Pella High School held a special ceremony on National Signing Day to recognize over a dozen athletes moving on to the next level.
While many had already signed their letters of intent, a group did so at the event, including Jenna Murphy, who will play volleyball at Iowa Wesleyan, Caleb Piersma, who will play baseball at Northwestern, St. Paul, Kelcey Blommers, who will run cross country and track at Grandview, Bellara Huang, who intends to play soccer at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, and Keegan Poole, who will play football at William Penn.
Murphy and Blommers both told KNIA/KRLS Sports they are excited both to continue their athletic careers and for the large class of athletes competing beyond high school.
“The coaching staff here is amazing”, Murphy said. “Everyone supports each other and everyone is able to push themselves and work harder to get the things that we all desire and want to do and be a true Pella athlete.”
“I think it just shows a lot and tells a lot that Pella is a lot about working hard and really reaching for your dreams”, Blommers said. “You’re just pushed to a level here where you can really achieve anything you want to if you just put in the time and effort. I think it really just shows what we do here at Pella.”
An additional signing day ceremony will be held in April for spring sports athletes and others who have yet to make a college athletics decision.
Athletes Recognized:
Jenna Murphy – Volleyball – Iowa Wesleyan University
Kiara Bradley – Basketball – University of Sioux Falls
Tyler Hillman – Baseball – North Dakota State University
Caleb Piersma – Baseball – University of Northwestern, St. Paul
Kelcey Blommers – XC/Track – Grand View
Micah Wittenberg – XC – Northwestern
Joshua Van Dusseldorp – XC/Track – Northwestern
Nick Bernhagen – XC/Track – Northwestern
Bellara Huang – Soccer – Swarthmore College – Penn.
Katie VanderMolen – Basketball – Northwestern
Micah Hammann – XC – MidAmerica Nazarene University
Keegan Poole – Football – William Pen
Emma Thoreson – Track – Drake