While numerous student-athletes in Owensville and Hermann are beginning preparations for their high-school seasons, several area athletes in colleges and universities are also gearing up for their respective seasons.

Fresh off All-American honors in cross country and track as a junior, former Dutchgirl distance runner Mekayla Gibson will be a senior during the upcoming 2024-25 school year at William Woods University (WWU) in Fulton.

Gibson is not the only former Owensville High School athlete in an Owl or Lady Owl uniform.

Joining Gibson on the WWU track and cross country teams are Kyah Weirich, Saylor Richardson and Freddy Zheng.

Sidelined last winter due to a knee injury, former Dutchgirl basketball player Anna Finley will have three years of eligibility left as a member of the Lady Miner basketball team at the University of Missouri - Science and Technology (S&T) in Rolla.

Finley is not the only former OHS basketball player gracing the S&T hardwood.

Making the team as a walk-on last year, former Dutchmen basketball player Tyler Heidbrink will be a junior this winter for the Miner basketball team.

Missouri S&T will also be home to three additional former OHS athletes.

2024 OHS graduate Hayden Shoemaker signed to play football for the Miners but will be out for this upcoming season while recovering from offseason knee surgery.

Enjoying two successful years at Mineral Area College (MAC) for cross country and track, former Dutchgirl Kiera Finn will look to add to her NJCAA All-American honors in the steeplechase as a member of the S&T Lady Miner track team.

Heidbrink and Finley will be cheered on by one of their former classmates as Camri Jones is a member of the S&T cheerleading squad.

Columbia currently houses a pair of former OHS standout athletes.

Traveling with the University of Missouri-Columbia football Tigers last season, former Dutchmen wide receiver Derek Brandt is currently listed on the Mizzou football roster as a junior wide receiver.

Scoring over 1,500 points during her recently completed Owensville Dutchgirl basketball career, Emma Daniels will look to be able to contribute right off the bat as a member of the Columbia College Cougar Women’s Basketball Team.

Daniels is not the only member of the Cougar women’s basketball team with Gasconade County ties.

Recently using her fifth year of eligibility, former Hermann Lady Bearcat Allison Stiers will be an assistant coach for the Cougars.

Back to the track, fellow 2024 OHS graduate Felix Guerrero will be taking his track and cross country talents to Crowder College in Neosho, Mo.

A former Dutchgirl cheerleader will be making history this year at Missouri State University (MSU) in Springfield.

Along with being a four-year cheerleader at OHS for football and basketball, Ahna Rasmussen will be a member of the inaugural MSU Acrobatics and Tumbling Team.

Northern Gasconade County also has plenty of student-athletes competing at the next level.

Winning numerous American Midwest Conference (AMC) titles in track and field, former Lady Bearcat standout Kaylyn Powers will be a senior this year for the Hannibal-LaGrange University (HLGU) indoor and outdoor track teams.

Two former Lady Bearcats will also be joining the handful of former Dutchmen and Dutchgirls in Fulton at WWU.

Allyson Hollrah will be a junior this school year competing for the WWU Lady Owl Golf team.

Former Lady Bearcat sprinter Madison Dixon will likely be sprinting alongside Richardson from Owensville as a member of the WWU Women’s Track and Field Team.

Finishing his outstanding Hermann High School (HHS) golf career with a pair of state medals and four Four Rivers Conference (FRC) titles, Trigg Lindahl will look to keep his success on the links going as a freshman team member of the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) Men’s Golf Team.

After helping Lady Bearcat volleyball to a second place finish in Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 2 Volleyball last fall, a pair of Hermann standouts will be continuing their athletic and academic pursuits at a pair of two-year colleges.

Jill Rood will continue her volleyball playing days at Jefferson College in Hillsboro while Allison Buesking inked her letter of intent to play volleyball at Mineral Area College.

Running track and field at both Owensville and Hermann while in high school, Austin Terry is gearing up for his senior season as a member of the Maryville University (MU) Saints Track and Field team.

If any county athletes competing at the college level have been inadvertently missed, please send the information via email to wjohnson@wardpub.com.