Five Buchholz High School athletes signed to play sports collegiately on Wednesday afternoon.

Two girls lacrosse players, midfielder Becca Beyer and defender Bella Velarde, signed with Barry University in Miami.

Beyer led the Bobcats with 37 goals in 2026, or 2.1 per game, as she led Buchholz back to the 2A state playoffs.

Velarde led Buchholz with 25 ground balls and also added 11 caused turnovers.
The 2027 season will be the first year Barry will have men’s and women’s lacrosse and will participate in the Sunshine Conference.

Three boys student-athletes signed with their respective schools of choice as well.
Buchholz boys soccer player Teague McNeal signed with Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Playing at midfield and forward, McNeal scored 11 goals and two assists for 24 points on a Buchholz soccer team that finished 16-2-1 and advanced to the second round of the 6A playoffs.

Methodist University is a Division III school that plays in the USA South Athletic Conference.

Two cross country runners signed as well. Davis Garrett is heading to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Garrett says the experience of the Navy will be much more than just track and field.

“I am looking forward to running at the Naval Academy,” Garrett said. “But there’s so much more to being there than running. I look forward to getting up there and learning about the life of a student at the academy, and then I am ready to serve my country. I am going to miss being here at Buchholz, and the guys were like my brothers as well as my best friends.”

Garrett, along with teammate Sam Freas, helped lead the Buchholz boys cross country team to another state title last fall. Freas is staying closer to home and will run right up the road at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

“I just liked what I saw at UNF and liked the cross country and track program overall,” Freas said. “Being close to home will also be cool, and my family will be able to see me run pretty regularly.”