The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL signing day came and went without a Bahamian football prospect making an impact but, next month, expect a decision from another looking to extend his career on the gridiron at the next level.

Ivoine Torres Ingraham announced via Twitter that March 13 is when he plans to make his decision on where he plays collegiate football.

He spent the last two seasons with the Northview Cougars in Dothan, Alabama, primarily on the offensive side of the ball at wide receiver.

The Cougars finished a disapponting 0-10 this season in the state’s 6A Region Two.

Head Coach LaBrian Stewart was fired at the conclusion of the season in November after a 16-35 record in five seasons.

Ingraham has been reported to run as fast as a 4.4 40-yard-dash and has been targeted by several National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division I schools, most notably the Point University Skyhawks.

Several Bahamian collegiate football players participated in NAIA Division I football last season including Michael Bullard and Dwight Butler with the Peru State Bobcats.

The Bobcats finished 5-6 overall and 1-4 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) in the NAIA.

Bullard, the sophomore cornerback finished with 24 tackles and six passes defended on the year.

Butler, in his freshman season at wide receiver, caught just two passes for 12 yards.

Despite his team’s struggles, Ingraham made his mark individually and was selected to the fourth annual NUC All-American Game last December in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to the Senior All-Star Game the event included a full week of activities for Youth (7th and 8th graders) including the NUC Youth All-Star Game. There were also events for High School Underclassmen (9th, 10th and 11th graders) that included a series of situational practices and functions.

The NUC All American Game weekend included 100 of the best players from each grade level.

Point University finished the 2016 season at 5-6. The Skyhawks won their final two games and outscored their opponents, 43-14.

National Signing Day occurs every February, usually on the first Wednesday of that month, which is the first day that a high school senior can sign a binding national letter of intent for football with a school that is a member of the NCAA. Over time, the growing popularity of National Signing Day has had a marked impact on media coverage of young players and on loyal fans’ expectations.