On April 14, five Fresno City College athletes signed letters of intent accepting full-ride scholarships.

The most notable signing of the afternoon was basketball player Blakely Goldberg, who committed to play at Fresno State.

“This year not only all was she all-conference, but she was third-team all-state and she is now the third community college player to go on and play at Fresno State,” women’s basketball head coach Brian Tessler said. “She will play for a team that has a chance not only to win the WAC [Western Athletic Conference], but also to go on a play at the NCAA tournament.”

Blakely said her time at FCC has been good, crediting Coach Tessler for her development.

“Coming from Clovis West, I was not an all around player,” Blakely said. “I didn’t like my three-pointer or anything. I was just a point guard. But he has just broadened everything, made me an all-around player. This is all I know now.”

Blakely said she originally didn’t plan on continuing school here in Fresno, but felt the opportunity was too good to pass up.

“I didn’t want to stay here,” she said, “but I didn’t think this opportunity would come. They [Fresno State scouts] just showed up to practice and offered me a full-ride scholarship and I was like, ‘What?’ I was hesitant, but I looked at everything. Going to the NCAA tournaments and traveling everywhere and getting it all paid for, I couldn’t really turn it down.”

FCC volleyball players Tasha Greer and Taylor Lucero signed letters of intent to attend four-year universities.

Greer is a setter and was part of the third-place finish at the state tournament her freshman year at FCC. She is also one of only three sophomores this year to obtain a full-ride scholarship for the first time in the volleyball’s program. She will be signing with Colorado State University in Pueblo.

Lucero is a middle-blocker for the FCC team and a two-year First Team All Conference Player. She was also Conference MVP this year and is the first First Team AVC All American Player to come out of FCC’s volleyball program this year. She signed with University of Great Falls in Montana, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school.

“We’re nervous,” both Greer and Lucero said about moving so far away. But each said they’re excited about their respective opportunities.

Also signing letters of intent were FCC softball players Samantha Futrell, Taylor Keenen and FCC women’s basketball player Sumiya Darden.

Futrell has been FCC’s starting center fielder for the last two years and also lead the Central Valley Conference in hitting last year. She was first-team all-CVC and first-team all-NorCal last year when she was a freshman.

Keenen is the starting left fielder and is currently leading the team in hitting and batting averages, according to softball head coach Rhonda Williams.

“I’d like to congratulate both of these ladies for their accomplishments,” Williams said.

Both Futrell and Keenen have signed with William Jessup University in Rocklin, Calif., an NAIA institution.

Darden was the Conference Most Valuable Player and the Most Valuable Player of the Northern Section. She signed with Cal Poly Pomona.

“We both went together up to Rocklin and we had a little tryout with the team and we got to meet everyone and the coach,” Futrell said about their tour of the university. “It just seemed like a really nice environment, just really cool and laid back.”

All of the women will begin school in the fall.