Trio of rising seniors make verbal commitments to continue basketball careers

BEDFORD – Sydney Gerossie had a rough go of things during her sophomore year.

A knee injury sideline her for a good stretch of the season for the Pinkerton Academy girls basketball team and then another unfortunate episode limited the amount of time she was able to play outside of high school.

Tough for any high school player to miss so much time on the court, but especially so for one trying to catch the eye of college coaches during a key stretch for recruiting.

“My sophomore year, I had a lot of setbacks,” Gerossie said. “I had a knee injury and I had a bunch of stitches in my face because I got bit by a dog. It was a lot. I was out for a long time. It was like you don’t know where you stand.”

But Gerossie knew there was one program that she knew was sticking with her, and last month, she decided to reward that loyalty, giving a verbal commitment to sign with Southern New Hampshire University.

“(SNHU coach Karen Pinkos) was the first one to believe in me, she stuck with me,” Gerossie said. “I committed so early, I knew if I got other offers, I wanted to go to SNHU. I love how it’s close to home.”

Gerossie is one of three soon-to-be seniors in New Hampshire playing at Division I school who have given a verbal commitment this summer, as her Pinkerton teammate Kaylee Dupuis announced she’d attend Assumption University on Thursday.

A day later, Dover’s Lilly Nossiff gave a verbal commitment to continue her basketball career at Saint Anselm College.

Both Dupuis and Nossiff echoed Gerossie’s feelings about sticking with the program that offered them a spot first.

“As soon as Assumption offered me, this is where I want to be,” Dupuis said. “They have the education that I want. They have a really good health science program. Then they have, after I do that, they have postgrad I can go right into for nursing. It’s a small (campus). It’s similar in size (to Pinkerton).”

Nossiff entertained a few different offers, but in the end, felt playing at a Division II school was the best fit for her.

“I felt like it was the best for my lifestyle,” she said. “St. A’s always showed interest in me. (Hawks coach Corey Boilard) taught me so much about the program, the school and I just fell in love with it. It’s support important that my family will be able to come to all my games.”

All three expressed a feeling a relief at having put to an end a process that goes on for a couple of years.

“Right now, all I have to do is prepare myself for college,” Dupuis said. “I don’t have to stress about if this coach is going to like me. I know the whole path is set, I just have to work hard. It’s still a big shock.”

Nossiff agreed, adding that her relief came out in a big way after she received an official offer.

“It feels amazing,” she said. “The day I got my offer was honestly the best day of my life. I probably cried for three hours. Committing is such a relief. I’m glad I’m settled in and I don’t have to worry about recruiting anymore. I found my home.”