Two years ago, Jordan Agustus, Mei-Lyn Bautista, McKayla Hernandez and Charlotte Renker transferred to St. Mary’s High School to play basketball under head coach Tom Flynn.
Last Wednesday, they announced where they’ll be taking their talents in college.
Agustus (St. John’s University), Bautista (George Washington University), Hernandez (Binghamton University) and Renker (Assumption College) signed National Letters of Intent and donned T-shirts emblazoned with their college’s colors at a press conference in the St. Mary’s gymnasium.
“I was pretty choked up because it was such a big day and I know how much work they’ve put in, really since they were in the 6th and 7th grade. From then on, they’re playing to get to the next level,” Flynn said.
“At the same time, it just brings to life that this chapter for them is coming to an end, that this senior class is coming to a close,” he said.
A fifth senior, Elizabeth Limonta, also plans to play college basketball and has received several offers but was not ready to announce her commitment Wednesday, Flynn said.
St. Mary’s went 22-4 last year and won the Nassau-Suffolk Catholic High School Athletic Association league championship before falling to St. Anthony’s High School in the Class AA state semifinal round.
Agustus, who had 15 points against St. Anthony’s, said she received offers from the University of South Carolina, the University of Miami and Rutgers University before committing to St. John’s.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity to represent my city,” said Agustus, of the Bronx. “[St. John’s] showed me a couple things about the city, the players who’ve come before me from the city. They really look up to you here because you stayed home. That’s a big deal to them.”
Bautista said George Washington gave her the best opportunity to balance a basketball career with academics.
She was also courted by Seton Hall University and the University of Central Florida.
“It could really open some doors for me in the future,” Bautista said. “It also felt like the right fit with the coaching staff they have, the team.”
Hernandez said she wanted to attend college locally. She was recruited by Hofstra University, Stony Brook University and St. Francis College.
