Indiana College Signings: Purdue Wrestling Signs 2 in Class of 2020

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue wrestling head coach Tony Ersland added two members to the Boilermaker family on Wednesday, signing Gerrit Nijenhuis and Jake Rundell to national letters of intent. The high school standouts have a laundry list of successes, victories and achievements and are excited to begin their Boilermaker careers under Ersland and his staff.

"To say that we're excited about this class would be a huge understatement," said Ersland. "To be able to sign not one, but two guys with this kind of achievement, pedigree and wrestling ability, is a fantastic indicator of the direction of our program. Gerrit and Jake are outstanding additions to our room and have very bright futures ahead of them."

GERRIT NIJENHUIS

HIGH SCHOOL • Three-year varsity letterwinner at Canon-McMillen High School • 2019 Pennsylvania High School State Champion at 170 pounds • Won the 2019 Super 32 Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina at 182 pounds • Finished second at the 2019 Fargo Freestyle Junior Championships • Placed third at the 2018 Pennsylvania High School State Championships at 160 pounds • Took third at 152 pounds as a freshman at the 2017 Pennsylvania High School State Championships

NATIONAL RANKINGS • Named the No. 14 pound-for-pound wrestler in the country by FloWrestling (10/18) • Tabbed the No. 12 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by FloWrestling (10/18) • Listed as the No. 29 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by TrackWrestling (9/26) • Ranked No. 2 at 182 pounds by FloWrestling (10/18) • Ranked No. 3 in the nation at 182 by The Open Mat (10/23) and InterMat (11/6)

VARSITY RECORD • 2017-18 (170): 44-3 • 2016-17 (160): 44-6 • 2015-16 (152): 46-7 • TOTAL: 134-16 (.893)

PERSONAL • Full Name: Gerrit Nijenhuis • Major: Undecided • Birthday: July, 6, 2001 • City Born: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Parents: Rabo and Beth Nijenhuis • Siblings: Sister, Skylar, who intends to join the cheerleading squad at Purdue "Gerrit is an extremely aggressive wrestler, which is a great fit for our program. He has an outstanding single-leg attack that creates most of his offense, has a great arm-bar series on top and his ability to scramble makes him dangerous in every position. His mullet has already garnered a ton of media attention, and we think his wrestling is bound to do the same thing." - Tony Ersland

JAKE RUNDELL

Aiming to compete at 125 pounds for the Boilermakers, Rundell comes to Purdue from Oak Park & River Forest High School in Illinois. A 2018 Illinois High School State Champion with 92 career victories, Rundell was third at this year's Super 32 Tournament at 126 pounds, is a four-time Fargo Freestyle All-American, won FloNationals at 55 kgs in freestyle and Greco and earned a gold medal in the Pan-American Games. He owns national rankings in every poll available and is regarded as a top lightweight prospect in the nation.

HIGH SCHOOL • Three-year varsity letterwinner at Oak Park & River Forest High School • 2018 Illinois High School AAA State Champion at 106 pounds • Finished 40-3 in his junior season and ranked No. 1 in the state, but missed the state championships due to illness • Placed third at 126 pounds at the 2019 Super 32 Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina • Four-time Fargo Freestyle All-American, placing at 100 pounds in 2016 and 2017, at 113 in 2018 and 120 pounds in 2019 • 2019 FloNationals Freestyle & Greco-Roman Champion at 55 kg • 2018 Cadet Pan American games gold medalist in freestyle and Greco-Roman, surrendering a combined two points in the two styles

NATIONAL RANKINGS • Listed as the No. 108 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by FloWrestling (10/18) • Named the No. 70 overall recruit in the class of 2020 by TrackWrestling (9/26) • Ranked No. 9 in the nation at 126 pounds by The Open Mat (10/23) • Ranked No. 10 at 126 by InterMat (11/6) • Ranked No. 11 at 126 by FloWrestling (10/18)

VARSITY RECORD • 2017-18 (113): 40-3 • 2016-17 (106): 48-2 • 2015-16 (106): 4-3 • TOTAL: 92-8 (.920)

