Gilman junior soccer standout Andrew Harris, who was named The Baltimore Sun's All-Metro Player of the Year, has made an oral commitment to play at Wake Forest.
In the fall, the goalkeeper led the No. 1 Greyhounds (17-2-3) to their first Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship since 1995, posting 13 shutouts and allowing 11 goals in 22 games.
Harris, who also considered Maryland and North Carolina, decided on Wake Forest on Monday.
"I'm really, really excited. I think I've taken enough time to understand what Wake Forest is all about along with the other schools I considered and just felt Wake was the perfect fit for me," said Harris, who visited the Wake campus two weeks ago. "It's a beautiful campus, and the team is a really close-knit family and I really like that. [Coach Jay Vidovich] came off as a good coach and a good guy, and the entire community was warm and welcoming."
Despite going 8-9-2 this past season, Wake Forest has grown into a national powerhouse in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Demon Deacons have made four NCAA semifinals in the past five years, with a national title in 2007.
Former Loyola standout goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald, The Sun's All-Metro Player of the Year in 2005, completed a fine career at Wake Forest in the fall, earning second-team All-ACC honors.
Harris, 17, plays with the Baltimore Bays club team and also attended a U-18 men's national team developmental camp in November. He is regarded as one of the finest youth goalkeepers in the country.
"He possess all the physical attributes that makes him a great goalkeeper. However, what makes him special is his ability to lead and make everyone around him better. In my 18 years of coaching, he is one of the best leaders I've ever had the pleasure to coach," Gilman coach Jon Seal said shortly after the Greyhounds' season.
Harris, who maintains a 3.5 grade-point average, will join McDonogh All-Metro junior forward Mike Gamble at Wake Forest. Gamble made his verbal commitment in November. Along with being rivals in the MIAA, the two standouts are teammates with the Bays. Harris made 10 saves in leading the Greyhounds past McDonogh, 1-0, in the MIAA A Conference championship game.