was the place where I could thrive as a student-athlete.”
After announcing her commitment in October, four-year varsity starter Abigail Shapiro will continue her athletic career at the University of California Merced. Shapiro set a program record with 283 blocks in her junior season, and is projected to finish her Coyote career with over 700 saves. Across her decorated career, Shapiro was named a Cal-HI All-American and USA Water Polo Academic All-American.
“The team and the coach created an amazing program where I felt like I belonged no matter what,” said Shapiro. “As for the school, it has strong academics and a beautiful campus. I’m extremely excited to be attending.”
The first of five Coyotes to continue playing baseball at the next level is AJ Seidel. Seidel committed to Tufts University, following in the footsteps of CHS Alumnus Steven Rauso in 2022. After batting .300 for Buckley across 34 games, Seidel transferred to Calabasas his junior year and made an immediate impact, collecting 2nd Team All-Marmonte honors and being named an Acorn All-Star.
“Tufts was an obvious choice for me,” said Seidel. “It’s a combination of strong academics, athletic success, and a coaching staff that believed in me from the beginning of the recruiting process that made it impossible to turn down their offer.”
Calabasas’ only four-year varsity starter, Matthew Witkow, will play for Harvard University next year. The Crimson compete in the NCAA Division I Ivy League and already have Class of 2022 Coyote Tyler Shulman on their roster. Witkow was an integral part of Calabasas’ CIF Division II Championship team and earned numerous honors while sporting the black and gold, including Daily News Freshman of the Year, 2nd-Team All Ventura County, and MaxPreps Underclass All-American.
“The goal was to attend the best academic school where I could play baseball,” said Witkow. “When Harvard offered, it was a no-brainer.”
Middle infielder Connor Pink will be furthering his athletic and academic career at Grinnell College in Iowa. Pink joined the Coyotes varsity team as a junior and provided defensive flexibility paired with a quick bat.
“Grinnell made me feel at home, and the culture of the baseball team was exactly what I was looking for,” said Pink. “They welcomed me and made me feel like a Pioneer.”
Of the five baseball commits, Jack Quirk will be the only one staying in California, having committed to Menlo College. Quirk joined Calabasas’ varsity team as a junior after transferring from Chaminade High School and is part of the Coyotes’ dynamic catching tandem.
“I chose to play baseball at Menlo because it offered the perfect blend of competitive athletics and an environment I felt at home in,” said Quirk. “Competing in the highly competitive Pacific West Conference was a major draw for me, as it provides an opportunity to challenge myself and grow as a player.”
Catcher Dylan Arborio will be joining his Coyote teammate Matthew Witkow in Massachusetts with his commitment to Emerson College. While Arborio shares catching duties with fellow commit Jack Quirk, his athleticism makes him a versatile defensive asset for any team.
“Boston is an amazing city, and at Emerson, I can get a great education while living out my dream of playing college baseball,” said Arborio.
As each athlete moves on to the next chapter of their athletic and academic journeys, they leave behind a legacy of excellence and inspiration for future Coyotes.