National Signing Day hit Southwest Missouri on Wednesday with local schools holding ceremonies for a bevy of student-athletes taking the next step athletically and academically by signing their National Letters of Intent.
Joplin held Signing Day ceremonies for five student-athletes—four football players and a volleyball player.
“It means a lot,” Joplin’s Luke Gunn said about playing football at Bethel College next season. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little kid to play college sports and compete at the next level. I’m glad all of the hard work I put in has paid off. I can’t wait to start the next chapter of my life.”
Joining Gunn at the next level from the Joplin football program, brothers Drew VanGilder and Draven VanGilder will be attending Truman State, while Terrance Gibson signed with Independence Community College.
“It meant a lot to me to have coaches all throughout that taught me how to work hard and how to grind,” Draven VanGilder said about his time with the coaches in the Joplin football program. “It meant a lot to me that they always cared about and supported me through thick and thin.
“I firmly believe that to be a successful athlete you must have people around you that support you. Along with that, friends, family and coaches pushed me to be the best version of me as well as developing me into the best player at my position that I could be. High school was a vital part in me being where I am today and I can’t thank everyone enough.”
Joplin volleyball’s Serafina Auberry is also headed to the college level. She will be attending Labette Community College.
“For me, it is a sign that if you want to, you can,” Auberry said about the opportunity to play college volleyball. “The love that I have for volleyball made me want to be on the court getting better and wanting it so bad that I pushed everyone around me to have the same feeling. It really means a lot because I never really thought that I was good enough but there is always a school for you if you want to continue playing any sport after high school.”
Also in the area, Webb City had seven student-athletes sign National Letters of Intent. Abi Street and Grayson Smith are both headed to college for track and field. Street is attending Kansas, while Smith is headed to Pittsburg State University.
William Wolfe, Tom Mouser and Lucas Ott are all headed to the next level for football. After their four-year careers with the Cardinals, Wolfe is headed to Pittsburg State, while Mouser is going to Missouri S&T. Ott signed his letter of intent with Arkansas State. Trey Roets is attending William Jewell College for football as well as track and field.
Also signing for Webb City was Sophia Whitesell, who is attending the University of Missouri St. Louis for swimming.
Next, Neosho High School football players Carter Baslee and Isaiah Green signed with Missouri Southern.
Of note, Carthage football’s Luke Gall (Air Force Academy), Hudson Moore (Independence Community College) and Micah Lindsey (Pittsburg State) will all be signing letters of intent at 2:40 p.m. on Thursday in NSD ceremonies.
