FELTON—A group of San Lorenzo Valley High student-athletes will continue their athletic careers after officially signing a Letter of Intent to play sports at the collegiate level.
Seniors Cory Nounnan, Casey Crouch, Azalea Groleau and Erin Johnson all signed their letters during a ceremony that was held at the school on May 19.
Nounnan and Crouch will continue their running careers as part of the cross country and track and field teams for NCAA Division II school Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash. and NCAA D-I school University of Montana, respectively.
Groleau will compete in cross country and track and field for NCAA D-I school Seattle University of the Western Athletic Conference.
Johnson will continue her soccer career at Cabrillo College this upcoming fall season. Johnson has been a key member of the Cougars’ girls varsity soccer program since her freshman year. She was named team captain her junior year and since then has held on to that role.
Johnson suffered a knee injury that kept her out her entire senior season. She will have surgery to repair her ACL and MCL before graduation.
Johnson said she looks forward to getting back on the field stronger than ever.
Groleau was the cross country team’s MVP from 9th-11th grade, but she missed her senior season due to injury. She competed in the CIF Cross Country State Championship her freshman and sophomore years.
In track and field, Groleau qualified for the CCS championship in the 1,600m during her freshman year. She was also a key member of an SLV squad that brought home a Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship during her sophomore year.
Because of injury, Groleau served as a mentor to her teammates in both cross country and track and field.
Nounnan fell in love with running and outdoor activities from an early age. He completed two Sprint Triathlons at age 9 and again at age 10, followed by soccer for six years before deciding to focus on running.
Nounnan was team captain his junior and senior years for both cross country and track and field. He also played on the varsity soccer team.
He’s been part of the Cougars’ varsity cross country team since his freshman year. Nounnan was named the program’s MVP during his junior year, finishing 17th at the CIF State Championship meet.
Despite a pesky injury, his time of 4 minutes, and 24 seconds in the 1,600-meters at the SCCAL track and field championships was good enough to qualify for the Central Coast Section preliminaries at Soquel High on June 12.
Crouch competed in four years of track and field and cross country. He was part of the boys freshmen/sophomore 4×400 team that still holds the school record for the fastest finish.
Crouch also qualified for the CCS prelims in the 800. He’ll continue to compete in the 800 at the University of Montana, where he aims to improve his personal record of 1:57.41.
