Six Saxony Lutheran seniors sign on to play collegiate sports

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) – Not one, not two–but six Crusaders signed with NCAA schools on Wednesday.

At a signing ceremony on May 8, Saxony Lutheran seniors put pen to paper to solidify their commitment to various collegiate institutions.

Amongst the mix of sports, Joe Zoellner signed for Millikin University for track and field, but also for football, a sport the Crusaders will only start sponsoring this fall. Zoellner originally intended to just be a thrower, but a visit to the school led to a meeting with the football coaches which changed everything.

“I went to Millikin to meet with the track team, and to see if it was a good fit, and it was a good fit,” he said. “While I was there, I met the football team too, and I really clicked with the coaches and the players, and it kind of just worked out.”

While the Crusaders don’t have much of a football legacy, Evie Caruso and Luke Eggemeyer represent Saxony’s strong legacy on the hardwood, with the two seniors signing for the Missouri Southern State and Concordia University Wisconsin Basketball teams, respectively.

Caruso reflected on how Saxony prepared her for collegiate basketball.

“They’ve done a great job. I mean, the coaches, teammates, everybody is just so great and without being here, I probably would have not even played in college,” she said.

Another Saxony basketball player, John Hartmann, is headed to SEMO, but for a different sport. Hartmann was convinced to try track and field this year, specifically high jump, and after just a couple of months in the sport, he is set to be a Division 1 high jumper.

“It’s crazy going from two months and not having anything with it and then somehow becoming a D1 athlete, it’s just–it’s insane,” he said.

Lastly, two Saxony teammates on the baseball diamond will continue being teammates in college, with both Owen Tarry and David Weinhold committing to play baseball at Westminster College.

Weinhold said that having a friend at college from high school will make the major life transition a bit easier.

“It’s going to be easier knowing somebody there and I think it’ll make an easier transition into college,” Weinhold said.

Overall, nine Crusaders seniors signed for collegiate athletic programs this year.

Copyright 2024 KFVS. All rights reserved.