99 athletes from the South Bend area to watch for in 2024
As we start what will hopefully be a successful 2024 high school sports season, here are 99 athletes to watch from around the South Bend area.
Athletes are listed in alphabetical order by school. Current grade is also listed. Indiana schools listed first, followed by the Michigan schools.
INDIANA
Argos senior Samantha Redinger
Redinger’s 30.6 points per game average currently ranks first amongst girls basketball players in the state.
More: Wait, the state's leading scorer plays where? Meet Argos star Samantha Redinger
Bethany Christian senior Mariah Stoltzfus
The Goshen College commit is the starting point guard for the Bruins girls basketball team that finished as Class 1A state runner-up last year and has a 15-3 record so far this season.
Bethany Christian senior Zoe Willems
Willems forms the 1-2 punch for the Bruins girls basketball team with Stoltzfus. A Trine commit, Willems recently had a quadruple-double (25 points, 13 assists, 12 steals and 10 rebounds) in a win over South Bend Career Academy.
More: How Bethany Christian basketball is helping girls in Cambodia go to school
Bethany Christian senior Tyson Chupp
A three-sport athlete, Chupp was a starting defender on the Bruins’ state champion soccer team this fall, is the leading scorer for the basketball team and is a key pitcher for Bethany’s baseball team.
More: Bethany Christian boys soccer wins 1A state title thriller for school's first championship
Bremen junior Tyrus Graverson
Graverson was one of the top all-around football players in the state last year, finishing third in the state with 1,323 receiving yards while also recording 98 tackles and three interceptions on defense.
More: Tyrus Graverson's growth has junior as one of the top wide receivers in the state
Bremen junior Silas Laidig
Laidig threw for 2,378 yards and 18 touchdowns as the Lions’ quarterback this past fall.
Bremen freshman Chase Devine
Devine has broken onto the basketball scene this winter, averaging 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals per game so far.
Bremen sophomore Makena Shumaker
Shumaker was a girls wrestling regional and semistate champion in the 155-pound weight class this winter.
More: Penn, South Bend Riley, Bremen all win at girls wrestling semistate
Concord senior Jaron Thomas
Thomas had 1,441 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns, as well as 102 tackles on defense, for the Minutemen’s football team this past fall. He is also expected to be a contender to make the state finals in track this spring.
Concord sophomore Catie Brenneman
Brenneman was a state qualifier in four events at the state girls swimming finals last year and could be on her way to repeating that success this winter.
Elkhart junior Mariyon Dye
Dye has received several major Division-I football recruiting offers already, including in-state teams Indiana and Purdue.
Elkhart junior Max Malloy
Malloy was the NIC cross country MVP this year. He’s also a returning all-state runner in the 1,600-meter run in track.
Elkhart junior Aaron Richter
Richter surprised a lot of people by finishing fifth at the state cross country meet this past fall.
More: Elkhart runner shocks boys cross country state meet .... almost
Fairfield junior Brayden Miller
Miller returns after finishing sixth at the boys golf state finals last year. He’s already committed to play collegiately at Cincinnati once his prep career finishes up.
More: Fairfield’s Brayden Miller sixth; Guerin Catholic wins 2nd straight IHSAA boys golf title
Fairfield sophomore Eva Herbert
After playing a key role off the bench for the Falcons’ state champion girls basketball team last year, Herbert has become the top player for Fairfield this season.
Goshen senior Ryan Eldridge
A Ball State football commit, Eldridge is also a good basketball player for the RedHawks, averaging 12.2 points and five rebounds per game.
Goshen senior Laish Detwiler
A state qualifier from a season ago, Detwiler is currently ranked 10th in the state amongst wrestlers in the 175-pound weight class by the website Indiana Mat.
Jimtown senior Bishop Williams
Along with being an Indiana Wesleyan football commit, Williams is a returning track state qualifier in the 400-meter run. He went unbeaten in the event as a junior until the state finals.
John Glenn senior Chase Miller
Miller is the second-leading scorer on the Falcons’ basketball team currently. He also one of four MVPs from the NIC in football this fall.
More: State leaders, record breakers headline 2023 South Bend Tribune All-Area Football team
John Glenn senior Joe Chrapliwy
Chrapliwy is one of the area’s top boys basketball scorers so far this season, averaging 17.7 points per game. He also was named to the Class 3A all-state baseball team as an outfielder last spring.
