- December 4, 2025
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Isabella Johnson is going to Florida Atlantic for volleyball.
Brandon Bass Jr. is going to Florida State for basketball.
Santiago Navarro is going to Barry University for golf.
Ariana Urrea is committed to Purdue for golf.
Vanessa Nawracaj is going to Lander University for softball.
Addison Bitel is going to Duke for swimming.
Hailey Pellegrini is going to Saint Leo for acrobatics and tumbling.
Student-athletes face an added dilemma. Do they want to try to continue their athletic career at a university?
When they ask themselves that question, not all will say yes, but those who do have to dedicate themselves to their craft and go through the challenging process of recruitment.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association estimates only 15% of eight million student-athletes in the United States make it to the Division I, II or III level. Statistics vary based on the sport, such as basketball being 3.6% while baseball is 8.1%.
National Signing Day took place Wednesday, Nov. 12, to celebrate the student-athletes who are continuing their career. With seven signees, Windermere Preparatory School celebrated its largest class in school history.
Those signees included Brandon Bass Jr., Addison Bitel, Ariana Urrea, Isabella Johnson, Vanessa Nawracaj, Santiago Navarro and Hailey Pellegrini.
Windermere Prep Director of Athletics Patrick Hollern said it was the first time the school celebrated National Signing Day in the gymnasium, and now it isn’t able to go back.
Before recognizing the student-athletes, Hollern recognized the athletes’ shadows who made it all possible: parents.
“Your commitment, your dedication, the long hours, the rides, the encouragement — you are the reason your sons and daughters have made it to this moment,” he said. “As a parent myself, I understand the sacrifices involved in raising an athlete. I hope you truly enjoy today, because you’ve earned it.”
All seven student-athletes thanked their parents for their tremendous support throughout their journeys. They have relied on their parents not only for rides but also for encouragement and that extra push to keep them going during the challenges of playing at a competitive level.
Parents, friends and coaches filled the Lakers’ gymnasium and cheered for each student-athlete as they sat at the tables adorned with their future school’s colors.
Out of the seven Lakers, Urrea’s already had a taste of what competition looks like at the highest level.
Originally from Peru, Urrea has played for the Peruvian National Golf Team since 2021, and it’s what has given her exposure to the recruiting process. She received interest from 50 Division I programs and took four official visits before deciding to call Purdue University home.
“She would never have expected this,” Urrea said of her 8-year-old self. “I’m so happy I’ve been able to achieve it.”
Sitting next to Urrea was a similarly decorated table. Navarro, too, decorated his signing table with golf clubs to commemorate his commitment to Barry University men’s golf team.
The other five athletes all come from different sports.
Bass Jr. has been a Laker since fourth grade. The son of former NBA player Brandon Bass stands tall at 6-foot-4-inches and is a shooting guard for the Windermere Prep boys basketball team.
He ranks second all-time in scoring and holds multiple school records including most points in a game and season, most career three-pointers and most free throws made in a career and season. Bass Jr. signed to Florida State University to play under head coach Luke Loucks.
“I’m excited to play basketball at Florida State and this is just the beginning of the journey, and I can’t wait to see what it holds,” he said.
Bitel’s swimming career is full of accolades. She is ranked No. 9 in Florida and is a three-time High School All-American and three-time Scholastic All-American. The swimmer is taking her talents to Duke University.
Hollern said it has been a joy to watch her development over his seven years with Windermere Prep. He said Bitel is what people think of when they picture the Lakers’ swim team.
A newer face to the Windermere Prep program was Nawracaj. She has played on the Lakers’ softball team for two years and helped lead the team to the SSAA Tournament Championship. She will head to Lander University to become a nurse.
Johnson only has been a Laker for two years, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t made her mark. The volleyball player has led the team in kills the last two seasons and signed to Florida Atlantic University to continue her athletic career.
She and Pellegrini are the only two Lakers who are staying in Florida post graduation.
Pellegrini’s journey as a gymnast began 15 years ago, but she’ll transition to acrobatics and tumbling as she heads to Saint Leo. For her, the size of the university is what sold her to pick it as her future home.
Although each of the athletes have different journeys, sports and schools, one thing they always will have in common is graduating from Windermere Prep’s class of 2026.
“I’m really proud of everything that me and my classmates have achieved,” Urrea said. “(Windermere Prep) has an amazing support system and this year was the biggest signing day ever. It says a lot about our program.”
When Nawracaj transferred to Windermere Prep in her junior year of high school, she instantly felt welcomed by the community there and felt as though she “belonged.”
As each of the seven rose their pens to sign their letters simultaneously, smiles spread across their faces.
Claps echoed throughout the gymnasium from parents, coaches and supportive friends. The sense of community was clear and those echoes will forever remain in each student-athletes’ lives. They signed away and made history for the school and themselves.
They did it.
THE FIRST ACADEMY
FOUNDATION ACADEMY
OCOEE HIGH
WEST ORANGE HIGH
WINDERMERE HIGH