PERSONAL • Full Name: Jacob Rundell • Major: Engineering • Birthday: August 16, 2002 • City Born: Chicago, Illinois • Parents: Michael and Veronica Rundell • Siblings: Brothers – Matthew, Michael and Joshua "It's incredible to see an athlete of Jake's size and stature that has as much strength and power that he does. He's an animal on top and will be very impressive in that position in his career. Jake is an outstanding competitor and every time he puts his foot on the line you know you're going to get every once of everything he's got." - Tony Ersland

Wisconsin volleyball signs three top-30 players Demps, Hammill and Robinson join Badgers

MADISON, Wis. – Three of the top-30 players in the country have signed National Letters of Intent to play volleyball at Wisconsin, head coach Kelly Sheffield announced on Wednesday.

Jade Demps, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Raleigh, North Carolina;

"I really like this class a lot,” said Sheffield. “All three absolutely love to compete. They don't flinch and they don't back down in big moments. All three of them are very confident in themselves but they all are extremely driven to learn and get better. They've all had coaches around them that have pushed them and helped them develop. They also have personalities that people are drawn to. I think Badger fans are really going to enjoy watching this group."

Jade Demps 6-2 • OH • Raleigh, N.C. • Broughton High School • Coach Drew Hermanson NC Volleyball Academy Coach • Keisha Demps

 Ranked No. 13 on PrepVolleyball Senior Aces  2018-19 USA Volleyball Girls Youth National Training Team  2017, 2018 and 2019 PrepVolleyball All-American  2018 AVCA North Carolina Player of the Year  2018 Gatorade State Player of the Year Finalist  2019 Ultra Ankle JVA All-National Team  2017 and 2018 Ultra Ankle JVA All-American  2017, 2018 and 2019 Conference Player of the Year  Two-Time High School Female Athlete of the Year  Earned USATF All-American honors in the high jump and pentathlon Sheffield on Demps: "Jade is a beast. She's got a heavy arm and is someone who hits with power. She's young for her grade and still has a way to go to grow into her incredible potential, but it's there. She's a really nice athlete and was a track and field All-American in the pentathlon. I can see her on the left or right here."

MJ Hammill 6-0 • S • Greenwood, Ind. • Center Grove High School • Coach Chris Due Munciana Volleyball Club • Mike Lingenfelter

 Ranked No. 30 on PrepVolleyball Senior Aces  2019 Ultra Ankle JVA All-National Team  Three-time first-team All-State  Two-time County Player of the Year  Has more than 3,500 assists and 1,000 digs in her career; also adds more than 150 aces and 500 kills  Aided Center Grove High School to a semifinal appearance in the 2019 Indiana State Tournament  Earned Academic All-State and Academic All-Conference honors Sheffield on Hammill: "MJ is a very mature, focused, and driven competitor. People love playing with her and for her. She has a very high motor and is constantly searching for ways to get better. One of the traits that great setters have is the ability to make those around them better, and MJ has that."

Devyn Robinson 6-2 • MB • Ankeny, Iowa • Ankeny Centennial High School • Coach Jessica Rinehart Iowa Powerplex Volleyball Club • Keke Palea

 Ranked No. 14 on PrepVolleyball Senior Aces  Member of the 2018 and 2019 USA Volleyball Girls Youth National Team; won gold medals at the 2018 NORCECA Championship in Honduras and 2019 World Under 18 Championships in Egypt; Named Best Blocker in the 2019 tournament  2016 and 2018 Iowa State Class 5A champions  Earned all-state tournament honors in 2017 and 2018  2019 All-USA Preseason Volleyball Team  Holds high school record for most blocks in a season Sheffield on Robinson: "Devyn has the potential to be a big-time player for us. She wants to own the net, which is a mentality that every great blocker must have. She can hit first, second, and third tempo and off of one or two feet. I can see her in the middle or on the right for us."

Cameron Grant Signs NLI With Ball State Women’s Basketball

MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State women’s basketball team signed one of Michigan’s top high school players to a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period today.

