Shining at the Next Level: February 24-March 8, 2020

New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties produce a large number of athletes that continue their careers at the next level.  Each week, this list will feature a number of area athletes who are finding success in the college ranks.

Check back for weekly updates on the second and fourth Monday of each month.

BASEBALL

***Full list of area baseball players in college***

Fr. infielder Jac Croom, UNCW (2019 New Hanover grad): Hit .300 (6-for-20) with a double, three RBI and three runs in five games against Kentucky and Memphis.

Sr. outfielder Cory Everett, Erskine (2015 New Hanover grad): In a wild, 17-16 loss to Limestone on Feb. 29, Everett went 4-for-5 with two doubles, one home run, four RBI and three runs.

Fr. infielder Rocco Farmintino, Brunswick CC (2019 Ashley grad): Had two-hit games against Lenoir CC (11-1 win on March 1) and Pitt CC (12-7 win on Saturday).

R-Fr. infielder Max Hildreth, Memphis (2018 New Hanover grad): Had a .474 averaged (9-for-19) with four walks, one double, one RBI and eight runs in seven games. Hildreth went 4-for-5 with a walk and five runs on March 1 in a 23-8 win over Western Illinois.

Soph. pitcher Zach Kelly, Queens (2018 South Brunswick grad): Got the start but didn’t factor into the decision Sunday despite striking out 10 and allowing only two earned runs in five innings against Mars Hill.

Soph. outfielder Brett Kemp, Francis Marion (2018 New Hanover grad): Went 4-for-14 (.286 average) with four walks, two RBI and three runs in six contests.

Soph. pitcher Price King, Brunswick CC (2018 Ashley grad): Picked up the victory in a 8-4 win at Lenoir CC on Feb. 29 by allowing one earned run and striking out nine in five innings.

R-Sr. utility Jake Madole, East Tennessee State (2015 Topsail grad): Hit .545 (6-for-11) with three home runs, five RBI and six runs in four contests against Georgia State and Wagner.

Soph. outfielder Parker Nolan, Davidson (2018 Hoggard grad): Helped the Wildcats go 5-3 over an eight-game stretch by hitting .290 (9-for-31) with three walks, one double, one triple, four home runs, 12 RBI and seven runs. He had a pair of home runs and five RBI in a win over Lafayette on March 1.

Sr. infielder/pitcher Brad Pennington, N.C. Wesleyan (2016 Hoggard grad): In a three-game series against Brevard, Pennington hit .462 (6-for-13) with one double, one home run, three RBI and two runs.

Sr. pitcher Payton Rice, Embry-Riddle (2016 Topsail grad): Stuck out 12 batters and allowed only one earned run in seven innings against Felician on Saturday afternoon.

Fr. infielder/pitcher Alex Sniffen, N.C. Central (2019 New Hanover grad): Allowed only one earned run and struck out nine in nine innings over two appearances. 

Jr. outfielder Rob Wilkerson, Methodist (2017 Hoggard grad): Continued his tremendous start to the season by hitting safely in six of seven games. He had a .296 average with four walks, one double, eight RBI and seven runs.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

***Full list of area men’s basketball players in college***

Sr. G Trae Bryant, Oklahoma City (2015 Hoggard grad): Scored a season-high 26 points by shooting 10 of 16 from the field (6 of 11 from 3-point range) and grabbing seven rebounds in a 100-80 win at Oklahoma Panhandle State on Feb. 29.

MEN’S GOLF

***Full list of area golfers in college***

Fr. Harrison Wierse, Barton (2019 Topsail grad): Finished tied for 25th in the 73-player field at the Southern Tide Tournament in Greenville, S.C. on March 2-3. Wierse has rounds of 74 and 75.

MEN’S LACROSSE

***Full list of area men’s lacrosse players in college***

Soph. attack Cole Boggio, Roanoke (2018 Cape Fear Academy grad): Scored seven goals to go along with one assist and six ground balls in three games.

Fr. attack Eli Copeland, Lander (2019 Topsail grad):  Found the back of the net a career-high four times and added a pair of assists in a 23-10 victory over Mars Hill on Feb. 29.

Fr. face off Noah Ehinger, Wingate (2019 Laney grad): Won 35 of 48 faceoffs and had 22 ground balls in games against Rollins (9-8 loss on Feb. 29) and Lincoln Memorial (18-7 win on Saturday).

Jr. midfielder Luke Frankeny, Mount St. Mary’s (2017 Hoggard grad): In three matches, Frankeny finished with six goals on 14 shots on goal.

