Committing Across the Country

Spartans decide to continue their athletic pursuits in college

Sydney Tran, Staff Reporter|April 7, 2021

This color coded map represents where student athletes with be playing in college, the darker the blue represents more students in the state.

Listed below are the seniors who have committed to play as student athletes for colleges as of Feb. 3:

Faith Bridges, Women’s Soccer at Hannibal LaGrange University

Sophie Delaney, Women’s Basketball at Grinnell College

Kaden Hart, Wrestling at the University of Nebraska at Kearney

Ryan Hoshaw, Baseball at Maryville University

Jackson Lunders, Baseball at Colorado State University – Pueblo

Owen Nagel, Baseball at Maryville University

Gillian Nicholson, Women’s Soccer at McKendree University

Gracie Stugart,Women’s Basketball at Truman State University

Sofia Tweedie, Women’s Basketball at Hawai’i Pacific University

Blake VanBeers, Baseball at Maryville University

Paige VanDaele, Women’s Soccer at Missouri S&T

Olivia Zykan, Women’s Soccer at Stephens College

Q&A with Sofia Tweedie

Why did you choose to continue your basketball career during college?

I chose to continue my basketball career in college simply for the love I have for the game. I have been playing since I was four years old, being introduced to the sport by my father, and have been hooping ever since. I love the experiences I experience through the game, the connections I build/ have built, and the feeling of being a winner with people who push each other to be their best selves is something you can only get through sports.

As a student athlete during COVID-19, was the application process difficult?

As a student athlete during covid and trying to get recruited was extremely difficult. Seniors get their years back because of COVID, so a lot of colleges (specifically D1) were skipping over my class and I had a shortened season which meant less exposure, on top of that colleges couldn’t even come and watch in person.