On Nov. 16, five talented Pleasant Valley athletes signed their contracts, officially committing to their college.
Mary Paige Withers, Jessie Clemons, Morgan Russmann, Owen Chiles and Will Gorman are amongst the best athletes Pleasant Valley has to offer.
Mary Paige Withers has had amazing success in her high school softball career. Withers is a reliable player at the plate and in the field.. When playing Muscatine at the 2023 state tournament, Withers hit a grandslam so far it nearly hit a car in the parking lot. “I always put one hundred percent effort not just for myself, but my teammates,” Withers said.
During her success at Pleasant Valley, she was recruited by many colleges. Withers landed on Indian Hills to carry on her softball career and her education where she will major in biology.
Jessie Clemons signed her contract to play D1 softball for the Iowa State Cyclones. She has had a lot of success in all of her sports, especially softball. During the 2023 season Jessie finished in the top five of homeruns hit, helping her team to place second in the state tournament.
However, the success did not come unearned. “I’ve been willing to go the extra mile whenever I can and not take reps off,” Clemons said. She will continue her prosperous softball career with the Cyclones in the fall majoring in biology.
Morgan Russmann has had an incredible high school career leading her team to go to state three years in a row. Russmann also broke the school record for goals in a season with 41. All her success gained attention from multiple D1 colleges including North Dakota State (NDSU).
“I was at practice every night and all my open weekends were taken up by soccer,” said Russmann. Her commitment to soccer pushed her to become among the top players in the state. Russmann takes her talent to NDSU where she will major in health and exercise science.
Owen Chiles is a very talented swimmer who has had an incredible swim career, breaking two school records. These records include the individual 200 medley relay and the 100 backstroke. With his success, colleges quickly noticed Chiles’ potential.
“I’ve put in a lot of work, 5 a.m. practices and up to 9-10 practices a week,” said Chiles. His hard work paid off with his recent commitment to Cincinnati. He plans on attending Cincinnati in the fall majoring in film.
Will Gorman is another swimmer who has excelled in his high school career. Gorman set new records for the 100 free and the 500 free. His talent helped take his team to the 202_ state tournament where they placed 7th.
“Lots of work was put in, from early morning swims, to heavy weight training,” said Gorman. His success was earned from his countless hours in the weight room and in practices. Gorman’s success will continue at Indiana University where he will major in business.
Pleasant Valley’s five athletes take their successful careers in colleges around the country. They will use their talent they grew from the hours of training in Pleasant Valley’s programs to enhance their skills at their chosen college.