The Cardinals welcome forward Cameron Grant from Macomb, Mich., who has been a three-year standout for Dakota High School. Grant was highly recruited high school player, receiving over 25 Division I offers before ultimately finding her home at Ball State.

“We are extremely excited about bringing Cameron into our Ball State Women’s Basketball family,” Ball State eighth-year head coach Brady Sallee said. “Her skill set is a perfect fit in our system. She is a tough, physical and hard-nosed forward with tremendous touch. She is a true student of the game and I look forward to watching her chase her dreams in a Cardinal uniform.”

Grant began her stellar career at Dakota by starting as a true freshman, earning All-MAC Red and All-Macomb Honorable Mention. She also averaged 9.3 points per game, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting a staggering 42 percent from the field.

She continued to carry her talents into her sophomore season with numerous awards, including making the All-MAC Red First Team. She received third team honors from the city of Macomb and the Detroit News. Grant was tabbed Honorable Mention for the Detroit News Dream Team and the BCAM (Basketball Coaches of Michigan) Division I award. As a sophomore, Grant averaged 12.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.6 blocks while shooting 41 percent from the field.

Grant was having her best season yet in 2018-19, averaging 15.2 points, 10 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 3.2 blocks a contest before suffering an ankle injury. Despite only playing 11 games, Grant still was awarded All-MAC Honorable Mention, All-Macomb Third Team and BCAM Honorable Mention.

In just three seasons, Grant has helped lead Dakota to its best three-year overall record in program history (50-20) while also guiding the Cougars to two MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) District championships and a MHSAA Regional title. Dakota was also named the 2017-18 Macomb County Team of the Year.

“Cameron gives up a lot for her team to be successful,” Dakota Varsity Girls head coach Phil McCure said. “Cameron is a leader both on and off the floor, while excelling in the classroom. We expect even greater things from Cameron during her senior season.”

Beals Signs 10 for the 2021 Season Nine members of the class are from the state of Ohio while one hails from Illinois

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Greg Beals, Ohio State baseball head coach, announced Wednesday the signing of 10 student-athletes for the 2021 season. Nine of the 10 signees are from Ohio with another from Illinois. The group includes six pitchers, three outfielders and one catcher.

“This class has potential for great development,” Beals said. “In a program that prides itself on our player development, we are excited to announce this class of future Buckeyes. Once again we have attracted a group of young men with a strong history of success on and off the field. The 2020 recruiting class will continue the upward climb of our program.” The signing class includes: Andrew Clelland (RHP/1B/Cadiz, Ohio), Isaiah Coupet (LHP/Flossmoor, Ill.), Brady Emerson (OF/New Concord, Ohio), Nathan Haberthier (RHP/Liberty Township, Ohio), Trent Jones (RHP/OF/Canton, Ohio), Kade Kern (OF/Archbold, Ohio), Caden Kline (LHP/Defiance, Ohio), Mike Sokol (RHP/New Albany, Ohio), Evan Ulrich (C/Ostrander, Ohio) and Mackenzie Wainwright (OF/Cleveland, Ohio).

“It is also imperative that I recognize the tireless work of assistant coaches Matt Angle and Dan DeLucia on the recruiting trail,” Beals added. “It requires great work from our entire staff, including Shaun Swearingen, our academic advisor, and Dean Hansen, our strength coach, to land such a strong group of future Buckeyes.”

Andrew Clelland – RHP/1B – R/R – 6-5, 190 Cadiz, Ohio – Harrison Central H.S. Andrew is the son of Rick and Amy Clelland and plays for Mike Valesco at Harrison Central High School … plays summer ball for Team Ohio Pro Select/Team All-American … 2019 Division II All-Ohio … 2019 First Team All-OVAC … 2019 Perfect Game Underclassmen Preseason All-American … has posted a 1.52 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched while hitting .439 with 15 doubles, eight home runs 77 runs scored and 65 RBI over three seasons … intends to major in health and rehabilitation sciences.

