College coaches are getting their money's worth out of fax machines today. This is the first day high school seniors playing Football, Baseball Field Hockey, Soccer, Track and Field, Cross Country, Men's Water Polo can submit a signed letter of intent to play at the college level.

Ezekiel Elliott, the John Burroughs running back who gave a verbal pledge to the Ohio State Buckeyes last spring, confirmed that decision late Wednesday afternoon in an announcement that was also carried on live local television.

Ladue-Frontenac Patch was there for what was an emotional decision for the entire Elliott family

Patch editors have been at schools throughout the St. Louis area as athletes celebrated the next step in their careers:

• Creve Coeur Patch reports that De Smet Jesuit's Brian Hail, a former St. Louis Post-Dispatch Soccer Player of the Year, will be in the Big Ten at Wisconsin in the fall. Classmate Donnie White, Jr. is heading to New Mexico to play for former Notre Dame Head Coach Bob Davie.
• CBC's Aarion Penton (University of Missouri) and Jonathan Parker, who opted to sign with the University of Iowa, highighted a class of 27 Cadets. Check out Town and Country Patch coverage of signing day at CBC.
• Andre Harris, also heading for Iowa, leads a class of accomplished Kirkwood Pioneer seniors, according to Kirkwood Patch.
• Maplewood-Brentwood Patch reports on Antar Thompson, the Missouri Tiger defensive line prospect who couldn't attend his own ceremony. 
• Ladue-Frontenac Patch has coverage of Villa Duchesne senior Grace Leeker, who signed to play Field Hockey at Miami (OH).
• Wentzville Patch fills you in with the stories of Timberland senior DJ Hickey, who is signing with Jefferson College, and John Hummel, who will play football with Princeton.
• Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch was there when Clayton's Tyler Walker celebrated signing with Lindenwood University.
• Hazelwood Patch reports Jared Fosdick and Devin Williams Commit to MIZZOU on National Signing Day. Click to read about them and all of the student athletes within the Hazelwood School District heading off to play for colleges.
• MICDS is sending 12 athletes to the college ranks, as Ladue-Frontenac Patch reports, including offensive lineman Jack Kurzu, who signed with Oklahoma State. Kurzu, like Ft. Zumwalt South's Chase Abbington, missed school ceremonies because they were playing for Team USA in an out of state all star game Tuesday.
• SLUH's Alec Abeln confirmed his plans to head to Mizzou, as reported by Chesterfield Patch.
• University City Patch reports that a record number of student athletes signed letters of intent Wednesday.

We'll update this story as the signings come in and students hold ceremonies at their schools.