John Glenn junior Eli Beeney
Beeney had 127 tackles in 12 games for the Falcons football team last season.
LaVille senior Lucas Plummer
Along with being a football standout, Plummer is also a key contributor for LaVille’s basketball and baseball teams.
More: Lucas Plummer has started 38 games for LaVille football. The three he missed fuel him.
LaVille senior Lincoln Hulsey
Hulsey finished third in the pole vault at the state track and field finals last year with a vault of 15 feet.
More: LaVille pole vaulter Lincoln Hulsey reaching new heights
LaVille junior Cody Allen
Allen had a breakout fall on the gridiron for the Lancers, finishing with 1,515 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.
Marquette Catholic sophomore Laniah Davis
Davis is averaging 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals per game for the Blazers, who were ranked No. 4 in the Class 1A coaches poll last week.
Mishawaka senior Beau Brabender
Brabender is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state amongst wrestlers in the 157-pound weight class, per Indiana Mat. He finished fourth at the state finals last year.
More: Mishawaka's Brabender solidifies himself as a state contender with win at Al Smith Classic
Mishawaka senior Zar Walker
A Michigan commit, Walker is a two-time state placer in wrestling and is a contender for the 144-pound state championship this season.
Mishawaka senior Brady Fisher
After a standout senior year playing quarterback for the football team, Fisher has become one of the go-to players for the Cavemen basketball team this winter.
Mishawaka senior Tommy Harringer
As a junior, Harringer went 6-1 with a 0.86 ERA on the mound for the Cavemen baseball team, helping them win the Northern Lakes Conference title and reach the sectional championship game.
Mishawaka junior Liam Bauschke
One of the state’s top runners won NLC, sectional and regional cross country championships in the fall before an injury slowed him down, leading to a 17th-place finish at the state finals. He’ll also be in the mix to advance to the state track meet in the distance events this spring.
More: Mishawaka's Liam Bauschke is setting records
Mishawaka junior Novell Miller
Miller finished his junior football season with 1,326 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, fumbling zero times as well.
Mishawaka junior Jackson Snyder
Snyder had 104 tackles to lead the Cavemen football team last year, making the IFCA Class 5A junior all-state team in the process.
Mishawaka junior Carmine Orozco
Another junior all-state selection, Orozco had seven sacks and 35 tackles last season. He’s received several Division-I offers to play college football as well.
Mishawaka Marian senior Bryce LaSane
Along with being the Knights starting quarterback in football, LaSane is a baseball standout, batting a team-best .443 with 34 RBI last year to lead Marian to a Class 3A sectional title.
Mishawaka Marian senior JJ Oliver
A state champion with the boys soccer team, Oliver is also a returning Class 3A all-state second baseman for the Knights' baseball program.
More: Six area players named to Class 3A All-State baseball team.
Mishawaka Marian senior Chase Bays
Like LaSane, Bays is a standout in football and baseball for the Knights, highlighted by going 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA as a starting pitcher last year. He was also tied for second on the team with 10 doubles.
Mishawaka Marian junior Quinn Pankiewicz
On a team where five of the six leading goal scorers were underclassmen, Pankiewicz led them all with 21 goals. The Knights were able to advance to the Class 2A semistate championship game for a third-straight season, in part to Pankiewicz’s efforts.
Mishawaka Marian freshman Luis Santos-Navarro
On a senior-laden team, Santos-Navarro was able to make an impact as a freshman, scoring 11 goals for the state-champion Knights boys soccer team.
New Prairie junior Ava Geyer
Geyer was one of the catalysts for the Class 3A softball state champs last year, compiling an 18-2 record in the pitcher’s circle while allowing just 33 runs and striking out 300 hitters. She also batted .478 with 48 RBI.
More: IHSAA Class 3A Softball State Championship: New Prairie 4, Tri-West Hendricks 2
New Prairie junior Harrison Groves
Groves had 109 tackles and eight sacks for the sectional-winning Cougars football team in the fall.
More: New Prairie's Harrison Groves finds passion for football again after powerlifting career
New Prairie junior Hayden Scott
Scott led New Prairie’s football team with 113 tackles last season.