Why Clelland chose Ohio State: “I have always dreamed of playing Division I baseball at Ohio State. It’s an incredible honor to represent my hometown and home state. My entire family has supported my decision to play at Ohio State and that’s very important to me. Ohio State is a place where I can grow as a baseball player but as a young man as well. The coaching staff is amazing and made me feel like I belonged at Ohio State. Having the chance to spend time with all the players on my official visit really made me feel the bond and the brotherhood that Coach Beals and Coach DeLucia speak about. Ohio State gives me the opportunity to receive an amazing education while still being close to home and that means a lot to me.”

Beals on Clelland: “Andrew is a long, lean athlete who creates serious leverage both on the mound and at the plate. Andrew will have the opportunity to compete as a pitcher and hitter. We are very excited about his future development.”

Isaiah Coupet – LHP – L/L – 6-1, 170 Flossmoor, Ill. – Homewood-Flossmoor H.S. Isaiah is the son of Ernst and Carol Coupet and plays for John McCarthy at Homewood- Flossmoor High School … plays summer ball for Lou Collier A’s … All-SWSC selection … posted a 2.05 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 44.1 innings pitched as a junior … intends to major in data analytics.

Why Coupet chose Ohio State: “I chose Ohio State because of its great academics and the great baseball coaching staff.”

Beals on Coupet: “Isaiah is a quick-twitch athlete who projects to continue to develop. His ability to throw three pitches for strikes makes him very tough on hitters and will give him an opportunity to compete early on as a Buckeye.”

Brady Emerson – OF – L/L – 5-9, 165 New Concord, Ohio – John Glenn H.S. Brady is the son of Jamie and Stacie Emerson and plays for Brad Barclay at John Glenn High School … plays summer ball for Ohio Elite … Second Team All-Ohio as a junior and First Team All-Ohio as a sophomore … two-time First Team MVL and 2018 MVL Player of the Year … has hit .372 with 12 doubles, eight triples, one home run and 45 stolen bases in high school career.

Why Emerson chose Ohio State: “It’s always been my dream to be a Buckeye. The atmosphere in the locker room and campus is second to none. Ohio State gives me the opportunity to compete on and off the field. I can’t wait to get on the field as a Buckeye!”

Beals on Emerson: “Brady is a speedy, skilled player. He’s a prototype centerfielder, top-of- the-order hitter. He possesses advanced skills defensively and as a bunter and baserunner.”

Nathan Haberthier – RHP – R/R – 6-5, 215 Liberty Township, Ohio – Lakota East H.S. Nathan is the son of Bill and Kelli Haberthier and plays for Ray Hamilton at Lakota East High School … plays summer ball for Cincinnati Flames … 2019 Honorable Mention All- Ohio … two time First Team All-GMC .. 2019 First Team All-Cincinnati Enquirer … went 7-1 with a 1.03 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched as a junior … intends to major in business administration.

Why Haberthier chose Ohio State: “It always has been a dream of mine to play college baseball in a Power 5 conference. It’s an honor to have the chance to wear Ohio State across my chest and be a part of the Buckeye family and to represent my home state.”

Beals on Haberthier: “Nate possesses the great combination of velocity and movement on his pitches. His ability to sink the fastball and compete make us really excited to have him joining our pitching staff.”

Trent Jones – RHP/OF – L/R – 6-3, 185 Canton, Ohio – Massillon Jackson H.S. Trent is the son of Rick and Amy Jones and plays for Bill Gamble at Massillon Jackson High School … plays summer ball for Manchester A’s … 2019 PBR Second Team All-Ohio … 2019 Second Team All-Northeast Ohio … 2019 Second Team All-Federal League … went 7-0 with a 0.83 ERA while hitting .365 as a junior … intends to major in business.

