With school winding down, four student athletes at Statesboro High School had some last minute decisions as to where they will be attending college this fall. Jaden Adams and Tyler Goodman are off to Shorter University in Rome, GA. Madelyn Fennell will be heading to Andrew College in Cuthbert, GA and Kasey Baynon will be attending Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, GA.
The highly decorated Baynon became the first female wrestler in the state of Georgia to place in the GHSA Traditional Wrestling state finals this year.
“I’m really excited about finally getting the chance to go up there and start school,” Baynon said. “I’ve known the wrestlers, and the coaches for a while. The head coach is stepping down, but his wife is taking over, and she has experience wrestling on the world level which should really help me a lot.”
Fennell started in left field on the Blue Devil softball team, who advanced to the second round of the state playoffs this year. Fennell made a late decision to continue her playing career and found just the right school in Andrew College.
“I only decided pretty recently to try and play softball on the next level,” Fennell said. “Andrew College offered me a chance, and I am excited about the opportunity. It’s a small town, and a small school, but they have a good softball program and I think it’s just what I was looking for.”
Adams and Goodman will be joining a couple of Blue Devil football players as they attend Shorter University this fall, as Tupac Lanier and Zach Anderson committed earlier this year.
For Adams it’s a chance to continue his outstanding senior season in track, at a school he had the opportunity to visit when the Blue Devils ran track there recently.
“I had a chance to visit the campus when we ran up there at a track meet earlier this season,” Adams said. “It’s nice to have friends heading up there like Tupac, Zach and Tyler, that made my decision even easier.”
Goodman is hoping to carry his success from playing on the Blue Devil basketball team, where he advanced to the state four straight seasons, onto the college level.
“Out of all the colleges I visited Shorter University felt the most like home,” Goodman said. “It’s a small, tight environment where everyone feels like family. They take a lot of pride in saying you are a student first, and an athlete second, and I’m excited about the opportunity.”
