In a lot of ways, Tucson’s most highly sought prep prospects are just getting started with the recruiting process.
Tucson High diver Delaney Schnell, Sabino High gymnast Madison Mariani, Tucson High shortstop Alex Kelch, Salpointe Catholic golfer Haylin Harris and St. Augustine High gymnast Angel Leon are not yet seniors.
But the Class of 2015-16 is a good one. Here’s our list of the best locals on the recruiting radar in five sports:
1 Danny Vega Jr., Ironwood Ridge, wrestling.
With a 77-match winning streak, two undefeated state championships and at least four championships in national events, Vega is probably the most heavily pursued Tucson senior. National wrestling powers Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Missouri and Illinois have contacted Vega, whose father/coach, Danny Vega Sr., was a two-time state champ at Sunnyside. Vega will begin taking campus visits in September.
2Mia Sokolowski, Tucson, volleyball. The top volleyball prospect in Tucson in at least 10 years ended the suspense last winter when she chose Florida over Arizona and Texas. At 6 feet 4 inches, Sokolowski is coming off a junior season in which she had 541 of the Badgers’ 1,074 kills. She has been part of USA Volleyball’s junior national training team.
3 Justin Holt, Salpointe, football. The son of Arizona 1981-82 starting defensive lineman Julius Holt heard from Michigan State, Oregon, Colorado, Nebraska and Wisconsin, among others, before making a pledge to play at Arizona last spring. In three varsity seasons at Salpointe, the 6-2, 300-pound Holt has made 127 tackles, 13 for losses.
4 Carli Campbell, softball, CDO and Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage, softball, Salpointe. Campbell, who hit .582 as a slap-hitting leadoff outfielder for the Dorados last year, has been invited to play at Arizona. Aguilar-Beaucage, who hit .412 at Salpointe and also had an 11-1 pitching record, has agreed to accept a scholarship at Grand Canyon.
5 Najee Gaskins, baseball, Cienega and Tristan Peterson, baseball, CDO. Gaskins is on a recruiting visit to Nebraska this weekend after impressing college scouts with an MVP performance in a Chicago All-Star game last month. He’s an outfielder with exceptional speed who hit .388 last season. Peterson, the starting catcher on CDO’s state title baseball team, is a 6-1, 220-pound athlete who burst onto the scene by hitting .526 as a sophomore. He is likely Tucson’s top two-sport athlete. He made 97 tackles for the Dorados last year and rushed for 712 yards. If he doesn’t get a football scholarship, he’s likely to play baseball at Kansas State.
