For many high school athletes, one of the main goals over the course of a career is getting noticed and earning the chance to compete at the next level.
That next level can also look very different, or be just another starting block with the chance to move up again.
Across Emmet, Charlevoix, Otsego and Cheboygan counties, over 60 athletes will be heading to the collegiate level out of the Class of 2025.
They include everywhere from Division I powers Oklahoma State and Michigan State, to just about every other Michigan college program across each level.
As often happens, the cross country and track and field signees around Northern Michigan led the way, this time with 13 signees within the class, highlighted by Johannesburg-Lewiston’s Allie Nowak heading to Michigan State following a state champion career.
The Class of the 2025 was particularly loaded in a pair of boys sports as well, as nine area athletes signed with collegiate baseball programs and nine more signed to play football at the next level, including six at the Division II level.
Some athletes will even have familiar faces around on their next team.
Boyne City volleyball teammates Josie Wilson and Elly Wilcox will each continue at Lake Michigan College for volleyball, Gaylord football’s Keaton Abraham and Connor Byram will each be teammates at Michigan Tech and Petoskey track and field teammates Alison Bailey and Kaiden Boyce will both compete for Calvin University.
Former Charlevoix teammates AJ Speigl and Owen Waha will also reunite at Grand Rapids Community College for baseball. After growing up playing together and helping the Rayders to the state semifinals in 2024, Speigl spent his final season in Petoskey, while Waha graduated from Kearney High School in Nebraska.
Perhaps the most unique situation comes from Gaylord, where sisters Aubrey and Jayden Jones will again be teammates in Stillwater, Okla., with both joining the Oklahoma State softball program. Aubrey signed out of the 2025 class, while Jayden, part of the 2024 class, took advantage of the transfer portal after competing for Virginia Tech.
The program that led the way for the area was the Petoskey Northmen with 20 members of the 2025 class moving on, while Gaylord featured nine athletes, East Jordan eight and Boyne City, seven.
Below you’ll find all of the known athletes who have signed with a college program to compete in a sport.
Did we miss someone? Let us know: dkochanny@petoskeynews.com
Emmet County
Korbin Sulitis, Petoskey — Northwood football
Haden Janes, Petoskey — Hillsdale football
Logan Coutcher, Petoskey — Alma football
Logan Beer, Petoskey — Lake State track
Bobby Patrick, Petoskey — Cleary University wrestling
Sara Hasse, Petoskey — Northern Michigan golf
Charlie Thomas, Petoskey — Centre College lacrosse
Austin Klingelsmith, Petoskey — Aquinas College lacrosse
AJ Speigl, Petoskey — Grand Rapids CC baseball
Sam Mitas, Petoskey — Grand Valley State track
Caitlyn Matelski, Petoskey — Lake Superior State volleyball
Emma Berg, Petoskey — University of Olivet golf
Abby Wonnacott, Petoskey — Alma soccer
Alison Bailey, Petoskey — Calvin University track
Kaiden Boyce, Petoskey — Calvin University track
Madeline Loe, Petoskey — Adrian College hockey, track
Parker Fettig, Petoskey — Northwood track and cross country
Griffin Ricinto, Petoskey — Adrian College lacrosse
BreAnna VerCautren, Petoskey — Muskegon CC softball
Renate Hramiec, Louisville, Colo. (Petoskey) — Lawrence University (Wis.) soccer
Andru Vernale, Harbor Springs — Albion College baseball
Olivia Flynn, Harbor Springs — Western Michigan basketball
Vaughn Henagan, Harbor Light — Augustana College golf
Jane Manthei, Harbor Light — Cedarville University cross country
Charlevoix County
Ryan Spate, Boyne City — Wayne State football
Brady Bearss, Boyne City — North Central Michigan cross country
Braydin Noble, Boyne City – Michigan Tech soccer
Josie Wilson, Boyne City — Lake Michigan College volleyball
Elly Wilcox, Boyne City — Lake Michigan College volleyball
Landon Bingham, Boyne City — Seton Hill lacrosse
Victoria McGeorge, Boyne City — Rochester Christian University bowling
Brenden Aenis, East Jordan — Calvin College football
Korbyn Russell, East Jordan — Michigan State baseball
June Kirkpatrick, East Jordan — Milwaukee School of Engineering basketball
Logan Shooks, East Jordan — Trine University football
Ty Burks, East Jordan – Trine University golf
Austin Sneed, East Jordan — Ursuline College (Ohio) track and cross country
Jacob Chamberlain, East Jordan — Grand View College (Iowa) track and cross country
Hannah Fortune, East Jordan — Bethel University (Ind.) golf
Ryan Pearl, Charlevoix — Point Park University baseball
Hunter Lemerand, Charlevoix — Grace Christian baseball
Brady Jess, Charlevoix — Michigan State Wrestling
Logan Wadkins, Charlevoix — Olivet College football
Owen Waha, Kearney, Neb. (Charlevoix) — Grand Rapids CC baseball
Sarah Wyglendowski, Charlevoix — Alpena CC basketball
Otsego County
Aubrey Jones, Gaylord — Oklahoma State softball
Jayden Janes, Gaylord — Oklahoma State softball (2024 grad. Transfer from Virginia Tech)
Kennedy Wangler, Gaylord — Ferris State softball
Zachary Cowper, Gaylord — Illinois State track and field
Keaton Abraham, Gaylord — Michigan Tech football
Connor Byram, Gaylord — Michigan Tech football
Lucas Green, Gaylord — Albion College baseball
Ella Moylan, Gaylord — Alma College track and field
Ava Wells, Gaylord — Lake Superior State volleyball
Jenna Sircely, Gaylord — Alpena CC softball
Daniel Jacobson, Gaylord St. Mary — Mid Michigan CC baseball
Allie Nowak, JoBurg — Michigan State track and field
Jeremiah Witt, JoBurg — Lake Superior State track and field
Brittney Fox, JoBurg — Alpena CC basketball and softball
Cheboygan County
Luke Munger, Cheboygan – Northwood football
Luke Hoskins, Cheboygan — Hiram College (Ohio) football
Sean Postula, Cheboygan – Rochester Community and Tech. College (Minn.) baseball
Aidan Fenstermaker, Inland Lakes – Alma College football
Luke Lovelace, Onaway – Alpena CC baseball
Charlotte Box, Onaway – North Central Michigan College basketball
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Meet the more than 60 Northern Michigan athletes heading to the collegiate ranks
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
