Prestonwood Christian Academy (PCA) honored five student athletes who signed Letters of Intent to play sports at the collegiate level last week during National Signing Day.
“We are proud of these students for their commitment and dedication to their sports,” said PCA’s Athletic Director Chris Cunningham. “I look forward to all that God is going to continue to do in and through their lives at the next level.”
Christian Bates signed to play baseball at Henderson State University. Bates hit .286 as a junior at PCA, posted a .902 OPS, and he reached double digits in stolen bases with 10.
Maia Brown signed to play women’s soccer at the University of Arizona. Brown has played for six years in the U.S. Development Academy and the Elite Club National League (ECNL) for the Dallas Texans SC and FC Dallas. She was 2018-19 FC Dallas Team Captain and a 2021 Dallas Cup Finalist with FC Dallas. Brown played varsity soccer and track at Prestonwood during her freshman year and was a state regional qualifier in track in the 100m and 200m. Brown excels in academics as well! She is in the top 10 percent of class at PCA, is a College Board National African American Recognition Program Scholar, on the Principal’s Honor Roll and a member of the National Honor Society.
Lilly Hartnell, PCA Online student, committed to play women’s ice hockey at Saint Anselm College. Hartnell qualified and attended the National Championships four consecutive years and was a quarterfinalist twice. She played boys hockey in Florida until being selected for Nationally Ranked AAA girls hockey program in Pittsburgh. Hartnell was then selected to play for two other Nationally Ranked AAA programs: Dallas Stars Elite, her current team Belle Tire in Detroit, Michigan. She was one out of 75 girls selected for USA Hockey National Development Camp.
Caroline Kniffen has committed to play women’s soccer at Texas A&M University during her freshman year at PCA. She is graduating in December 2021 in order to attend Texas A&M as a freshman in January 2022. She plays at the US Soccer Girls Training Center (Dallas) and played youth soccer for Liverpool RASE Academy where she was ranked #1 in the country and won multiple National Titles. Her honors include: Top Performer at Id2 National Training Center, Arizona, 2018 MVP SRPL Regional Championships, 2018 Top Scorer SRPL Regional Championships, 2018 SRPL National Qualifier and Regional Champions, 2019 ECNL Conference Selection Program, 2019-2020 ECNL National Finalist and 2020-2021 1st Team All ECNL.
Trenton Shaw will play baseball at Oklahoma State University next year. In 2021, Shaw was named TAPPS All-State, All-District and All-Area. Shaw has participated in MLB Breakthrough Series three times, is a Perfect Game All-American and a High School Preseason All-America nominee. Currently ranked as a top 10 player in the state of Texas and top 50 in the United States, Shaw batted .523 as a junior with five home runs. He has posted three wins on the mound with 44 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched.
Prestonwood Christian Academy is made up of six schools serving students across the Dallas Metroplex and virtually throughout the world. More than 2,000 students are enrolled at four campuses: PCA Plano (Pre-K3 through 12th Grade), PCA North in Prosper (Pre-K3 through 11th Grade), PCA Hybrid (a three-day in classroom/two-day at home program) and PCA Online. St. Timothy Christian Academy in Plano serves students with learning differences and The King’s Academy provides a Christian education to students in South Dallas. The PCA School System has been recognized as having one of the strongest Christian education programs in the country providing intentional biblical worldview training and integration. PCA places great value on the growth of students’ spiritual health in addition to their scholastic endeavors and co-curricular activities. Tantamount to its Spiritual Development plan is PCA’s rigorous Liberal Arts academic program. From the first graduating class in 2002 through the class of 2021, graduates have been offered more than $154.6 million in scholarship for academics, arts and athletics from universities and other institutions of higher learning. PCA is now enrolling for the 2022-23 school year. Go to prestonwoodchristian.org/admissions for more information.