New Prairie sophomore Jeffery Huyvaert
One of the state’s top wrestlers in the 144-pound weight class, Huyvaert is closing in on the state records for takedowns in a season. He has 306 currently, with the record being 336, set back in 2003.
Northridge junior Mason Bales
Bales is the leading scorer for the Raiders, who are one of the area’s top boys basketball teams so far this season.
Northridge junior Rielyn Goodwin
Goodwin is a two-sport standout for the Raiders, leading the girls basketball team in scoring currently while also being a key part to the softball team the last two seasons.
Northridge sophomore Dakotah Moore
Moore finished 28th at the girls cross country state meet this fall after a runner-up finish at the regional. She’s a returning state qualifier in track as well.
Northridge sophomore Alex Reschly
Reschly was one of the leaders for the Raiders girls golf team this past fall, helping them qualify for the state tournament for the first time in program history.
More: Delaney Wade wins all-state honors leading Penn to seventh in girls state golf tourney
NorthWood senior Ethan Wolfe
Wolfe was a starter for the Panthers’ state-championship winning boys basketball team last year and a key part of this year’s group so far as well.
NorthWood junior Tyler Raasch
Like Wolfe, Raasch started for the state champs last season. He was also selected to the IBCA underclassmen all-state team as a sophomore a year ago.
More: What a 2022-23 season in high school sports for South Bend-area teams. Here are your highlights
NorthWood junior Claire Payne
Payne is one of the best all-around athletes in the area, excelling in volleyball, basketball and track. She led the volleyball team with 348 kills this past fall, is averaging 10 points and 11 rebounds for the basketball team currently and was the NLC champion in the high jump as a sophomore.
NorthWood junior Dominic De Freitas
De Freitas is one of the state’s top kicker prospects, making a school-record 55-yard field goal in the semistate football championship game against Leo this past season.
More: 'Here I am.' How De Freitas, Andrews give NorthWood football a leg up in IHSAA 4A playoffs
NorthWood sophomore Naima Ghaffar
Ghaffar finished runner-up in the 120-pound weight class at the girls wrestling state tournament this past Friday, Jan. 12.
Penn senior Lily Christianson
One of the state’s best swimmers, the three-time state champion is looking to finish her career with more gold in the next few weeks during the state tournament.
Penn senior Wesley Harper
Harper is a two-time state wrestling qualifier and currently ranked fourth in the state in the 150-pound weight class by Indiana Mat.
More: Harper family gets another special moment at Al Smith Classic
Penn senior Aubrey Zachary
The older Zachary sister was the primary pitcher for the Kingsmen on its state championship softball team last year, going 12-3 while recording 155 strikeouts.
More: IHSAA Class 4A Softball State Championship: Penn knocks off top-ranked Roncalli
Penn senior RJ Cromartie
One of the anchors for the back-to-back Class 4A state champion baseball team, Cromartie is signed to play college baseball at Notre Dame once his prep career ends this spring.
Penn senior Elijah Coker
Along with being a key player for the Kingsmen football team, Coker enters the upcoming track and field season having finished third in the high jump at last year’s state finals.
More: Penn's Coker, LaVille's Hulsey take third places at IHSAA Boys Track and Field State Finals
Penn junior Olivia Signorino
Already committed to Toledo, Signorino battled injuries for most of last season, returning in time to be a shutdown pitcher for the Kingsmen on the way to a state title.
Penn junior Ava Zachary
The younger Zachary led Penn last year with a .495 batting average with 24 extra base hits and 45 RBI. She announced her college commitment to Notre Dame this past fall.
More: How one night in June was 'like a fairytale' for Penn High School athletics
Penn junior Kellen Watson
Watson was fourth in the 100-meter dash at last year’s state track finals.
Penn junior Clare Tobin
Tobin will be the top returning girls golfer to the area next year, as far as finish at the state meet from this past fall. As a sophomore, she placed 31st overall, helping Penn take seventh place as a team.
Penn junior Chris Chen
Chen will be the top tennis player coming back to the area next year after winning an individual NIC championship at No. 1 singles and helping the Kingsmen advance to the regional final as a team.
