The Nerd team loves competing and we want high school athletes to give a hard look at competing in college. Nebraska and the surrounding area provides ample options to compete at the JUCO, NAIA, D1, D2 or D3 divisions, and athletes at every level consistently tell us that being part of a team was one of the best things about their college experience. If you're still on the fence about whether to continue your competitive career, check out our article about competing in college. We've also compiled a list of Nebraska and nearby collegiate programs that you can use as a starting point.
We're posting our initial list in November but we understand that every athlete has a unique timeline for committing. Nerd Junior committed in February and Nerd the Third didn't commit until mid-April, so don't fret if you're still evaluating your options.
Here's a list of Class of 2023 commitments as reported by athletes, parents and coaches. We know it's incomplete. If you'd like to add an athlete to the list or see an error, please DM us on social media or e-mail us at jayslagle@hotmail.com.
Girls distance
Name, high school | College |
Kennedy Bartee, Lincoln High | Loyola Marymount |
Axi Benish, Leyton | UNO |
Zarah Blaesi, North Platte | UNK |
Natalie Briggs, Plattsmouth | College of St. Mary |
Gabriela Calderon, Bennington | UNO |
Delaney Catron, Millard South | Doane University |
Grace Colbert, Papillion | Doane University |
Meghan Cunningham, Elkhorn North | Wayne State |
Peyton Eby, Overton | Doane University |
Alyssa Ferguson, Harvard | Concordia University, NE |
Mira Fosmer, Louisville | College of St. Mary's |
Ashley Guatemala-Ortiz, Omaha South | Bellevue University |
Keelianne Green, Arlington | Concordia University, NE |
Isabella Hartnett, Millard West | Wichita State |
Laura Hasemann, Wayne | Doane University |
Danielle Hoer, Mercy | Hastings College |
Trinity Houchin, Minden | Concordia University, NE |
Yenifer Juan Jesus, Omaha South | College of St. Mary |
Callie Kirchner, Millard West | Wayne State |
Tayden Kirchner, Ogallala | Concordia University, NE |
Portia Kollars, Kearney | Hastings College |
Emily Lytle, Pawnee City | Doane University |
Madison Lytle, Pawnee City | Doane University |
Gabby Marryott, Lincoln North Star | Doane University |
Christina Martinson, Bloomfield | Concordia University, NE |
Julianna Maxfield, Fullerton | Tabor College (Hillsboro, KS) |
Kaitlyn Minarik, Fremont Bergan | NWMSU |
Morgan Morrison, DC West | Doane University |
Chaney Nelson, Oakland Craig | Doane University |
Berlyn Schutz, Lincoln East | UNL |
Lily Schwartz, LSW | UNO |
Jadyn Scott, Gering | Doane University |
Madison Seiler, Gering | Kenesaw State |
Karli Shoemaker, Hastings | Doane University |
Jaci Sievers, Elkhorn South | University of Tennessee |
Josie Smith, Sumner-Eddyville-Miller | Concordia University, NE |
Kaitlyn Thalman, Fort Calhoun | College of St. Mary |
Alayna Vargas, Hastings St. Cecilia | Concordia University, NE |
Shawn Wilkinson, McCook | UNK |
Boys distance
Name, high school | College |
Oscar Aguado-Mendez, Lexington | UNK |
Miguel Alarcon-Chavez, Crete | Doane University |
Angelo Baez, Omaha South | Iowa Western |
Chandler Berry, Palmyra | Buena Vista |
Evan Brown, Lincoln Southwest | Nebraska Wesleyan |
Oscar Ceballos, Omaha South | Southeast CC |
Eric Chatham, Gretna | Clarke University, IA |
Bo Crews, Papio South | South Alabama |
Grant Dixon, Elkhorn South | South Dakota |
Ben Ehrenberg, Cornerstone Christian | Concordia University, NE |
Reed Emsick, Omaha Burke | UNK |
Isaac Graff, Lincoln East | Kansas |
Luke Hammang, Arlington | Concordia University, NE |
Ashton Hughes, Cornerstone Christian | Northwestern College, IA |
Gabe Jenny, North Platte | Doane University |
Luke Johnson, Elkhorn South | South Dakota State |
Quin Karas, Papillion South | UNK |
Josh Knispel, Elkhorn South | Nebraska Wesleyan |
Noah Lawrence, Columbus | UNK |
Kale Maguire, Southern | Doane University |
Eli Marez, Gering | Doane University |
Piercze Marshall, Millard West | South Dakota |
Sean Murphy, Millard West | South Dakota State |
Nate Nelson, West Holt | Concordia University, NE |
Trenton Neville, McCool Junction | Hastings College |
Nate O'Brien, Bellevue East | Doane University |
Enoc Ortega, Omaha South | Bellevue University |
Noah Osmond, Broken Bow | Northern Colorado |
Colin Pinneo, York | Concordia University, NE |
David Preciado, Omaha South | Iowa Western |
Connor Reeson, Gretna | UNK |
Trey Robertson, Wallace | Concordia University, NE |
Caleb Schlicting, BRLD | Concordia University, NE |
Justin Sherman, Cornerstone | Concordia University, NE |
Nolan Slominski, Blair | Dakota State |
Brady VanBoening, Holdrege | Hastings College |
Tommy Vasquez, OBurke | Nebraska Wesleyan |
