ALTON - Luke Atkinson, a senior soccer player on the Marquette Catholic High School’s boys soccer team, signed a letter of intent to play at Blackburn College in Carlinville in a ceremony Thursday at the high school.

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“The college was great when I went up this past weekend. I met all the guys and they were great and I just want to play soccer that’s why I chose it. I had plenty of schools reach out to me but I couldn’t go to camps that far away because we didn’t have the means to do it. Soccer was my favorite time at Marquette because I got to play with my friends and brother,” Atkinson said

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Atkinson will be playing for the Beavers next fall and is looking forward to the opportunity. Atkinson will be majoring in political science or criminal justice.

Atkinson helped Marquette Catholic get to the IHSA state soccer championship game this past year. Marquette placed second at state.

Blackburn College is a division three school and plays in the SLIAC Conference. Blackburn College team is coached by Rob Steinkuehler and assisted by Josh Oswald.

The SLIAC is composed of 10 private institutions in Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Members are Blackburn College, Carlinville, Ill.; Eureka College, Eureka, Ill.; Fontbonne University, St. Louis, Mo.; Greenville University, Greenville, Ill.; Iowa Wesleyan University, Mount Pleasant, Iowa; MacMurray College, Jacksonville, Ill.; Principia College, Elsah, Ill.; Spalding University, Louisville, Ky.; Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.; and Westminster College, Fulton, Mo.

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