More: Penn's Chen earns Most Valuable honors for NIC tennis
Penn sophomore Vinny Freeman
After placing sixth at state in the 182-pound weight class last year, Freeman has had an excellent start to his sophomore campaign, currently ranked fourth in the 190-pound division by Indiana Mat. And yes, his dad coaches football.
Penn freshman Brady Harper
Already making a name for himself on the wrestling mat, Harper is ranked sixth amongst grapplers in the 113-pound weight class by Indiana Mat.
South Bend Adams junior Angela McNellis
McNellis led the Eagles softball team with a .458 batting average last year. She only committed one fielding error and also pitched 51 innings for a team that finished 15-7-1.
South Bend Adams junior Avery Kidwell
Another standout softball player for Adams, Kidwell led the team with 14 doubles and tied for the most with three home runs last year.
South Bend Adams sophomore Addy Szakaly
Szakaly advanced to the state girls swim meet last year and is in contention to repeat that success in the next few weeks.
More: Adams swimmer Addy Szakaly wins South Bend Tribune Athlete of the Week, Dec. 4-10, 2023
South Bend Clay sophomore Tyrese Jones
In the final season of Colonial sports, Jones is making the most of it. He had a solid football season in the fall, parlaying that into the winter, where he’s averaging 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals for the Clay basketball team.
More: The streak is over: South Bend Clay football routs North Newton for first win in 34 tries
South Bend Riley senior Robert Nabieu
A two-sport star for the Wildcats, Nabieu was a leader for the Wildcats’ football team that won the NIC North-South Division in the fall. He also placed ninth in high jump at the state track and field meet last year and is expected to be in contention for the championship once again this spring.
South Bend Riley senior Payton Baird
The Bethel commit is a key contributor for a Wildcats boys basketball team that is still unbeaten in NIC play halfway through the season.
South Bend Riley junior Nyisha Gindelberger
Gindelberger was ranked fourth amongst girls wrestlers in the 170-pound weight class heading into this weekend’s state tournament.
South Bend Riley junior Dominic Jolley
One of the NIC’s football MVPs, Jolley had 1,304 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns for the Wildcats last fall.
South Bend Riley’s top four boys swimmers
It’s cheating to put all four into one entry, but seniors Ignatius Ruszkowski, Christopher Bartmess and Joel Kricheff and junior Padraig Chapman are all excellent swimmers, putting Riley in contention to perform well at the sectional and state meets come February.
South Bend Saint Joseph senior Riley Zache
Zache followed up a sensational sophomore year with a great junior season, batting .537 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI for a Saint Joe team what won NIC and sectional titles. Zache has signed to continue her college career at Oklahoma following her senior season this spring.
More: South Bend softball stars make college choices: Zache sisters to Oklahoma, Zachary to ND
South Bend Saint Joseph senior Jayce Lee
While he also excels on the basketball court, baseball is Lee’s primary sport. The Notre Dame signee batted .398 last year with nine home runs and 39 RBI, helping St. Joe reach the sectional title game.
South Bend Saint Joseph senior Molly Bellia
One of the state’s top girls tennis players, Bellia was the individual state champion as a freshman in 2021 and runner-up last year. She’ll lead a St. Joe group that returns four starters from a state runner-up appearance last spring.
South Bend Saint Joseph junior Berkley Zache
One of the state’s top softball players, the younger Zache sister has had an incredible career so far. After pitching Saint Joe to a 3A state title as a freshman, she compiled a 16-1 record as a sophomore with a 0.13 ERA, 256 strikeouts and only seven walks issued. Like her older sister, Riley, Zache is committed to Oklahoma to play collegiate softball as well.
South Bend Saint Joseph junior Chase Konieczny
Konieczny is nearly averaging a double-double on the basketball court this season, scoring 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds per game so far.
South Bend Saint Joseph sophomore Marley Dunham
Dunham was the individual medalist at the NIC girls golf tournament this past fall and qualified for the state tournament for the first time in her young career.
South Bend Trinity at Greenlawn freshman Annika Lute
Lute won the South Bend city cross country meet this past fall, qualifying for the regional race at the end of the year as well.
More: Trinity School at Greenlawn makes bold statements at South Bend city cross country meet
South Bend Washington junior Kira Reynolds
One of the top girls basketball players in the country, the Purdue commit is averaging 15.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, five blocks and 4.2 assists per game so far in her junior season.