Girls sprints/hurdles
Name, high school | College |
Taylor Bredthauer, Norris | South Dakota |
Kate Campos, Lincoln Pius | Wichita State |
Hadley Cheatum, Summerland | South Dakota |
Caydence Cuss, Crete | Doane University |
Aaliyah Franklin, Omaha Burke | UNK |
Molly Frenzen, Columbus Lakeview | Concordia University, NE |
Ella Gardner, Superior | North Dakota State |
Mya Gawriych, Grand Island | Concordia University, NE |
Kiley Hejtmanek, Maywood | Doane University |
Neryah Hekl, Lincoln High | Missouri State |
Allison Isaacson, Millard South | College of St. Mary |
Jaelynn Kosmos, Beatrice | Concordia University, NE |
Maggie Madsen, Elkhorn South | South Dakota State |
Ali McNair, Chase County | Concordia University, NE |
Kiki Nyanok, Heartland Lutheran | Concordia University, NE |
Kailyn Paul, Meridian | Concordia University, NE |
Clair Raszick, Lincoln High | Nebraska Wesleyan |
Halie Recoy, South Loup | Hastings College |
Bethany Schumacher, Papillion South | Nebraska Wesleyan |
Olivia Strako, Omaha Marian | Rockhurst University |
RaeAnn Thompson, Falls City | Doane University |
Avyn Urbanski, GINW | UNO |
Kylah Vogel, Crawford | Midland University |
Kennedy Wade, Bennington | South Dakota |
Haven Zimmerman, Conestoga | UNK |
Boys sprints/hurdles
Name, high school | College |
Will Benson, Mount Michael | Benedictine College |
Tyler Carroll, Central City | Wichita State |
Caden Denker, David City | South Dakota |
Zach Fox, Wahoo | Doane University |
Jack Gillogly, Creighton Prep | UNL |
Andrew Harms, Sterling | Doane University |
Luke Heck, Creighton Prep | Rockhurst |
Jacob Horner, Elkhorn North | South Dakota |
Noah Hudnall, Lincoln Southeast | Hastings College |
Andrew (AJ) Jones, Creighton Prep | Notre Dame |
Branden Koranda, Mead | Concordia University, NE |
Christian Lanphier, Creighton Prep | North Dakota State |
Jackson Lindburg, Cross County | Concordia University, NE |
Blake McLain, Lincoln East | Nebraska Wesleyan |
Gabe Miles, Lincoln East | North Dakota State |
Alex Pierce, East Butler | Nebraska Wesleyan |
Xander Provance, Chadron | South Dakota |
Daniel Puppe, LCC | Mount Marty |
Carson Staehr, Aurora | USD |
Jackson Trompke, Cambridge | Hastings College |
Jeremiah Truitt, Westside | Southwest Minnesota State |
Landon Washington, Omaha Burke | Concordia University, NE |
Isaiah Zelasney, Osceola | Northwest Missouri State |
Girls field events
Name, high school | College |
Emma Anibal, Bennington | UNO |
Jerika Bakenhus, Lincoln North Star | Wayne State |
Kendall Batenhorst, Columbus | Concordia University, NE |
McKenzie Bohlen, Sandy Creek | Concordia University, NE |
Kalee Brosius, North Platte | Concordia University, NE |
Michalee Brownawell, Hershey | UNK |
Sage Burbach, Norris | UNL |
Delaney Burge, Elkhorn South | Doane University |
Sydney Davis, Centura | UNK |
Britta Deden, Ord | Doane University |
Emily Ehlers, Wilber-Clatonia | Doane University |
Ella Jacobson, Holdrege | UNK |
Brittni Kinne, McCook | Concordia University, NE |
Jordyn Kleveland, Beatrice | Hastings College |
Emma Kucera, Gibbon | Concordia University, NE |
Karsyn Leeling, Sidney | Doane University |
Kaylie Lotspeich, Chase County | Doane University |
Jasmine Moats, Elkhorn South | UNK |
Cassie Peatrowsky, GACC | Concordia University, NE |
Kaylee Pribyl, Merdian | Doane University |
Mae Siegel, NP St. Pats | South Dakota |
Jessica Stieb, Arcadia Loup City | Michigan State |
Savannah Suer, Fremont | Concordia University, NE |
Jolee Wiese, Waverly | Doane University |
Ali Wiseman, Gretna | UNO |
Jaime Wysocki, Elba | Midland University |
Mya Zohner, Battle Creek | Mount Marty |
Boys field events
Name, high school | College |
Nathan Baldwin, Sutton | Concordia University, NE |
Ty Beetison, Ashland-Greenwood | Midland University |
Lucas Beversdorf, McCool Junction | Hastings College |
Jackson Block, Hastings | Hastings College |
Sam Boettcher, Ord | UNK |
Sam Cappos, Lincoln East | Arizona State |
John Clausen, Norfolk Catholic | UNK |
Tad Dimmitt, Sandhills Valley | Doane University |
Caiden Fredrick, Papio South | South Dakota State |
Michael Johnson, Papio South | Concordia University, NE |
Jackson Kessler, Lincoln Pius | Doane University |
Cameron Leeling, Sidney | Doane University |
Jaylen Lloyd, Omaha Central | UNL |
Bennett Meyer, Scribner | Midland University |
Jaxson Ninete, Elkhorn | Wayne State |
Jonah Paulsen, Saint Paul | Concordia University, NE |
Keegan Petersen, Elkhorn Valley | Concordia University, NE |
Jonathan Schmidt, Hastings | Doane University |
Spencer Snodgrass, Northwest | Doane University |
Nolan Studley, Hastings | UNK |
Jace Vorhees, Syracuse | Midland University |
Zack Watson, Kearney | UNK |
Michael Willey, Crete | Doane University |
Hunter Wyland, Hemingford | Hastings College |