Quarles Earns a Full Ride and Moves on to a DII Powerhouse

MONTEREY PARK, CA — East Los Angeles College sophomore Elijah Quarles committed to Carson-Newman University on Saturday to continue his education and football career with a full ride scholarship to the Tennessee football powerhouse.

Carson-Newman was No. 20-ranked today in the Lindy Sports Magazine NCAA Division II Preseason Poll. The Eagles were 8-3 last season and opens its 2018 season at No. 1 West Florida University. Quarles is set to play linebacker.

Quarles received other offers with full ride scholarships but chose Carson-Newman, “because you just know when something feels right, which it did from the moment I talked to the coaches and how they handled their recruitment process,” said Quarles. “The way they approached me was everything I wanted in a transfer school. They stressed academics, which was a priority for me. The football program included options such as an athletic center and the athletic training coach that they have, just all fit into place.”

Quarles stressed a key factor with his commitment was Carson-Newman’s Exercise Science program. Quarles is a Kinesiology major with an emphasis in exercise science with a goal of being an Athletic Trainer or possibly moving towards being a strength and conditioning coach. “I like to put my foot in everything,” said Quarles. “You can never learn too much and I have a lot to offer as a result.”

Quarles said he has real plans for his future. “Football takes a toll on your body but your mind can always learn. I will move forward in life at Carson-Newman and will work hard to take football where it goes, with my studies at the forefront.”

Quarles, with his dad as his influence, said that and the ELAC football program prepared him well for his move to the next level.

“My dad’s resilience in life and the way he handles everything has taught me life lessons in my (journey),” said Quarles. “Such as, taking that same energy to a game as you would with your focus in academics, which comes down to getting the job done. The ELAC football team’s philosophy of getting the job done was a daily process with a goal of building great teams—together.”

“As a result, ELAC football had a great run while I was on the team,” said Quarles. “Coach Bobby Godinez and the coaches worked us to we believed we were the ones to beat.” Quarles played on the first two-straight winning seasons at ELAC in more than 40 years.

In 2016 during Quarles’ freshman year, the Huskies finished 9-2 overall and were undefeated at 6-0 in the Metro League while winning the championship. The Huskies won the American Division Patriotic Bowl 63-37 at College of the Desert.

Last season the Huskies finished its campaign 7-3, 5-1. “The two seasons at ELAC were a good experience for me. I take what I’ve learned into everyday life,” said Quarles. “Coach Godinez and the coaches helped me transfer and I thank them for their assistance.”

“Elijah was one of our first recruits when I got here,” said ELAC Head football coach Bobby Godinez. He’s one of our original players from our first team and worked really hard and exerted a lot of patience to get to this point. “His (university) recruiting worked out in the end and he’s going to be great at the next level because of his character and work ethic. He wants to be great and he will.”

Follow ELAC Athletics at http://athletics.elac.edu/landing/index or on Facebook at ELAC Huskies Athletics (@elachuskiesathletics).

story submitted by Tadzio Garcia