Owatonna Students Commit to Academics and Athletics

Wednesday was National Signing Day for high school senior athletes to commit to compete in sports while attending college. At Owatonna High School eight student-athletes make their commitments, many of them speaking as much about the course of study they wish to pursue in addition to their athletic endeavors.

Carson DeKam says the academics available at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter were one thing that swayed his decision while also considering offers from Division II schools. Gustavus plays in the very competitive Division III MIAC. He plans to major in computer science while playing football, "At the end of the day I've got to get a degree. Academics is really important."

Ethan Rohman committed to Division I FCS football at Drake University, "It's an awesome school with a great community inside and outside the football program." Rohman plans to major in physics.

Ethan Stockwell will major in Mechanical Engineering at Milwaukee School of Engineering, but intends to work toward Explosives Engineering. He will also play lacrosse. Regarding his career path, "It's like explosives demolition, they use it on bridges, buildings, large constructs, things like that for implosions. It's just something I've always wanted to do."

Emilee Zirngible will go to psychology at University of Wisconsin-Stout while playing soccer at the Division III level. She hopes to work in a school environment eventually, "I plan to be either a school counselor or something in the school district...camping counselor to be outdoors."

Ela Breuer is getting into pre-law at University of Wisconsin-River Falls where she will play Division III soccer. In fact, she and Zirngible will play for competing teams in the same conference. Breuer will go a pre-law route, "They have a really strong law program and criminal justice program. That's what I looked for when picking a school."

Sara Anderson will follow in her sisters steps by playing tennis at Division II Winona State University and pursue a degree in nursing, which her sister is also doing.

Evan Huemoeller will play Division III tennis at St. Mary's University in Winona. Asia Buryska will attend Bemidji State University and play Division II soccer. They are undecided on their major.

Read also: Monday was an historic night at Owatonna High School as the adaptive floor hockey played a game there for the first time.