Three Hutchinson High School senior athletes signed letters of intent Wednesday morning during HHS College Signing Day at the Salthawk Activity Center.
Lakin Franz signed to play baseball at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Reyjon Redenbaugh will play soccer at Manhattan Christian College and Daylee Van Syckle will play football at Coffeyville Community College.
Franz, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound pitcher/catcher on a 17-9 Hutchinson team that just swept a doubleheader from Derby Tuesday, will major in sports management and business at KWU.
Franz was recognized on the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division I his sophomore year (honorable mention catcher) and junior year (second-team utility player). He also competed on the Hutchinson boys swim team.
Franz said he was influenced to sign with KWU because of the “ability to pursue a baseball career and the location and culture of the school.”
Franz joins a Kansas Wesleyan baseball program that lost to Oklahoma Wesleyan 6-4 in the KCAC Tournament Championship game Sunday at Great Bend.
The Coyotes set a school record for victories with 44 and will compete in the NAIA National Championship Tournament opening round May 13-16.
Redenbaugh was a key member of the Hutchinson boys soccer team that posted a 7-9-1 record in 2023. The Salthawks lost to Wichita Bishop Carroll 8-0 in Kansas Class 5A West Regional #4.
Redenbaugh has not decided on a major but is leaning toward business.
“The staff, soccer team and coach were very welcoming and friendly,” said Redenbaugh. “Also I have previous teammates and friends that attended Manhattan Christian College.”
The MCC roster includes Hutchinson High School alumnus Chris Smith II, who will be a junior next season.
The MCC Thunder men’s soccer team posted a 7-10-1 record in 2023 with a 3-3 record in the Midwest Christian College Conference.
The Thunder lost 4-3 to No. 1-seed Kansas Christian College in the National Christian College Athletic Association Regional Tournament Championship.
MCC went 3-2 at home, 2-8 on the road and 2-0 on neutral-site soccer fields.
Van Syckle was a key contributor to the Hutchinson High Salthawk football team that posted a 7-3 record in 2023. The Salthawks averaged 34.6 points and 325 yards of total offense per game (257.9 rushing and 67.1 passing).
Van Syckle, a 6-4, 230-pound offensive tackle, was a three-year starter for the Salthawks and coach Mike Vernon. He was a two-time First Team All-State selection in Kansas Class 5A.
Van Syckle, who is undecided on a major at KWU, said he was influenced by “the ability to play at the next level.”
He also was a Class 5A First Team Offense selection by Sports in Kansas and was named to the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League First Team on offense.
Van Syckle also was named to the Wichita Area Large School All-Vype Football Team on the offensive line.
HCC’s Alejandra Briseno to play volleyball at Chadron State
Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragon volleyball player Alejandra Briseno signed a letter of intent to continue playing volleyball at Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb.
Briseno is a 5-foot-9 sophomore outside hitter from Jalisco, Mexico, via the Tecnologico de Monterrey Campus.
The Hutchinson CC volleyball went 24-15 during the 2023 season, finished in a second-place tie in the Jayhawk Conference and lost in the first round of the Plains District Tournament.
HCC posted a 26-12 record during the 2022 season and lost in the second round of the Plains District Tournament.
Briseno was named honorable mention on the 2023 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division I Volleyball all-conference team.
She averaged 1.40 kills on .125 hitting in 2023. She averaged 1.98 digs per set and had 35 total blocks and 31 aces this season.
Chadron State College, an NCAA Division II school, posted a 15-12 record during the 2023 season (8-6 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference).
The Eagles lost to Regis University in the first round of the RMAC Tournament.
HCC’s Cooper Wesslund to play baseball at UNO
Hutchinson Community College sophomore shortstop Cooper Wesslund recently announced on his X/Twitter page that he has committed to play baseball at the University of Nebraska-Omaha for the Mavericks.
“I am very excited and blessed to announce my commitment to the University of Nebraska-Omaha to continue my academic and athletic career,” Wesslund said on X/Twitter page.
Wesslund, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound sophomore, will be playing close to home. He is from Lincoln, Neb., and graduated from Lincoln North High School.
“I want to thank all my coaches, teammates, friends, and family that have helped me through this process,” Wesslund said.
Wesslund is one of several Blue Dragon baseball players who will be playing at the four-year level. He will join HCC outfielder Kael Babin as a UNO commit.
Wesslund has played in 98 games for the Blue Dragons (50 his freshman year and 48 so far his sophomore year).
During his sophomore season, Wesslund is batting .424 (70 hits in 165 at-bats) and has scored 47 runs.
He has 14 doubles, three triples, one home run, 44 RBI, walked 10 times, struck out 156 times and has 23 stolen bases in 26 attempts. He has a .481 on-base percentage and a .564 slugging percentage.
