In August, Highland seniors Dylan and Dakota Gonzalez ended months of speculation about where the twins would play their college basketball when they committed to Kansas.

    Wednesday, the sisters made that commitment official as they signed their National Letters of Intent to play for the Jayhawks on the first day of the early signing period in a get together with their Rams teammates at Highland High School.

    “It is very exciting and slightly a relief,” Dakota said about signing the letter of intent. “It is crazy to think that the next four to five years of my life are just set in stone and that I will be going to Kansas and playing basketball.”

    “I am so excited and a little nervous to though,” Dylan said. “I know what is to come and that I have not experienced hard work yet, especially being able to go to campus and see the practices and realizing I have a lot to prepare myself for, but I am still excited.”

    The twins wasted no time in signing their letter to Kansas, as Wednesday was the first day of the early signing period that allows recruits that have committed to officially sign with a school.

    The signing also guarantees that the twins will continue to play basketball together, which is something both are excited about.

    “I think it is probably the best opportunity because I know a lot of twins don’t get chance to play with each other especially at this level,” Dylan said. “With two players that are so similar, it is really difficult to get to go to the same school, so I could not have asked for a better situation at all.”

    “There are no words to describe how excited that I am that I get to go with my best friend to Kansas,” Dakota said. “To play in the Big 12, in such a competitive conference and knowing I have the support in my sister and the recruits coming in is just great. I am very excited.”

    Now that all of the paperwork is done and the recruiting process is over, the twins can focus on their final season as members of the Rams and hopefully find a way to bring the elusive state title back to Highland.

    “I think there is a little extra pressure knowing it is the last year to try and win a state title,” Dylan said. “For the most part it is a relief knowing that we don’t have to worry about colleges and recruitment and we just get to have fun and focus on our team and getting our team better for our season.”

    When Dylan and Dakota step on campus in Lawrence next fall they will look to add to the family legacy of playing basketball at Kansas that was started by their mom Angie who starred for the Jayhawks from 1982-84.

    “They are very happy for us and are comfortable with the pick we have made,” Dylan said of their parents support during the recruiting process. “They are happy with the school we chose because they love the coaches as much as we do so I know they fell comfortable with is going to Kansas. Right now it may have not set in yet that we have signed our life off, it has not really hit me, but they have been so wonderful through the process and letting us make our own decision on the college that we picked.”

    The twins and their Rams teammates will hit the floor again Friday at cross-town rival Pocatello. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.