Jake Wolf plans to make his own mark.
The Lake Forest Academy senior center is the middle brother in his family. His older brother, Josh, played at Division I program Lehigh from 2016 to 2019. His younger brother, Danny, is a highly recruited junior guard/forward at Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts and has offers from Chicago State, Milwaukee and Western Illinois.
Watching his brothers’ recruitment, the 6-foot-11, 240-pound Wolf decided to take a different path in finding a college and announced his commitment to Division III program Washington University in St. Louis on Saturday. Wolf said he formed a bond with Washington coach Pat Juckem and his assistants.
“It’s one of the best academic institutions in the country, so it’s hard to pass up something like that,” Wolf said. “I’m really into business, and that was a big factor. The big thing for me: finding a coach who believed in me, was very invested in me and truly wanted me.
“It’s one of the best Division III programs in the country. At a level like that, you want to be winning, plus the culture and facilities are top-notch. You are getting Division I facilities and experience at a Division III school.”
The Bears (22-5) reached the third round of the Division III NCAA Tournament last season before it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Early in the recruitment process, Wolf admitted he wrestled with the idea of playing in Division III rather than Division I. But he said he gained valuable insight from his younger brother’s experience, helping him realize the importance of finding a level suitable for long-term success.
“Everyone was talking about Division I and II because my older brother played Division I and my younger brother is going to play Division I,” Wolf said. “I had a couple of Division I opportunities, but looking at the offers I had, am I really going to sacrifice going to a program that kind of sounds good to tell people instead of going somewhere I will succeed and thrive in?
“I want to play, and I think I can do that earlier at Washington. … You have to find what’s best for you, and Wash U is the best fit for me. Once I set my ego aside, I realized what’s best for me, and then I was really able to appreciate how lucky I was to be able to go to this school.”
Thompson picks Millikin: Warren senior first baseman Maxwell Thompson committed to Millikin on Monday, even though he has yet to play on the varsity level.
The 6-1, 215-pound Thompson said he picked Millikin over Benedictine, the Milwaukee School of Engineering, North Central, North Park and Wartburg.
“The first thing about Millikin that really caught my eye was the brand-new locker room and all-turf field,” Thompson said. “The coaching staff was very welcoming and excited to have me. They told me I have a chance to compete for a starting spot as a freshman. They also have a very good engineering program.”
Augillard still looking: Zion-Benton shooting guard Amar Augillard is regarded as one of the top remaining uncommitted seniors in the state. The 6-4 Augillard, who has offers from Chicago State, Grambling State and Green Bay, is stuck in a holding pattern after the NCAA granted current college players an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic.
Zion-Benton coach Bob Worthington said Augillard is battling a numbers game, but he’s received interest from Missouri and Illinois in recent months.
“It’s tough right now,” Worthington said. “In my estimation, the NCAA is doing a lot for their players, but the high school association is not for their players. There’s a lot of great opportunities for Amar, but with seniors coming back and juniors staying in college, it’s a tough sell. Some places we like just don’t have any opportunities.”
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
