HIGH SCHOOL SIGNINGS : Simon Signs With Arizona; Gonzalez to Wait

On the first day of the early-signing period, one of the top boys’ basketball recruits in the county signed while another will wait until February.

Guard Miles Simon of Mater Dei signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Arizona, Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said Wednesday, while forward Tony Gonzalez of Huntington Beach will sign with California in February.

Simon, who was The Times Orange County boys’ basketball player of the year last season, orally committed to Arizona in September shortly after a visit from Wildcat Coach Lute Olson. Simon chose Arizona over Syracuse, Oklahoma State and USC.

The 6-foot-4 senior averaged 18 points in helping the Monarchs win the Southern Section Division I-AA championship and reach the Southern California regional final, where they lost to eventual State champion Los Angeles Crenshaw.

Simon, who shot 60% from the field and made 41% of his three-pointers, will join former Mater Dei players Reggie Geary, a sophomore, and senior Dylan Rigdon at Arizona.

Gonzalez, a 6-6 forward who averaged 17 points and eight rebounds last season, was recruited by basketball Coach Todd Bozeman and football Coach Bruce Snyder to play both sports at Cal next season. The tight end/linebacker has 35 receptions this season and leads the team in tackles.

Tuesday, Gonzalez said he will wait until the football signing period, which begins Feb. 2, before signing.

If Gonzalez signed during the early period, he would lose two years of football eligibility, according to the Collegiate Commissioners Assn., which legislates the National Letter of Intent.

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The county’s most highly celebrated female athlete, Nicole Erickson, did exactly what she said she would do on Sunday, and signed to play basketball at Purdue.

Erickson, a 5-6 point guard who averaged 22.3 points, 7.3 assists and 5.5 rebounds last year, led the Ladycats to their third consecutive State title and the school’s state record-tying fourth. Her basket with 3.5 seconds left gave Brea a 42-41 victory over Fair Oaks Bella Vista in the title game last season.

The Ladycats’ three-year record with Erickson running the offense is 97-5. She was coveted nationally for her ability to shoot from the outside, drive to the basket and find the open player.

She chose Purdue over UCLA, Colorado and Iowa because of her desire to win an NCAA national championship.

“The chances of winning a national championship are very important to me, and Purdue has a great chance,” said Erickson, The Times Orange County player of the year. “They don’t have a senior this year and the team is great; they’ve got a lot of great athletes and great players. And plus, it’s Indiana. Indiana loves basketball, and that’s what I want.”

Purdue has had one of the top six recruiting classes in five of the past six years. In addition to Erickson, the Boilermakers will have Michelle Van Gorp, a 6-6 center from Mt. Clemens (Mich.) Chippewa Valley, who will sign today. Van Gorp, who missed seven weeks because of a broken left elbow, averaged 13 points and 12 rebounds. She can dunk the ball one- and two-handed; she and Erickson were on their recruiting trip together.

The Women’s Basketball News Service said the Erickson-Van Gorp combination alone gives Purdue one of the nation’s top three recruiting classes.

Other girls to sign were:

* San Clemente’s Michelle MacIntyre (17.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists), who signed with Hawaii a week after making an oral commitment. She chose Hawaii over Long Beach State.

* Costa Mesa’s Heather Robinson (14.0 points), who signed with Miami Tuesday night at a letter-signing party. Her list of schools included Army, Santa Clara, Harvard, Princeton and St. Joseph’s.

“I didn’t know if I wanted to go for academics (at the Ivy League schools) and sacrifice basketball or not, but with Miami, they’re strong academically and athletically,” Robinson said. “I fell in love with it when I was there.”

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Pitcher Seth Etherton of Dana Hills signed with USC, said his coach, Bob Canary, to lead the county’s list of early baseball signees.

Etherton, who went 8-2 with a 1.44 earned-run average and 102 strikeouts last season, was a first-team all-county selection. Etherton also hit .306 with seven home runs.

Other baseball signings:

* Shortstop Brett Nista of Laguna Hills, a two-time Times Orange County second-team all-county selection, said he signed with UCLA.

Nista, who was the Pacific Coast League MVP as a sophomore, hit a county-leading 11 home runs last season and hit .430 last season. He chose the Bruins over USC and Louisiana State.

* Capistrano Valley pitcher Peter Zamora said he signed with UCLA. Zamora finished 8-3 with a 1.45 ERA and 100 strikeouts last season.

* Tustin third baseman Derek Baker has narrowed his choices to USC, Arizona State, Miami and Cal State Fullerton. Baker, who led the county in runs batted in after the regular season, helped Tustin win the Division III championship last season while hitting .429 with five home runs and 38 RBIs.

* Katella outfielder Jaret Wright said he has narrowed his choices to UCLA, Cal State Fullerton and Brigham Young. Wright, a second-team all-county selection last season in baseball, plays quarterback for the Knights’ football team.

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Long Beach State’s softball program made a haul in Orange County. The 49ers got commitments from Canyon shortstop Nina Lindenberg (.444, 22 stolen bases), a Times’ all-county first-team selection whom Coach Pete Manarino called, “one of the premier shortstops in the country;” Cypress outfielder/first baseman Amanda Adams; Santa Margarita pitcher/first baseman Lise Delligatta (4-8, 0.79 ERA, .390), and Rosary infielder Nicole Walsh (.400, 21 runs, 15 stolen bases).

Other commitments were:

* Woodbridge center fielder Alison Johnsen, a two-time Times all-county selection who batted .480 with 16 RBIs, and had a county-high 53 stolen bases and 36 runs, has committed to Arizona and will sign as soon as she receives her letter.

* Canyon catcher Jamie Al-Moradi (.390, 18 runs) signed with Iowa.

* Mater Dei third baseman Candace Kollen (.469, 18 runs) gave an oral commitment to Ohio State Tuesday night and is awaiting the letter in the mail.

* Irvine outfielder Natalie Tomoguchi (.270, 21 RBIs) signed to play at Ohio State.

* Kennedy second baseman Laurie Fritz (.310, 19 runs, 15 stolen bases) has chosen UCLA and is awaiting her letter.

* El Toro pitcher Misty Lauby (10-5, 0.36 ERA, 108 strikeouts) signed with Northwestern.

* Troy pitcher/outfielder Jennifer Jessen, who missed half the season last year because of a wrist injury, signed with Point Loma Nazarene.

Times staff writers Martin Beck and Chris Foster contributed to this story.

Local Basketball Signings

BOYS

Player School Pos. Hgt. College Miles Simon Mater Dei G 6-4 Arizona

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GIRLS

Player School Pos. Hgt. College Nicole Erickson Brea-Olinda G 5-6 Purdue Michelle MacIntyre San Clemente G 5-9 Hawaii Heather Robinson Costa Mesa G 5-9 Miami