Recruiting

Local high school athletes announce their college choices

Edwardsville first baseman Drake Westcott was chosen to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 4A all-state baseball team. The University of Louisville recruit led the Tigers to the state title in June.
Edwardsville first baseman Drake Westcott was chosen to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 4A all-state baseball team. The University of Louisville recruit led the Tigers to the state title in June. BND file photo

Below is a list of metro-east high school athletes who have signed national letters of intent to continue playing their respective sports in college.

If you are an athlete who has signed an NLI or their parent or coach, and your name is not on the list, please contact sports writer Dean Criddle at dcriddle@bnd.com. Provide your name, high school, sport and the college you will be attending.

You may also submit a letter-signing photo for use in an online gallery of letter signings.

This list will be continually updated through each new signing period. The next National of Intent signing period began Dec. 18 for NCAA Division I football players, followed by a DI and Division II signing periods on Feb. 5. Division I signing periods for basketball are on April 15.

Baseball

  • Brayden Haug, Alton, Lindenwood
  • Wes Laaker, Alton, Drury
  • Jack Owens, Mascoutah, Truman State
  • Riley Phillips, Alton, Louisville
  • Will Range, Edwardsville, Massachusetts
  • Tim Reinholz, Gibault, Quincy
  • Joe Wade, Triad, SW Baptist
  • Drake Westcott, Edwardsville, Louisville
  • Logan Cromer, Edwardsville, Parkland

  • Isack Hamilton, Hillsboro, SWIC

  • Nic Hemken, Edwardsville, Truman State

  • Collin Salter, Edwardsville, Parkland

  • Brady Schmitz, Freeburg, Rend Lake

  • Austin Toler, Highland, Harris-Stowe

Cross Country

  • Abby Korak, Edwardsville, Xavier
  • Ryan Clancy, Mater Dei, Mount Mercy

Softball

  • Ashlyn Betz, Alton, Valparaiso
  • Kelsie Burrows, Freeburg, Illinois-Springfield
  • Miriam Kastens , Edwardsville, Brown
  • Isabel Lehan, Triad, McKendree
  • Maria Smith, Edwardsville, Southern Mississippi
  • Ellie Viox, Edwardsville, Missouri S&T
  • Hayleigh Juenger, O’Fallon, Brown
  • Jenna Christeson, Civic Memorial, SIU-Carbondale

  • Gracie Braun, Civic Memorial, Illinois College

  • Taylor Friederich, Mascoutah, Kaskaskia College

  • Kyleigh VonBorries, Belleville East, Central Methodist’

  • ‘Taylor Friederich, Mascoutah, Kaskaskia

  • Elizabeth Lebro, Edwardsville, St. Louis CC

  • Sydney Webber, Edwardsville, Lincoln Land

  • Dallas Zirkelbach, Triad, Lewis & Clark

Football

  • Donavan Bieber, Columbia, Northern Illinois
  • Antonio Johnson, East St. Louis, Texas A&M
  • Jacob Morrissey, Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri
  • Darius Walker, East St. Louis, Illinois State
  • Bennet Krebs, Mater Dei, Drake
  • Jake Holten, Collinsville, Southeast Missouri
  • Javontez Spraggins, East St. Louis, Tennessee
  • Cameron Kirkpatrick, Edwardsville, McKendree

Triathlon

  • Gretta Stark, Mater Dei, Black Hills State

Swimming

  • Sophia Burwitz, Belleville East, Illinois
  • Emma Cox, Granite City, Eastern Illinois
  • Noah Clancy, Alton, Missouri S&t
  • Madie Rey, Columbia, Northern Arizona
  • Josie Bushell, Edwardsville, Drury
  • Macie Sparks, ME Lutheran, Maryville

Soccer

  • Gracie English, Belleville East, St. Louis U
  • Peyton Ganz, Freeburg, Southern Indiana
  • Haley Glover, Columbia, Illinois State
  • Faith Liljegren, Collinsville, Southeast Missouri
  • Katelyn Krueger, Jerseyville, Lincoln Trail
  • Sydney Stephens, Waterloo, Georgia

  • Sydney Valerius, Belleville West, SWIC
  • Maggie Evans, Alton, SWIC
  • Michaela Smith, O’Fallon, SWIC
  • Logan Rader, Collinsville, SWIC
  • Travis Speer, Triad, SWIC
  • Alyssa Tucker, Collinsville, SWIC
  • Kaija Ufert, Alton, SWIC
  • Jospeh McCulloch, Triad, SWIC
  • Elena Fridley. Wesclin, McKendree
  • Abigail Norbury, Wesclin, McKendree

  • Halle Haudrich, Gibault, Missouri Baptist
  • Aryn Henke, Columbia, John A. Logan
  • Sierra Schlemmer, Triad, Culver-Stockton
  • Colton Clark, Triad, SWIC

Tennis

  • Bailey Grigg, Triad, McKendree

Basketball

  • Anna Hall, Civic Memorial, Missouri Southern
  • Quierra Love, Edwardsville, SIU-Carbondale
  • Jacob Schadegg, Mater Dei, McKendree
  • Ray’Sean Taylor, Collinsville, SIU-Edwardsville
  • Caleb Zurliene, Mater Dei, Purdue-Northwest
  • Carson Parker, Nashville, McKendree


Volleyball

  • Karinna Gall, Althoff, Indiana State
  • Maddie Isringhausen, Edwardsville, Tennessee Tech
  • Abby Johnson, Central, Nebraska
  • Lauren McCurley, Triad, McKendree
  • Darci Metzger, Collinsville, Murray State
  • Rachel Mitts, Belleville East, Lindenwood
  • Hannah Scrum, Collinsville, Maryville
  • Lexi Smith, Freeburg, Southeast Missouri
  • Lydia Schorfheide, Wesclin, SWIC
  • Amanda Miller, O’Fallon, SWIC
  • Kolbie Martin, Trico, SWIC
  • Kaleigh Bien, Belleville West, SWIC
  • Lauren McCurley, Triad, McKendree
  • Connor Sheehan, O’Fallon, Lindenwood
  • Allison Bonde, Columbia, Manchester
  • Sydney Coker,, Highland, John A. Logan
  • Molly Diekemper, Carlyle, Kaskaskia
  • Easton Gavin, O’Fallon, Carthage
  • Paige Hand, Marissa, Rend Lake
  • Kate Trickey, Belleville East, Stl-Pharmacy
  • Megan Vidmar, Highland, Blackburn

Track and Field

  • Ella Siebenberger, Freeburg, Murray State
  • Zach Brasel, Father McGivney, Stl.-Pharmacy

Golf

  • Logan Jones, Marissa, McKendreee
  • Brianna McMinn, O’Fallon, Murray State
  • Ian Bailey, Edwardsville, Ottawa
  • Grant Goebel, Mater Dei, Rend Lake
  • Trevor Laub, Edwardsville, Heartland
  • Logan Lowery, O’Fallon, Emory University
  • Sam Weilgus, Granite City, Lewis and Clark

Wrestling

  • Caleb Grau, Mascoutah, North Carolina-Pembroke
  • Luke Odom, Edwardsville, Illinois

This story was originally published December 19, 2019 at 12:04 PM.

Dean Criddle
Belleville News-Democrat
Dean Criddle has been a reporter at the Belleville News-Democrat for more than 32 years and currently covers public safety . The SIUE graduate was elected in 2020 to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as a sports writer. Dean is married and lives in Belleville.
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