Standouts from football and soccer led the way as about 50 athletes from the Brazos Valley made their college choices official on national signing day.

The list of area athletes who signed Wednesday included two who signed with programs that have been frequent members of the Top 10 in recent years. Madisonville running back Chris Whaley signed to play football at the University of Texas. A&M Consolidated's Kat Bartley signed to play soccer for Texas A&M.

Some of the highly rated prospects in the Brazos Valley made their choices before signing day. Navasota running back Dexter Pratt graduated in December and is enrolled at Oklahoma State. Consol baseball player Chase McDowell signed with Rice last fall.

Large groups signed at Consol, Bryan and Brenham, with those schools producing Wednesday signees in football, soccer and track.

Navasota receiver Brandal Jackson chose to stay close to home by signing with Texas A&M, and most of the other area athletes picked schools in Texas.

There were several BV football players who accepted scholarship offers from Bowl Championship Subdivision schools. That list includes Lexington offensive lineman Michael Brown (Ole Miss), Rockdale linebacker Nic Hammett (Rice), Burton offensive lineman John Hodde (Rice), Brenham defensive back Trenton Thomas (TCU), Bryan kicker Rex Urquhart (TCU), Bryan offensive lineman Fono Vakalahi (BYU), Brenham athlete Kendrell Washington (Tulane) and Brenham cornerback Kendrick Washington (Tulane).

Blinn College linebacker C.J. Parish, a former Consol standout, signed with Arizona.

Bryan's other football signees were linebacker Spencer Burk (Mary Hardin-Baylor), defensive lineman Jerry Tennell (Tarleton State), offensive lineman Sam Scholl (West Texas A&M), and running back Monterrell Washington (Louisiana-Monroe).

Consol place-kicker Matt Stoll picked Texas A&M-Kingsville, while Tiger running back Jarvon Searcy and defensive back Kip Daily signed with Blinn. Navasota receiver Antron Harris also chose Blinn.

The Brenham football program also will send offensive lineman Dayarion Broadnax to Midwestern State and offensive lineman Kip Maxwell to A&M-Kingsville.

Franklin running back Ross Bishop signed with the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

Consol's soccer program produced four college signees. Bartley was joined by Taylor Pounds (Sam Houston State), Jessica Brown (Stephen F. Austin) and Casey Wilhelm (Oregon).

In baseball, Consol's Brannon Easterling (Temple JC) joined McDowell as an early signee.

Three soccer players from Brenham signed: Kaci Bush (Houston), Bobbie Stephens (Iowa State) and Lindsey Zwahr (McNeese State). Brenham's track signees were Haley Peddy (Sam Houston) and David Wells (A&M-Corpus Christi).

Iola's strong senior class of girls will send four members to college programs: Shelby Bishop (Cisco JC) in volleyball, along with softball players Kelseigh Braaton (Angelina JC), Hannah Pointer (Grayson CC) and Erin Campion (Bossier Parish, La., CC).