Wesslund has improved his batting average 204 points over the .220 he hit his freshman year and has doubled his hits from 35.
Last year, Wesslund had four doubles, three triples, 25 walks, 28 strikeouts and 13 RBI. He stole 12 bases in 13 attempts. His on-base percentage was .364 and his slugging percentage was .283.
In addition to his offense, Wesslund also excels on defense. He made an incredible diving catch in foul territory on Thursday’s 3-0 victory for the No. 17 Blue Dragons over Allen County at Hobart-Detter Field.
Wesslund has made just 10 errors in 204 total chances this year with 138 assists, 56 putouts and 16 double plays for a .951 fielding percentage.
Last year, Wesslund made 13 errors in 207 total chances, 76 putouts, 118 assists and 13 double plays for a .937 fielding percentage.
The Blue Dragons have an overall record of 44-11 and a 27-5 mark in Jayhawk Conference play. HCC posted a 22-2 record at Hobart-Detter Field, have an 18-9 road record and are 3-0 on neutral site playing fields.
Wesslund and his Blue Dragon teammates have scored 549 runs in 55 games with a .356 batting average, .469 on-base percentage and a .545 slugging percentage.
The Blue Dragons have 195 stolen bases (120 in conference play) and have been caught just 19 times (10 in conference play).
Wesslund is one of six Blue Dragons with 16 or more stolen bases this season.
Wesslund and his Blue Dragon teammates will be in action Thursday through Saturday at home against Labette Community College in a best-of-three Plains District/Region 6 sub-regional series.
Sub-regional winners advance to the 2024 Plains District/Region 6 baseball tournament May 15-19 at Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium-Tyler Field.
The NJCAA Division I World Series will take place May 25-June 1 at Sam Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Colo.
Other Blue Dragon baseball commitments
Other Blue Dragon baseball spring signing commitments: Infielder Hank Griffin, University of Mary; pitcher Ethan Giesbrecht, Kansas State University; pitcher Jacob Hadden, University of Texas-Tyler; catcher Colin Cymbalista (Wesslund’s HCC roommate), University of Nebraska; pitcher Bradley Neill, Pittsburg State University; and pitcher Caden Wanless, University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley.
Blue Dragon baseball fall signing commitments: Braden Sunken, Maryville University; Cade Vanis, Concordia University; Gus McKay, University of Incarnate Word; and Cody Gunderson, University of Charlotte.
Sophomore Luis Pimentel-Guerrero, who has a slash line of .408/.511/.659 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) with 26 extra-base hits and 16 stolen bases, has not signed with a program for next season.
Danny Saili to play football at Arkansas
Hutchinson Community College football player Danny Saili will be an Arkansas Razorback next season.
Saili and the University of Arkansas announced, and Blue Dragon Sports on X/Twitter reposted, that Saili has committed to play for the Razorback football team.
Saili chose Arkansas following an official visit to Fayetteville. After playing at HCC, Saili signed with Big 12 school BYU at midterm, but changed his mind and entered the transfer portal.
“There’s many reasons,” Saili told Otis Kirk of Pig Trail Nation, which covers University of Arkansas athletics. “First of all, it’s SEC football. That’s the highest of high you can play in college. I want to be developed the right way so I can achieve my dreams. They can help me and I can help them ultimately at the end of the day.
“The defensive scheme and how the defensive line gets to go out there and show their talents. They are out there to make plays and that’s what really attracted me here.”
Saili, who wore No. 88 for the Blue Dragons but is shown wearing a No. 55 Arkansas jersey in a social media post from the school, is a 6-foot-2, 360-pound defensive tackle from Topeka High School.
In 10 games for the Blue Dragons as a sophomore, Saili made 21 tackles with 4 sacks, 7.5 TFLs (tackles for loss), blocked 1 pass and forced 1 fumble.
The Blue Dragons posted a 10-1 record in 2023, losing to East Mississippi State College 27-23 in the NJCAA Division I semifinals.
As a freshman, Saili played 11 games. He made 18 tackles, recorded 1 sack and 3.5 TFLs.
In 2022, Hutchinson posted an 11-1 record, losing to Iowa Western Community College 31-0 in the NJCAA national championship game.
Saili will join fellow Hutchinson Blue Dragon Tyrell Reed, a 5-9, 205-pound running back at Arkansas. Reed played one season at HCC and will be a sophomore at Arkansas.
Reed, who hails from Topeka but attended Lawrence High School, rushed for 833 yards and scored 13 touchdowns for the Blue Dragons.
The Razorbacks added six other players through the transfer portal: Quarterback Blake Bode, Coastal Carolina; running back Rodney Hill, Florida State; offensive lineman Joe More, Syracuse; linebacker Stephen Dix, Marshall; linebacker Larry Worth, Jacksonville State; and safety/linebacker Anthony Switzer, Utah State.