Wahoo Athletes = Collegiate Success
Article Highlights Recent WHS Alumni
February 09, 2009
For over 40 years, Wahoo High School has had a reputation for developing exceptional athletes in a number of sports. With multiple state champions in basketball, Cross Country, Wrestling, Track & Field, Wahoo’s record for developing exceptional prep athletes in numerous sports in undeniable. Each year Wahoo athletes are recognized as All-Staters, All-Conference selections and All-Area award winners.
What many fail to notice though is that some of those same athletes go on to exceptional collegiate careers at the NCAA, NAIA and Community College levels—while also excelling academically as collegiate athletes.
As an example, one only needs look at the WHS graduating class of 2007. Out of 67 students, 11 athletes (16% of the class) currently compete in collegiate athletics in the Midwest. Several of these athletes start and excel for their respective collegiate teams and compete against the very best athletes nationally.
Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, and NAIA school of 800 students, is possibly the biggest benefactor of Wahoo High’s athletic program. Three football players (Jake Wiebold, Reed Manstedt, Tyler Pacas), one cross country runner (Mikel Jon Divis) and a basketball player (Ben Shanahan) provide talent for their collegiate teams. The University of Nebraska-Kearney, an NCAA Division II school, has benefited from the football skills of Justin Barry.
Wahoo High School women athletes are not to be undone. From the class of 2007, area colleges benefit from the softball talents of three graduates. Erica Miller pitches for NAIA’s Dana College, Brianna Triplett (softball & basketball) competes for Peru State of the NAIA, and Sarah Gottschalk provides softball talents at shortstop for the NCAA Division II Wayne State Wildcats. Beth Tyler took her volleyball skills to Iowa Central Community College’s premier program in Fort Dodge, IA, while Megan Welton plays volleyball for the NAIA’s Missouri Valley College in central Missouri.
The work required from these athletes—both academically and athletically—requires a commitment to excellence that will serve them well in their future professional endeavors. These athletes are shining examples for current Wahoo High School and area students and athletes.
Each fall, winter and spring, the skills developed in the gyms, on the tracks and in the fields of Wahoo are taken to a whole new plane—the arenas of athletic competition across this country.
The class of 2007 though is not the only class producing elite collegians. Recent Wahoo graduates competing in collegiate sports include:
Class of
2004
Paul Sutton -- Wrestling -- University of Nebraska at Kearney
Class of 2005
Krista Hrdlicka -- Golf -- Wichita State University
Amber Remmers -- Softball -- Doane College
Luke Simons -- Baketball -- Midland Lutheran College
Jeff Westover -- Track -- Concordia University
Class of 2006
Mary McLaughlin -- Softball -- University of Nebraska at
Kearney
Nick Milliken -- Baseball -- Bellevue University
Sarah Thomsen -- Cross Country/Track -- Wayne State College
Class of 2007
Erica Miller -- Softball -- Dana College
Brianna Triplett -- Softball/Basketball -- Peru State College
Sarah Gottschalk -- Softball -- Wayne State College
Beth Tyler -- Volleyball -- Iowa Central Community College
Megan Welton -- Volleyball -- Missouri Valley College
Ben Shanahan -- Baketball -- Midland Lutheran College
Mikel Jon Divis -- Cross Country/Track -- Midland Lutheran
College
Justin Barry -- Football -- University of Nebraska at Kearney
Jake Wiebold -- Football -- Midland Lutheran College
Reed Manstedt -- Football -- Midland Lutheran College
Tyler Pacas -- Football -- Midland Lutheran College
Class of 2008
David Stucklik -- Basketball -- Midland Lutheran College
A.J. Divis -- Cross Country/Track -- Midland Lutheran College
Take time to follow these examples of Wahoo’s athletic programs and you will see students giving back to the community, leading and supporting youth sports programs/clinics and competing at the highest levels. True examples of excellence in action!
Editor's Note: if you would like to add a alumnus's name to the above list, please forward the name, year of graduation, school attended, and sport to dprivett@esu2.org.
