ROCHELLE — There were a few schools on Rochelle senior Matt Albers’ radar, but the three-sport athlete had no doubts about his final decision.

Joined by his family, his friends and his coaches, Albers made his commitment to Augustana College official this past Friday, signing a National Letter of Intent to play football for Vikings head coach Steve Bell and baseball for head coach Greg Wallace.

“I feel like I made the right decision today,” Albers said. “It’s a jittery feeling going through the day, but I think it’ll be a nice experience… I think it’ll be a difference experience seeing people play at a faster pace and all of that, but I think it’ll be pretty fun and it’s something I’ve dreamed of ever since I was a little kid.”

A key component to the Hubs varsity football team’s resurgence this past fall, Albers scored a team-high 17 total touchdowns while rushing for 1,138 yards. He said he hopes to continue playing running back for the Vikings, but he also said he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get on the field.

“I’ll go wherever my coach tells me to go, but I hope I can make an impact right away,” he said. “If that doesn’t happen, I’ll hope to make it happen sometime down the line.”

Albers is also a starter on the Hubs varsity baseball team, and he was a crucial role player for a Rochelle varsity boys basketball team that won 20 games this season and made it to the regional finals. A high-energy player who always gives maximum effort, Albers has battled through several injuries throughout his high school athletic career.

But the senior has come back from each setback stronger than he was before, and putting the pen to paper on Friday was even more satisfying for him considering his injury woes.

“It feels amazing that I’m still have to play,” Albers said. “It’s definitely been a ride with the injuries but I’m glad I’ve been able to ride them out.”

Albers plans to study analytical statistics in hopes of pursuing a career in sports. And even though he’ll be going to school in Rock Island, he won’t forget the people who helped him become the student-athlete he is today.

“Coach [Kevin] Crandall has really been a great contributor and I don’t think I’d be here today if it wasn’t for him,” Albers said. “When I was younger, my dad and a couple of his friends also coached me up.”