Millard West senior defenseman Evan Johnston has signed a national letter of intent to play NCAA Division II lacrosse at Wheeling Jesuit University.

Johnston said he also considered Merrimack, Dominican (N.Y.), Manhattanville, Ithaca, Oberlin and Hussan, but he settled on the West Virginia-based school because it had exactly what he was looking for in an institution.

“I liked the coach there the best, and I liked the school the best,” Johnston said. “It seems like it’s going to be challenging academically, and I felt like I had the most opportunity to grow as a player and get more playing time at Wheeling.”

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Johnston, who inked with Wheeling Jesuit during the early-signing period, is just the second Nebraskan to commit to play NCAA-sanctioned lacrosse in the last three years. Former Millard West defenseman Jared Widseth is currently a sophomore with NCAA Division III Tri-State University.

Johnston said he sought out a school that had a lacrosse team and a strong business program, then sent out multiple highlight tapes to coaches.

“It’s going to be a lot faster and a lot more physical,” Johnston said of the college game. “I think I can step up to it.”