Local prep athletes sign to play collegiate sports
Athletes from across the Mid-Columbia signed letters of intent the past two days to play everything from baseball to volleyball.
Pasco volleyball player Catelyn Linke made her commitment to Eastern Washington University official Wednesday night, though she verbally committed to the Eagles during her junior year.
“It feels good to get it done,” Linke said. “Eastern just felt right. I had a welcoming feeling from the coaching staff and players. I loved the campus, and it was just far enough away from home.”
Linke’s older sister, Sierra, played at Blue Mountain Community College and now is at Eastern Oregon University. But Catelyn had no desire to follow her sister.
“I just didn’t want to go to a college because my sister was there,” she said. “I want to make my own path.”
Linke will receive a partial scholarship from Eastern, where she will be teammates with Kamiakin’s Leanna Shymanski.
“We have played club volleyball together for years,” Linke said. “I am very excited to have this journey with her.”
Linke is unsure of her major, but the education and medical fields are of interest.
Walla Walla’s Mitch Lesmeister, an outstanding football, basketball and baseball player, announced his decision Thursday to play baseball at Central Washington University.
“I made a couple of visits to Central, I liked the coaches and the players,” Lesmeister said. “I want to study pharmacy in college. If I played football, I didn’t know how that would fit with academics. This was a better fit.”
And the offer was pretty good, too.
“I’m getting full tuition,” Lesmeister said. “I have to pay room and board, but it’s better than some other offers I got.”
The Wildcats have plans to play Lesmeister in the middle infield and at pitcher.
“They told me they would put me somewhere if I could hit,” he said.
Last year, Lesmeister played played third base and pitched for the Blue Devils. This year, he said he likely will play shortstop and pitch. But before then, basketball practice begins Monday.
College signings
Chiawana: Ashtin Olin, volleyball, Sacramento State; McKaidan Moore, volleyball, University of West Alabama.
Kamiakin: Allison Stapleton, volleyball, BYU; Leanna Shymanski, volleyball, Eastern Washington University; Madison Judy, volleyball, Eastern Oregon University.
Pasco: Catelyn Linke, volleyball, Eastern Washington University.
Southridge: Mason Martin, baseball, Gonzaga University; Ellie Smith, basketball, Idaho State University.
Richland: Carl Underwood, golf, University of Wyoming.
Walla Walla: Mitch Lesmeister, baseball, Central Washington University; Emma Sweet, softball, Dixie State.
If your school has an athlete who has signed a letter of intent, contact: sports@tricityherald.com
This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 7:36 PM with the headline "Local prep athletes sign to play collegiate sports."