The University of Northern Colorado baseball, men’s basketball, men’s golf, softball and women’s swimming and diving teams announced the addition of new athletes to their programs Wednesday, the first day athletes in certain sports may officially commit to enrollment for the 2026-27 academic year.
Known as National Signing Day, the day marks the start of the early signing period for athletes in Division I and Division II sports other than football. The start of the early signing period for Division I and Division II football players is Dec. 3.
For Division I basketball programs such as UNC, Wednesday was the first day of the week-long early-signing period. The regular signing signing period for basketball starts April 15.
The UNC men, who are only two games into the current season, announced two in-state signings Wednesday.
The Bears added Jeremiah Hammond, a 6-foot-3 guard from Denver now playing high school basketball in Florida; and 6-8 forward-center Drew Paine from Highlands Ranch and ThunderRidge High School.
Hammond previously played at Cherry Creek High School and with the Pluto Prospects of the Nike Elite Youth Champions League. He is now playing with Christopher Columbus High School in Miami.
Hammond is the youngest of three brothers to play Division I basketball. His oldest brother, Julian, was a starter at CU and middle brother Christian plays at Santa Clara University in the West Coast Conference.
“Jeremiah is an extremely talented guard that can play multiple positions,” UNC coach Steve Smiley said in a news release. “Jeremiah is the type of guard that can use ball screens to create for himself or others, and at the end of the day, he has a knack to score at an extremely high level.”
Paine is described by Smiley as an “extremely skilled forward” who can play inside and on the perimeter. Paine also played with the Mountain Stars, an elite AAU club program based in the Salt Lake City area. He previously earned first team honors in the Continental League and was a second team all-state selection at the Class 6A level.
Paine has already earned First Team All-Continental League and Second Team 6A All-State honors while helping lead the Grizzlies to the Colorado 6A State Championship game as a sophomore.
“He’s the type of player that can connect our offense in so many ways,” Smiley added about Paine in a news release. “He’s a proven winner and proven talent that will succeed in the Big Sky, but more importantly Drew is an elite human being that will be great in the classroom and in our Greeley community.”
University of Northern Colorado women's swimming and diving coach Lisa Ebeling, left, and Bears athletes cheer during a race at the 2025 Western Athletic Conference Championships in Houston, Texas. (Kassidy Schwartz/UNC Athletics).Women’s swimming and diving
Aubrielle Stevens is a freestyle and breaststroker from Surprise, Arizona, and Paradise Honors High School. Stevens was nominated for Arizona High School girls swimmer of the year in 2025, and she was the team’s most valuable swimmer in 2024. She has anchored multiple relay teams and set program bests at the regional level. Breaststroker Lara Oggionni will join the Bears from the Milan, Italy, area where she attends Caravaggio High School. She has international experience with several appearances in Italy’s national youth championships and is billed as a top young talent in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke events.“Her passion for improvement and her drive to reach her full potential are exactly what we look for in our athletes,” UNC coach Lisa Ebeling said in a news release. “She will be a strong contributor for us in the breaststroke events.”
Baseball
Two players, including one from Holy Family Academy in Broomfield, signed with Bears head coach Mike Anderson.
Britain Fox, an outfielder from Holy Family, will join the Bears along with catcher Yale Johnson from Chandler High School in Chandler, Arizona. Johnson’s father, Tyler, played college baseball at Arizona State. University of Northern Colorado head baseball coach Mike Anderson watches his team play during the 2025 home opening game at Jackson Field in Greeley. (Greeley Tribune file photo).Softball
Third-year head coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm will add five players from five states to her program next fall, including an all-state first baseman and outfielder from the Denver area.
Mason Abraham will join the Bears from Littleton and Columbine High School where she was a Class 5A first-team selection this fall. Abraham was a member of Columbine’s 2022 state softball championship team. She’s also played basketball and was a member of the Rebels’ track team. Two of Abraham’s grandparents, Joe Smith and Stephanie Rosenbaum, are UNC graduates.The other members of the signing class are: Payton Rogers, a left-handed pitcher and first baseman from Boulder City, Nevada (Boulder City High School); Jordan Castrellon, a catcher and shortstop from El Monte, California (Los Alamitos High School); Addie Moccia, an outfielder from Las Cruces, New Mexico (Centennial High School); and Micaela Valenzuela, an infielder from Vail, Arizona (Cienega High School).
University of Northern Colorado head softball coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm holds a pair of Big Sky Conference trophies in front of the scoreboard at Gloria Rodriguez Field in Greeley. (Greeley Tribune file photo)Men’s golf
Campbell McFadden will join the Bears from Greenwood Village and Valor Christian High School. McFadden is currently ranked 11th among state recruits in the class of 2026. In June, he finished tied for third at the American Junior Golf Association Colorado Springs Open with round of 64-71-68. McFadden tied for fourth at the Mizuno Colorado Junior PGA Championship in early July at Pelican Lakes in Windsor.McFadden qualified for the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club outside of Detroit.
Jack Abraham is from Paradise Valley, Arizona, and Brophy College Prep. He’s ranked 13th in Arizona for the class of 2026.Hence then, the article about unc announces athlete additions on national signing day was published today ( ) and is available on GreeleyTribune ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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