A little over 7% of all high school athletes will go on to play at a varsity level in college according to the NCAA. On Apr 17., the athletics department celebrated six seniors who are joining that small group: Cooper Olson, Tysen Hayes, Naomi Kempcke, Ethan Carter, Griffin Schwab-Mahoney, and Will Black.
Committed athletes attended the signing event with families, coaches, and close friends who supported their athletic careers. Each student gave a short speech about why they made their decisions, thanking specific people, and proceeded to sign their commitment forms.
After a historic senior season with the Spartans, Ethan Carter will play Division III basketball for the Occidental Tigers in Los Angeles, California. After dedicating so much time to the sport, he felt that continuing to play basketball would be the right course of action. He also prioritized his future academic experience during his college search with plans to study kinesiology.
“[Occidental] is in the general area that I wanted to be in, and it’s also just a really good academic school, which I would probably go [to] even if I weren’t playing basketball, so I thought why not?” Carter said.
Unlike Carter, girls basketball captain Naomi Kempcke did not think she would continue playing basketball until the end of her junior year. She will join the St. Olaf College basketball team in Northfield, Minnesota. After communicating with the coach about a potential spot on the team, a boost in confidence during Kempcke’s senior year set her plan in stone.
“I [thought], I love the sport of basketball, and maybe I should try to see if I could extend my playing opportunities at college,’” she said.
State soccer champion goalie Cooper Olson will play Division III soccer for Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. For him, the priority was how comfortable he felt with coaches during his college search. The renowned soccer program, facilities, and academics of Gustavus also made the decision to continue easier for Olson.
“I know that there were other coaches that I talked to that probably were in it for them[selves], but this coach was just really honest with me and I knew that I could trust them,” he said.
The most difficult part of Carter’s recruitment was getting in contact with coaches due to geographical differences. After he reached out to the Occidental coaches, “[They] really did most of the work of recruiting me and watching my film,” he said.
Olson looks forward to getting a fresh start in college while continuing his role as a goalie.
“You’re like the baby of the program once again … and I might have to carry a couple of ball bags around and pick up cones all the time, but I’m okay with that,” he said. “I think it’ll be fun to once again be able to learn from new people and get guidance from upperclassmen.”
For others who are considering to play varsity sports in college, Carter emphasized the importance of putting academics first. From Kempcke’s experience, confidence is key during the recruiting process.
“If people are saying that you can play in the next level, you totally can, even if you’re doubting yourself,” she said.