Jr. midfielder Finn McGrady, William Peace (2017 Laney grad): Had a hat trick to help the Pacers earn a 12-9 win over Emmanuel on Sunday.

Soph. attack/midfielder Riely Murray, William Peace (2018 Laney grad): Scored once and added two assists in Sunday’s 12-9 win over Emmanuel. Murray also had two goals against Randolph-Macon on Feb. 29.

Fr. long stick midfielder Kameron Newkirk, St. Andrews (2019 New Hanover grad): Scooped up seven ground balls and forced three turnovers in a 17-10 loss to Michigan-Dearborn on March 1.

Soph. attack Gunner Philipp, Army (2017 Hoggard grad): Scored a pair of goals in victories over Holy Cross (12-5 on Feb. 29) and Binghamton (15-10 on Tuesday).

Soph. attack Brewer Warlick, William Peace (2018 Laney grad): In matches against Randolph-Macon and Emmanuel, Warlick had seven goals and two assists.

Soph. midfielder Brenner Woodcock, Averett (2017 Laney grad): Finished with three goals, three assists and four ground balls in three contests. 

MEN’S TENNIS

***Full list of area tennis players in college***

Fr. Jake Ferner, Randolph-Macon (2019 Hoggard grad): Went 3-1 at No. 1 doubles in four matches for the Yellow Jackets. Ferner also had a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 2 singles in a 9-0 win over Shenandoah on Saturday.

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD

***Full list of area track & field athletes in college***

Jr. De’Shawn Ballard, Appalachian State (2017 Laney grad): Broke his own school record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.16 seconds to finish third at the Sun Belt Indoor Championship on March 25. Ballard was also seventh in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.95 seconds.

Jr. Jathan DeBerry, UNC Pembroke (2017 North Brunswick grad): Won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.44 and placed third in the high jump (6-4) at Friday’s Braves Classic, which was hosted by UNC Pembroke.

Soph. Adam Hart, Western Carolina (2018 Topsail grad): Earned a fourth-place finish in the weight throw (51-7) and was eighth in the shot put (45-1) at the Southern Conference Indoor Championship, which was held in Lexington, Va. on Feb 29 and March 1.

Sr. KeAndre Yeoman, UNCW (2016 North Brunswick grad): Ran a leg on the victorious 1,600-meter spring medley relay that finished with a time of 3:41.70 at the Tiger Relays in Savannah, Ga. on Feb. 29.

SOFTBALL

***Full list of area softball players in college***

Fr. pitcher Morgan Beeler, Lenoir-Rhyne (2019 West Brunswick grad): In a doubleheader at King on Thursday, Beeler pitched a total of 8 1/3 innings and didn’t allow an earned run. She lowered her season ERA to 2.94.

Jr. utility Hunter Bizzell, UNCW (2017 Topsail grad): Hit .278 (5-for-18) with two walks, one double, one triple and one run in eight games.

Soph. utility Alleigh Clayter, Louisburg (2018 Laney grad): Cleared the bases with a double to help the Hurricanes secure a 14-1 win over Fayetteville Tech on Friday.

Sr. pitcher/infielder Preston Ellenberg, Catawba (2015 North Brunswick grad): Tossed a complete game and allowed only one run on four hits with seven strikeouts in a 2-1 victory at Belmont Abbey on Feb. 27.

Sr. catcher Jordan Floyd, Wingate (2016 Ashley grad): In eight contests, Floyd hit .269 (7-for-26) with three walks, two doubles, one RBI and two runs.

Soph. catcher/infielder Alleigh Himes, Winston-Salem State (2018 North Brunswick grad): In a pair of losses to Bloomsburg on Sunday, Himes went 4-for-6 with two walks, one home run, four RBI and three runs. She belted a grand slam in the third inning in Game 1 of the doubleheader.

Sr. pitcher Myah Morse, Meredith (2016 West Brunswick grad): Allowed only one hit in five shutout innings to guide the Avenging Angels to a 9-0 win over Shaw on Feb. 27.

Sr. infielder Danielle Parks, King (2016 Topsail grad): In two-games series against Lenoir-Rhyne and Shepard, Parks had a .364 batting average (4-for-11) with five RBI and two runs.

Soph. outfielder Kaitlyn Rhea, Brunswick CC (2018 West Brunswick grad): Blasted a two-run homer in the first inning and added an RBI single in the fifth in a 9-4 loss at Fayetteville Tech on March 1.

