By Zach Jarvis

Photo credit: Rawlings Leachman.

“The clock hit midnight on June 15th, and I sat in Virginia Beach next to both of my parents, Mr. Neuner, and Coach Odom, not knowing what to expect.” This is how accomplished competitive swimmer Rawlings Leachman, a junior at Woodberry Forest School, described his start to the college athletics recruiting process. Leachman considered all of his offers but ultimately committed to Duke University. When asked about his process of getting recruited, he said, “It’s like a job. You get on calls with several different coaches, but it is important to stay open-minded throughout the whole process, especially in the beginning.” 

When Leachman was young, he swam for fun, along with participating in many other sports growing up. But his performances at swim meets changed that. Leachman was an athletic child, and sports came naturally to him, as he was tall for his age. Basketball and baseball were what he was drawn to outside of the pool. Leachman played on several different teams in different sports growing up but eventually decided the pool was the place to be.

Leachman became dominant over the years, setting records in Middle School at St. Christopher’s School. Transfering to Woodberry allowed him to continue to succeed in the pool. His work ethic from his younger years led to his recruitment process being easier than it might be for other student athletes, with calls from major Division I schools and visits across the country. 

The decision to go to Duke was easy for him. Leachman said, “Duke’s balance of top academics and athletics… drove me to make the decision to go there. I am also excited to surround myself around people who are the best at what they do. It will be a place where I might not be the smartest in each room, but I am excited about that. I know it’s where I need to be and grow the most.” 

Leachman described Woodberry as “ a place where mentorship is cherished. At Woodberry, the community is built on trust. You learn a lot from the boys that come before you.” The strong mentorship culture created at Woodberry is something Leachman wanted to have at his college. When Leachman visited Duke, he said, “The Duke coaches did a great job of creating that atmosphere I feel at Woodberry.” Leachman made his verbal commitment this fall and is excited to start a new life in Durham.

Photo credit: Finn Walter.

St. Christopher’s lacrosse player Finn Walter also takes pride in his work ethic, on and off the field. This is why his decision to commit to Virginia Military Institute was an easy and quick choice. 

Finn, a junior, has played on the varsity lacrosse squad for all of his three years at St. Chris. Walters’ drive came from his father, and he stated, “My dad has pushed me ever since I was young. When I knew lacrosse was the sport I wanted to pursue, my dad gave me as many chances as possible to achieve my dream of playing in college.” Walter decided to play travel lacrosse for Nationals Lacrosse Club to better his chances of getting recruited. Bouncing from state to state for lacrosse tournaments, Walter described the experience as “a break away from my everyday life…a way to play the sport I love and not have to think about the stress of school.”

When it came to the recruiting process at the start of his junior year, he had a few schools in mind but knew where he wanted to end up. After some calls, Walter made the decision shortly after his call with VMI to verbally commit there. Overall, what fueled his commitment were two things: community and change. 

Community, for Walter, played a strong role in his commitment because of the community he has at St. Christopher’s. Walter remarked that the “St. Christopher’s community is one of the first things you notice when you first get to the school and is the aspect I needed when it came to making my decision.” Change for Walter was a hard aspect to pick when committing to a school. The only real change that he has had in his life was the move from Deep Run High School to St. Christopher’s. But the change he was looking for was much greater, and he saw the potential benefits you receive after attending VMI. 

Walter stated, “VMI is not for everyone. The change you see when you get there is physically and mentally challenging, but that is what I am looking for—a challenge compared to my everyday life, a new beginning.” Walter plans to attend VMI and commit to service in the fall of 2026.

Leachman and Walter had similarities in their recruiting processes, ultimately creating new homes for themselves in the near future. The sense of community found in each of their lives will soon cross over to their next four years after high school, but this would not have been possible without their strong recruitment profiles.

Featured image credit: Rawlings Leachman.