Scholarships for Gloucester Catholic quintet

It's a dream come true, times five.

"When we were freshmen, I never could have imagined this would happen to all of us," said Rob Alessandrine, the slick shortstop who is one of five Gloucester Catholic baseball players who will sign NCAA Division I scholarships on Wednesday.

Alessandrine, outfielder Pat Kane, and infielders Joe Brooks, John Brue, and Brett Tenuto have been key players for Gloucester Catholic teams that have won the last two Non-Public B state championships and pushed the program back into national prominence.

Now, the five players are about to sign with five East Coast college programs.

"I'm so proud of all these guys," Brooks said. "We've all worked so hard to make it happen."

The five athletes led Gloucester Catholic to a 31-2 record and No. 1 ranking in The Inquirer Top 10 last season, as well as the top 20 in several national rankings. In addition, they were key players for the Brooklawn team that reached the American Legion World Series in August.

Alessandrine, who batted .451 last season with a team-high 13 doubles, will sign with Monmouth.

"They say you know when you step on the campus, and I knew as soon as I stepped on Monmouth's campus," said Alessandrine, who lives in Deptford.

Brooks, a second baseman who batted .444 with 43 RBIs and eight triples, will sign with East Carolina.

"I've loved East Carolina for years," said Brooks, who lives in Blackwood. "All you can do there is succeed."

Kane, who lives in Mantua, batted .490 with 39 runs and 21 stolen bases. He will sign with Old Dominion.

"They have the major I wanted [criminal justice], and it's such a great program that there's the opportunity to maybe get to the next level," said Kane, an outfielder for the Rams who likely will play second base in college.

Brue, a first baseman who led the team with a .551 average as well as nine homers and 56 RBIs, will sign with St. Joseph's.

"I wanted to stay local, and it was the best fit for me," said Brue, who lives in Washington Township.

Tenuto, a third baseman, batted .477 with 40 runs and 14 stolen bases. The Audubon resident will sign with Stony Brook.

"I felt really comfortable there," Tenuto said. "It was the right place for me."

Four of the players have been friends since they were members of Brooklawn's junior team as seventh and eighth graders. Brue joined the gang as a freshman.

All five have been starters since their sophomore seasons. They have a chance to become members of the first South Jersey program to win three consecutive state titles since Gloucester Catholic in 1999-2001.

"We want one more state championship," Alessandrine said, "and we want to win the national championship."

Contact staff writer Phil Anastasia at 856-779-3223, panastasia@phillynews.com, or @PhilAnastasia on Twitter. Read his blog, "Jersey Side Sports," at www.philly.com/jerseysidesports