There are plenty of Gaylord-area athletes playing college sports; how are they doing?
We mainly focus on high school athletes around here in Northern Michigan.
However, as the Gaylord area continues to put out more top-level talent year after year, more and more Gaylord-area athletes are finding ways to make impacts at the collegiate level.
Looking to catch up with how area athletes are doing at the next level? Get caught up here:
Note: To have an athlete included in the next college catchup article this spring, send college stats to djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com
Ava Schultz, Grand Rapids CC volleyball and girls basketball
Schultz was one of the top players on both the Gaylord St. Mary volleyball and girls basketball teams for most of her career, and things haven't changed since getting to college. She has continued as a two-sport athlete at Grand Rapids Community College, and has continued to be an impact player on both the volleyball and basketball courts.
Schultz earned first-team all-conference honors as a freshman for the Raiders basketball team this season, averaging 14.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. She was also an All-MCCAA honorable mention for the volleyball team last fall, finishing fourth on the team with 158 kills.
Brayden Gautreau, Central Michigan wrestling
A two-time state champion wrestler in his days as a Blue Devil, Gaylord Class of 2023 graduate Brayden Gautreau had a successful freshman season on one of the best teams in the Mid-American Conference. He finished with a 13-4 overall record, placing third at the MSU Open in the freshman/sophomore division, winning the Lake Erie Open and placing third at the Alma Open.
Gautreau wins back-to-back, highlighting Gaylord's efforts at MHSAA wrestling states
Louden Stradling, Central Michigan wrestling
A fellow former state champion Gaylord wrestler, Stradling went 8-4 in his freshman season as a Chippewa alongside Gautreau with four major decisions, one fall and one tech fall.
Reagan Olli, Northern Michigan Alpine Skiing
Yet another former GHS state champ, this time in skiing, Reagan Olli claimed first-team All-American honors yet again after finishing in fifth place in the women's slalom at the USCSA Nationals in Lake Placid, New York. This follows her National Championship efforts a year ago, cementing herself as one of the top individual athletes to come out of Gaylord in recent years.
Connor Abraham, Northern Michigan Alpine Skiing
One last former state champion, Connor Abraham placed 34th in the men's slalom at USCSA Nationals with a final time of 1:49.94, while also turning in eighth-place finishes at both Giants Ridge (1:23.23) and Spirit Mountain (1:14.83).
Emma McKinley, Concordia University (Ann Arbor) cross country, track and field
McKinley, a top runner for both Gaylord St. Mary cross country and track teams as a Class of 2023 graduate, has begun her freshman season as a runner for CUAA's CC and T&F teams.
She ran in five meets for the CC team this fall, running a season-best 6K with a time of 29:24.2 at the CUAA Cardinal Invite and a season-best 5K with a time of 22:27.3 at the Bethel University Cross Country Invitational.
Fayth Sanom, Alma Cheer/STUNT
A former cheer captain and Alpenfest queen, Fayth Sanom has stepped into the Alma Cheer and STUNT teams as a freshman this season as it is set to head to NCA Nationals in Daytona, Fla. from April 11-13 and then onto STUNT Nationals in Missouri from April 26-28.
Alma Cheer and STUNT has won three straight NCA and Stunt National Championships and, with Sanom joining the fold, it is shooting for the fourth this year. She is in eight of the 24 STUNT routines and has competed in every game.
Autumn Vermilya, Alpena Community College volleyball
The former JoBurg volleyball standout wrapped her sophomore season with 105 digs, 14 kills and 13 assists in her final season as an ACC Lumberjack.
Maddi Dipzinski, Alpena Community College volleyball
Gaylord's setter in 2023, Dipzinski joined Vermilya on the ACC roster this season and finished with 59 digs, 50 assists and 16 kills in her freshman season.
Hannah Fisher, Northland College
Another former Gaylord volleyball player, Fisher logged 15 digs in 28 sets as a freshman at Northland College in Ashland, Wisc.
Preston Marlatt, Alma football
The former JoBurg star played in all 13 games for one of the best football teams in NCAA D-III, totaling 24 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in his sophomore season for the Scots.
James Miller, Bowling Green football
A former team captain for the Gaylord football team from 2015-2018 and a Gaylord Herald Times Defensive Player of the Year winner, Miller took part in 104 snaps on special teams for Bowling Green this season, recording a tackle in a MAC conference game at Western Michigan.
Jonathan Aungst, Concordia-Chicago Football
A Class of 2022 graduate and older brother of Caleb Aungst, Jonathan Aungst recorded seven tackles in two games as a defensive back for Concordia-Chicago in the Fall of 2023.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: How are Gaylord-area athletes performing since moving on to college?
