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Taps changes college commitment

Taps changes college commitment
Stepinac tight end Austin Taps.

Isaac Cass

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Austin Taps committed to William & Mary just a few weeks ago, and was very happy with his choice, but deep down inside he was hoping for just a little bit more. His first choice school was the University of Pennsylvania, but he was never sure if he could get through the admissions process.

Consider the process done.

"I was on their lowest academic band, so the process was taking a lot longer," Taps said. "They could only take three players at my band, and I didn't know if I was going to make it."

The Ivy League and Patriot League a pair of conferences that value academics above athletics. The institutions within the conferences police themselves with a sliding scale system of GPA and SAT scores. The number that each student-athlete receives places them in a band.

"My SAT score went up 30 points from the last time I took it," Taps said. "Those 30 points were the difference, I guess."

Penn's football staff offered Taps right away last weekend, and the school backed it up with a letter of acceptance today. Taps changed his college commitment in a flash.

"They were my first choice all along, they liked me since last summer, I went on a visit to the school with my father and loved it," Taps said. "I do feel bad for Williams & Mary though."

Taps alerted William & Mary to his decomitment as soon as he knew.

"They weren't happy and I don't blame them, but on the other hand, I was getting pressured to commit early from them," Taps said. "They told me if I didn't commit when I did, they'd pull my offer."

Stepinac will hold a Signing Day ceremony on February 1st at 11 A.M for Taps, Caleb Gilligan-Evans (Yale), and other Crusaders' athletes who will be signing letters of intent or just celebrating the great accomplishment of playing Division 1 athletics.

As for Taps, he can relax now that he is finally committed to his dream school.

"It was an opportunity that I could not pass up."

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