Ravenscroft signings
Ravenscroft seniors Luke Davis and Melis Tanik signed letters of intent Nov. 11. Davis committed to play basketball at Gardner-Webb, and Tanik signed on to play tennis at West Virginia.
Ravenscroft's Davis, Tanik
make commitments
While Wednesday's festivities might have taken place in the Raven's Alumni Sports Hall of Fame Room, basketball player Luke Davis and tennis star Melis Tanik's signing ceremony was about their careers beyond the athletic fields at Ravenscroft.
Davis, a 2008 TISAC All-Conference selection while averaging 8.3 points and 4.7 assists a game last season, committed to attend Gardener-Webb next fall. While Tanik — ranked second in the state —pledged her allegiance to the West Virginia University tennis program.
For Davis, the senior explained his decision to commit during the early signing period this week brought a great deal of relief.
"I can focus on my senior year and focus on Ravenscroft basketball," he said moments after posing for photos with family, friends and faculty gathered for the event.
Davis said he's excited to join the Bulldogs' program, which features an uptempo style which his fits his skills.
"They want to get up and down the court, and that's what I like about them," he said. "And I think we'll play like that a little more here this year, too."
Gardner-Webb head coach Rick Scrugg and his staff made a quick impression on Davis during the guard's visit to their Boiling Springs campus.
"They seem to really care about their players, and really care about Gardner-Webb basketball," he said. "Everyone in town really supports the basketball team a lot. That was something I really liked."
The Bulldogs' competitive schedule also drew Davis' attention, as Gardner-Webb routinely plays several programs from the ACC and other major basketball conferences. This season the Bulldogs are slated to play UNC, Duke, Penn State and Texas.
Davis pointed out Gardner-Webb has had success playing those big programs as well, citing the Bulldogs victory over Kentucky two years ago in Lexington.
"It's going to be a lot of fun playing at those big schools," Davis said. "Not many places play a schedule like Gardner-Webb. They want to prove they can beat the best."
Playing against the best is the senior's goal this season as well as the Ravens focus on contending for a state championship, with Davis leading the way.
Melis Tanik was surrounded by friends and teammates during her signing ceremony Nov. 11.
As for Tanik, she hasn't served a single ace at West Virginia yet, but the Morgantown campus already feels like home, she said, recalling an enjoyable trip to see a Mountaineer football game last week.
"The atmosphere was so great, and I already felt like I was part of the college," she smiled following her signing ceremony.
West Virginia's tennis facilities and big-time college schedule intrigued Tanik, but the senior said the university's medical program was the main draw.
"I want to be a nurse, so I looked at schools which had the right program," she explained.
With the right mix of academics and athletics, Tanik called West Virginia "just the all-around college."
Though she's excited for her tennis career's next step, Tanik explained it will be difficult to leave behind her "sisters" on the Ravenscroft tennis team, which recorded a runner-up finish at states this fall.
"We had our banquet last night, and I was just so sad," she said. "I'm especially going to miss my co-captain Olivia Nastasi, we have been together since eighth grade."
Tanik then fondly recalled sitting next to Nastasi in math class that year.
"It's just so sad to leave my teammates, but at the same time I'm happy and looking forward to going to college," she said.
