CFC100 Hewa Baddege makes his final call

‼️COMMITTED…Thank you very much to the entire coaching staff at Eastern Washington University, especially @CoachBestEWU, @CoachJaseBooty and @CoachCherokee for this opportunity!!! #EKG #GoEags #FL19HTCLUB ??⚪️⚫️?? @EWUFootball @chatfootball‼️ pic.twitter.com/YJJ1YFnzlS

— Matthew Hewa Baddege (@MatthewHB78) January 19, 2019

There were plenty of potential suitors waiting to hear from CFC100 Matthew Hewa Baddege out of CFC50 Terry Fox, but Eastern Washington was the only program left celebrating when he finally revealed his commitment. The offensive line star had offers on both sides of the border from Arkansas State, Kent State, Incarnate Word, and Simon Fraser in the NCAA, then from Western, UBC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ottawa, York and McGill in U Sports.

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CFC100/CFC60 Recruiting Stories

It was one of the lengthier lists we’ve seen compiled from the Class of 2019, and Hewa Baddege is now the first prospect to sign with Eastern Washington since we started tracking back in 2010. He’s set to join one of the best programs in the FCS after Eastern Washington made a run all the way to the national championship game this past season, but beyond their success on the field, Hewa Baddege says the decision felt natural,

NCAA EARLY SIGNING DAY TRACKER

“A big part of my decision to commit to Eastern Washington had to do with the family aspect of the team. I saw a great bond between the players and coaches, they were like family. When I went on my official visit, all the coaches and players really took care of my family and I, and made us feel at home. I really appreciated and valued that.”

Of course it helps when the coaches can tell you about their success in the Big Sky Conference, and the fact they already have an FCS National Title in their trophy cabinet,

“Aside from that, they have a great football program. They’ve been conference champions for many years and this year they went all the way to the FCS championship. So after a great official visit and even better home visit, my family and I knew that choosing Eastern Washington is the right choice for me to continue my football and academic career. Sometimes you just know when it’s right, and in this case I knew right away Eastern Washington is the right choice for me.”

Hewa Baddege spent his entire high school career in Canada playing for CFC50 Terry Fox, who made a run of their own to the B.C provincial finals in 2016 where they were crowned champions during his sophomore year, and then made the trip again in 2017 before bowing out to CFC50 New Westminster. He helped them to another successful 5-2 campaign this past season, but unfortunately couldn’t find their way past the same Hyacks team, this time in the semifinals. Regardless of the outcomes, Hewa Baddege comes from a powerhouse program who knows how to produce high calibre players, and could make an impact early in his career with the Eagles.