Notre Dame's Greg Dennis signs with SEMO

Notre Dame senior Greg Dennis, surrounded by family and with coach Ryan Long behind him, signed his letter of intent to join the Southeast Missouri State track and field team on Tuesday, May 9 at Notre Dame Regional High School.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

For Notre Dame senior Greg Dennis, Tuesday, May 9, was the day one chapter ends and another begins.

As his high school career came to a close, Dennis signed a letter of intent to join the Southeast Missouri State track and field team, the local Division I college that is becoming the home for many Notre Dame athletes.

"On my visit, everybody just kind of clicked together and made me feel like I was at home," Dennis said, "like it'd be a safe place for me to go and learn, even finish my athletics."

Dennis joins Haley Smith and Clayton Eftink as Redhawks track athletes with Notre Dame ties. He also joins Cole Bruenderman (Lindenwood) and Jenna Givens (St. Louis) as members of the Notre Dame track team who will go on to compete in the DI collegiate level.

"It means a lot because there was a time that I didn't think that I was going to make it to the Division I level," Dennis said. "So the fact that I'm getting to go do that now is very special."

Dennis said the first time he felt that the potential of making it to the DI level can be a reality was during his sophomore year when he qualified for the state championships. After a successful junior season last year, Dennis decided to take preparing for the college level much more seriously.

"I was like, I may have a future in this. Let me start looking into going to compete at the next level," Dennis said.

Dennis has missed much of the season due to injury but will compete in the Class 3 District 1 championships on Saturday, May 13 at Notre Dame Regional High School.

"It's been very tough," Dennis said, "but I just say, 'look up to the hills where your hope comes from.' That's kind of been my motto right now.

After missing the Frozen Invite and SEMO Conference meet held at Notre Dame, Dennis is relishing the opportunity to perform at home one more time.

"It means a lot to me, especially being at home," Dennis said. "There's something special about when you get to come to your home atmosphere for something as big as the districts."