More: South Bend Washington-to-Purdue pipeline continues as Kira Reynolds commits to Boilermakers
South Bend Washington junior Monique Mitchell
Another integral part of the Panthers girls basketball success in recent years, Mitchell is having her best season yet. She’s averaging 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game for a team that’s going to win a third-straight NIC championship.
South Bend Washington junior Ryiah Wilson
The final of the “big three” for Washington, Wilson is averaging 15 points, 4.6 assists and 4.4 steals per game this season.
South Bend Washington sophomore Steven Reynolds III
The fourth Reynolds to come through Washington recently and the first boy, the top in-state sophomore recruit is backing that up by scoring 23.9 points per game on average currently. He also averages 8.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, making him one of the best all-around players in the area.
South Bend Washington sophomore Adriana Swanson
Swanson finished sixth in the 100-meter hurdles race at the track state finals last year, the only freshman in the state to advance to the championship race.
South Bend Washington freshman Da’Kori Parker
Parker has burst onto the scene this year. Playing the point guard position, the freshman is averaging 16.7 points, 6.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 steals per contest.
More: Freshmen shine as South Bend Washington edges Clay in NIC boys basketball battle
MICHIGAN
Brandywine senior Ellie Knapp
Knapp, a three-time all-state guard, is the leader for the Bobcats girls basketball team, which is 7-0 so far.
Brandywine senior Kadence Brumitt
A Division 3 All-State selection this year, Brumitt is committed to Valparaiso to continue her volleyball career in the fall. She’s also currently a key part of the Bobcats’ girls basketball team.
Brandywine senior Jaremiah Palmer
Palmer is one of the leaders on a balanced Bobcats basketball team that made a run to the Division 3 semifinals last year.
Brandywine senior Gavin Schoff
Schoff finished third in the 157-pound weight class at the state wrestling finals last year and is a contender in the 165-pound division this season.
Brandywine senior Josmar Perez
Perez is also a returning state wrestling qualifier for the Bobcats, finishing sixth in the 106-pound weight class.
Buchanan senior Hannah Herman
A Michigan State softball signee, Herman has been selected as an all-state player twice and has helped the Bucks win three-straight Lakeland Conference and district championships, two regionals and a state finals appearance in 2021. As a junior, she batted .540 with seven home runs, 44 RBI and 75 runs scored.
More: Buchanan softball places three on Division 3 All-State team
Buchanan senior Britain Phillip
Phillip placed fourth in the 300-meter hurdles race at the Division 3 boys state track finals last spring.
Cassopolis senior Atyana Alford
Alford is currently averaging 16 points and an eye-popping seven steals per game for the Rangers.
Cassopolis junior Brandon Hemminger
Hemminger went 22-12 on the wrestling mat in the 106-pound weight class last year, qualifying for the Division 4 state tournament.
Dowagiac senior Maggie Weller
Weller has been a key part to the Chieftains winning a Division 3 girls basketball district title in 2022 and a championship game appearance last season. She has signed to play collegiately at Southwestern Michigan College.
More: Dowagiac wins first district in 14 years
Edwardsburg senior Caden Manfred
Manfred qualified for the state wrestling meet in the 113-pound weight class last year.
Edwardsburg sophomore Sarah Pippin
Pippin finished second in the high jump at the Division 2 state track and field finals last year. She was also an all-conference volleyball player for the Eddies this past fall.
More: Edwardsburg volleyball falls in MHSAA Division 2 state quarterfinals
Niles junior Paul Hess III
One of the Vikings’ four-headed monster in football last fall, Hess III totaled 1,252 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns for a Niles team that won its first district championship.
Niles junior Sam Rucker
Rucker qualified for the Division 2 state wrestling meet in the 165-pound weight class last year. He was also a two-way standout for the football team this past fall, recording 46 tackles on defense and rushing for eight touchdowns on offense.
Niles junior Aydan McCarey
McCarey placed sixth in the 110-meter hurdles at the Division 2 state track meet last spring. He also advanced in the 300-meter hurdles race as well, finishing 10th.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: 99 athletes from the South Bend area to watch for in 2024
