Rex Pflueger visited Notre Dame when he was 8 years old.
It was just a family, let’s-look-around trip. But it was not Pflueger’s last time there.
Pflueger, a senior on the Mater Dei basketball team, signed a letter of intent with Notre Dame on Wednesday, the first day of the one-week fall signing period.
A 6-foot-5 guard, Pflueger committed to Notre Dame shortly after he visited the campus in September and had a home visit from Fighting Irish coach Mike Brey. Pflueger’s other finalists were Cal, San Diego State, Texas A&M and Washington State.
Pflueger’s selection was influenced by how much he would be able to play as a freshman. Notre Dame’s top player this season is 6-5 senior guard Jerian Grant.
“Notre Dame’s a complete fit for me in all aspects, athletically and academically,” said Pflueger, who has a 4.1 grade-point average. “It reaches the academic standards I’ve set for myself; I think I’m a good fit for Coach Brey’s system, and their two best guards will be leaving after this year, so I think can fill a void there right away.”
– STEVE FRYER
ANOTHER AMARAL AT UCLA
Huntington Beach outfielder Daniel Amaral continued a family tradition by signing to play baseball at UCLA. His brother Beau, now in the Cincinnati Reds system, played baseball at UCLA. Their father Rich played at UCLA, too, before embarking upon a 10-year MLB career.
Was Daniel born to be a Bruin?
“I’d like to think so,” he said.
Amaral said he did not get any family pressure to sign with UCLA.
“They all want me to go to UCLA, sure,” he said. “When I got the offer, though, it was ‘are you sure you want to go there’ and ‘it’s totally up to you.’”
More than two dozen county baseball players signed letters of intent Wednesday. JSerra had five signees, and Mater Dei and San Clemente had four apiece.
– STEVE FRYER
FISCHER PICKS STANFORD
Makenzie Fischer’s maturity surfaced as the Laguna Beach senior signed with Stanford for women’s water polo.
Both of her parents attended Stanford, with her father, Erich, played on the men’s water polo team (1985-87) before becoming an Olympian in 1992. Fischer has attended some of her father’s alumni games, checked out a Stanford football game and visited family friends in the Palo Alto area.
But when it came to picking a college, Fischer pushed aside her childhood memories and made her own decision.
“I don’t think (my parents’ connection to Stanford) really factored into my decision,” Fischer said after a signing day ceremony at Laguna Beach, which featured 14 student-athletes signing their letters of intent. “They were both really open and I could pick where ever I wanted.
“It ultimately came down to that I felt best at Stanford.”
Fischer narrowed her picks to Stanford and UCLA, the finalists in last season’s NCAA championship.
“I just love the campus,” said Fischer, the Register’s player of the year last season. “They have a great water polo program and great academics. I just love it.”
Fischer’s parents were so careful not to influence their daughter’s decision, they stopped wearing Stanford gear once she entered high school. Suddenly, the color green became a wardrobe favorite.
“We wanted her making her own decision,” Fischer’s mother, Leslie, said. “We’re excited that she’s excited.”
Despite training and playing for the national team, Fischer also is a straight-A student.
– DAN ALBANO
FRIENDLY RIVALS
Katie McLaughlin of Santa Margarita and Ella Eastin of Crean Lutheran were two of the county’s top swimmers to sign.
McLaughlin, the Register’s reigning female athlete of the year and swimmer of the year, signed with Cal, while Eastin, a Register swimmer of the year in 2013, signed with Stanford. By signing with rival schools, the close friends will face off in the Pac-12 Conference.
“It’s going to be a very fast meet, but I am so excited for it!” McLaughlin said. “It will be great to see Ella, and I am so happy that she is going to be close.”
– DAN ALBANO