Fr. utility Cameron Rivenbark, Louisburg (2019 Ashley grad): Hit a three-run inside-the-park home run for the final runs in a 14-1 mercy-rule victory over Fayetteville Tech on Friday.

Sr. utility Keri White, Appalachian State (2016 Topsail grad): Hit .348 (8-for-23) with three runs in seven games. 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

***Full list of area women’s basketball players in college***

R-Sr. G Jada Bacchus, Mount Olive (2015 Ashley grad): Scored a team-high 23 points on 11 of 21 shooting and also grabbed seven rebounds in her final collegiate contest on March 3 in the quarterfinals of the Conference Carolinas Tournament.

Fr. G Blair Barefoot, Lenoir-Rhyne (2019 Hoggard grad): In losses to Catawba and Carson-Newman, Barefoot averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 assists and 3 rebounds.

R-Fr. G Jenson Edwards 2018, High Point (Laney grad): Had a tremendous two weeks, playing all but two minutes and averaging 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. She had back-to-back double-doubles against Longwood (86-79 win on Feb. 29) and Charleston Southern (71-55 win on Wednesday) and scored a season-high 18 points against UNC Asheville (89-62 win on Saturday). Edwards was named the Big South Freshman of the Week on Sunday.

Soph. G Azariah Fields, Mount Olive (2018 New Hanover grad): In the regular season finale on Feb. 25, Fields scored 19 points on 8 of 19 shooting.

WOMEN’S GOLF

***Full list of area golfers in college***

Sr. Katy Flax, N.C. Pembroke (2016 Ashley grad): Shot 73-78 to finish tied for 11th at the Battle at Hilton Head on Feb. 24-25.

Soph. Sarah Funderburg, Winthrop (2018 Wilmington Christian Academy grad): Was the Eagles’ top finisher at the Kiawah Island Classic in South Carolina on March 1-3. Funderburg had rounds of 73, 75 and 78 to finish tied for 74th in the field of 264 players.

Fr. Jayla Rogers, N.C. A&T (2019 Laney grad): In her first spring event, Rogers went 2-1 to help the Aggies reach the championship match at the Oyster Shuck Match Play Tournament in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. on Monday and Tuesday. 

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

***Full list of area women’s lacrosse players in college***

Soph. midfielder Alyssa Cooke, Presbyterian (2018 Hoggard grad): Had her first collegiate hat trick in a 14-9 loss at Butler on Satuday.

Soph. defense/attack Meghan Eamma (2018 Laney grad): Had a phenomenal two weeks by scoring 18 goals and winning 13 draws in four matches. 

Jr. midfielder Kendall Goldblum, American (2017 Hoggard grad): Scored at least five goals in all three victories. She had six a piece against George Washington on Feb. 26 and Wofford on Saturday and found the back of the net five times against Long Island on Feb. 29. Goldblum also had 21 total draw controls.

Sr. attack Ashley Merritt, Ashland (2016 Ashley grad): In three matches, Merritt scored eight goals on 13 shots and also dished out a pair of assists.

Fr. midfielder Delaney Popella, Lynn (2019 Topsail grad): Put home a career-best eight goals on 10 shots in a 16-4 win over Davis & Elkins on March 2. In four games, Popella finished with 17 goals and 20 draw controls.

Soph. midfielder Hannah Scharf (2018 South Brunswick grad): Helped the Tornados earn a 19-8 win over Johnson & Wales (Denver) on Wednesday by scoring four goals to go along with three ground balls and two draw controls.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

***Full list of area tennis players in college***

Jr. Kara Ferner, Christopher Newport (2017 Hoggard grad): Helped the Captains pick up a 5-4 victory at Chapman on March 1 by rallying for a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 4 singles.

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD

***Full list of area track & field athletes in college***

Sr. Desire Brown, UNC Asheville (2016 Trask grad): Crossed the finish line sixth in the 400-meter dash in 57.07 and was eighth in the 200-meter dash in 25.38 at the Big South Conference Indoor Championship.

Fr. Courtney Lines, UNCW (2019 North Brunswick grad): At the Tiger Relays in Savannah, Ga. on Feb. 29, Lines won the long jump (19-2.75) and was on the third-place 4×100 relay (49.18).

Soph. Essence Newkirk, Lenoir-Rhyne (2018 New Hanover grad): Finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.08 at the South Atlantic Conference Indoor Championship.

WRESTLING

***Full list of area wrestlers in college***

Jr. Jonathan Miller, UNC Pembroke (2015 Laney grad): Finished fourth at 141 pounds to help the Braves win the team title at the Super Region II Tournament on Feb. 29.