‘This is like a dream’: Wichita high school athletes sign to play Division I sports
For many high school seniors in the Wichita area, Wednesday was the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication to their sport.
It was national signing day and athletes across the state signed their national letter of intent to continue their careers at the next level.
It was a special day for Bishop Carroll senior Hope Jackson, who signed to run cross country and track for Iowa State in the Big 12.
“This is like a dream,” said Jackson, a two-time state champion in both cross country and track. “It’s like one of my childhood dreams come true. It’s so cool and so surreal. It makes me so happy.”
Making the accomplishment even more impressive is that Jackson has had to run with vocal cord dysfunction, which sometimes makes it feel like she’s “breathing through a straw” during races.
The way she has battled through her condition has been an inspiration to Carroll cross country coach Cory Swords.
“That’s why sport is such a great analogy for life,” Swords said. “It’s not always easy. Being a human is not always easy. When it becomes a struggle, you’ve got to learn how to continue on and do things even when it’s tough. To watch Hope grow and develop, it’s such an inspiration to me and an inspiration to her teammates.”
On top of the four state titles, Jackson said a career highlight was winning the Kansas Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year award last year.
Watching their daughter succeed at such a high level has been a joy to her parents, Brett and Natalie.
“We’re both super proud of what she’s accomplished,” Brett Jackson said. “Hope just works so hard. She’s one of those kids who just never gives up and she is going to work hard even when nobody else wants to.”
“She’s always looking for the next challenge,” Natalie Jackson added. “She always wants something big.”
Hope plans on something big this spring in her final season of track at Carroll. After winning the Class 5A title in cross country in 2019 and 2020, Jackson said she has been motivated even more after she did not win state this season.
“Winning state means so much more to me now that I didn’t win,” Hope Jackson said. “I’m really excited for track. The ending to cross country was kind of heartbreaking. It was an end of a chapter, but now I have track. I know I have to give it everything I have.”
Regardless of what happens, Swords said Hope has already secured her legacy at Bishop Carroll.
“Her impact on our program is one of those that is going to be a 10, 15-year impact,” Swords said. “We’ll be talking about Hope around here for a long time.”
Sunrise’s Gradey Dick signs to play with KU basketball
A day after a season-opening performance of 23 points, six rebounds and three steals, Sunrise Academy senior Gradey Dick signed his national letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Kansas.
Dick, who won a gold medal with Team USA at the 3-on-3 World Cup this summer, is a unanimous four-star and top-50 prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.
State champion swimmers headed to Division I
East High has built a reputation as the premier swimming program in Wichita and two of its finest signed with Division I programs on Wednesday.
Ariana Dirkzwager, a five-time state champion, signed with Georgia Tech for the women’s swimming team, while Drayden Bell, also a five-time state champion, is planning to sign with Alabama for the men’s swimming team on Friday.
Zoe Winter, a six-time state champion at Bishop Carroll, signed with Missouri for women’s swimming, while Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior Jackson Burrus signed with Nebraska-Omaha for men’s swimming.
Other athletes sign to play Division I sports
Andover Central had a eventful day on Wednesday, as the school saw two athletes sign Division I national letter of intents with basketball star Brittany Harshaw signing with the Creighton women’s basketball team and Ellie Geoffroy signing to play for the Oklahoma women’s soccer team.
At Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Kate Tilma signed to play for the Kansas State women’s golf team.
Area list of signings
Andover
Kylie Forney, Texas-San Antonio softball
Emma Massey, Kansas Wesleyan volleyball
Bailey Way, Arkansas State softball
Andover Central
Cambell Corini, Emporia State soccer
Ellie Geoffroy, Oklahoma soccer
Brittany Harshaw, Creighton basketball
Kellyn Rogers, Briar Cliff basketball
Ellie Stearns, Fort Hays State basketball
Arkansas City
Cady Dickey, Butler softball
Bishop Carroll
Kadence Brewster, Oklahoma Christian softball
Kiley Brewster, Oklahoma Christian softball
Kendall Forbes, Pittsburg State softball
Hope Jackson, Iowa State track and field, cross country
Mereith Robinson, Garden City softball
Zoe Winter, Missouri swimming
East
Drayden Bell, Alabama swimming
Ariana Dirkzwager, Georgia Tech swimming
Garden City
Brooke Hammond, Emporia State track and field
Goessel
Kaleigh Guhr, Bethel volleyball
Inman
Lauren Aden, Hutchinson cross country, track and field
Reagan Brake, Ohio Wesleyan volleyball
Kapaun Mt. Carmel
Jackson Burrus, Nebraska-Omaha swimming
Sammy Calderon, Wichita State bowling
Vivan Hill, Saint Mary’s (Calif.) rowing
Luke Porter, Wichita State track and field
Kate Tilma, Kansas State golf
Marion
Heidi Grimmett, Butler cross country
McPherson
Jaden Fox, Bethel tennis
Patty Huerta, Bethel tennis
Lauren Labertew, Fort Hays State soccer
Mulvane
Trent Moses, Ottawa wrestling
Hunter Sler, Barton baseball
Pretty Prairie
Aubrey Young, Sterling volleyball
Trinity Academy
Connor Davis, Butler baseball
West Elk
Remington Wiseman, Kansas Wesleyan cross country, track and field
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 9:48 AM.
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