Why Jones chose Ohio State: “Ohio State feels like a family. The coaching staff welcomed me with open arms. I have always wanted to attend Ohio State since I was a little kid playing coach pitch. I’d like to thank God, my family and my friends for being alongside me in the recruiting process. I’d like to thank the Ohio State coaching staff for welcoming me into their outstanding program. Lastly, I’d like to thank all of my high school coaches that have helped develop me into the man I am today and my summer ball coaches for helping me with the recruiting process and getting me the exposure I needed.”

Beals on Jones: “Trent is a tooled athlete who can run, throw, hit, defend and pitch. A left- handed hitting outfielder with range and a smooth swing. We are also excited about his future development on the mound. Trent has a clean arm. His athleticism and versatility will certainly be an asset to our program.”

Kade Kern – OF – R/R – 6-0, 195 Archbold, Ohio – Archbold H.S. Kade is the son of Keith and Kim Kern and plays for Dick Selgo at Archbold High School … plays summer ball for Ohio Elite … two-time PBR First Team All-Ohio … 2019 Division III Position Player of the Year … 2019 Rawlings Perfect Game All-American … two-time First Team All-NWOAL and OHSCA Second Team All-Ohio … has hit .406 with 22 doubles, five triples, 81 RBI and 77 runs scored in high school career.

Why Kern chose Ohio State: “It always has been a dream of mine to play baseball at Ohio State. The combination of academics, athletics, tradition and the people made this a place a wanted to be a part of.”

Beals on Kern: “Kade is a physical, fast-twitched athlete. He has trained hard to put himself in a position to compete early on here. His power potential and feel for hitting are a great combination.”

Caden Kline – LHP – L/L – 6-3, 185 Defiance, Ohio – Defiance H.S. Caden is the son of Kevin and Laura Kline and plays for Tom Held at Defiance High School … plays summer ball for Cincinnati Flames … struck out 68 of 173 batters faced as a junior … went 3-0 with a 0.98 ERA last summer for Cincinnati Flames … intends to major in finance.

Why Kline chose Ohio State: “As a lifelong Buckeye fan, I am excited to be a part of the winning tradition at Ohio State and to learn from a coaching staff that I know will take care of me.”

Beals on Kline: “Caden is a three-sport athlete who we are very excited about. His long, lean frame combined with him concentrating on one sport projects for serious development and makes for a high ceiling of growth.”

Mike Sokol – RHP – R/R – 6-3, 185 New Albany, Ohio – New Albany H.S. Mike is the son of Tim and Jackie Sokol and plays for Dave Starling at New Albany High School … plays summer ball for Ohio Elite … 2019 PBR Preseason All-Ohio … 2019 Second Team All-OCC Capital Conference … 2018 PBR Futures Game participant … went 7-1 with a 1.57 ERA and 54 strikeouts this past summer for Ohio Elite … 7-0 with 44 strikeouts and a 0.54 ERA in 38 innings as a junior at New Albany. Why Sokol chose Ohio State: “Once I spent time with the coaches and toured the campus, I knew that Ohio State was the perfect fit for me. I have always wanted to play college baseball at the highest level of competition but connecting with the coaches was also important to me. Meeting Coach Beals, Coach DeLucia and the entire staff along with athletic trainers and academic advisors confirmed for me that Ohio State was a very special place. I am extremely grateful and excited to continue playing the game I love and to become a part of Buckeye Nation. I can’t wait to get started.”

Beals on Sokol: “The more we saw Mike, the more we liked him in the recruiting process. We are excited about his future development. He possesses a good frame, a feel for pitching and great competitiveness.”

Evan Ulrich – C – R/R – 5-10, 165 Ostrander, Ohio – Buckeye Valley H.S. Evan is the son of Paul and Leann Ulrich and plays for Drew Kirby at Buckeye Valley High School … plays summer ball for Bo Jackson Elite … 2019 Second Team All-Ohio … two- time first team all-conference and first team all-district … has hit .351 with 14 doubles, three triples, two home runs 25 stolen bases, 47 runs scored and 43 RBI in high school career … intends to major in visual communication design.

Why Ulrich chose Ohio State: “I grew up with Ohio State baseball. I attended as many Ohio State camps as I could and trained with former Buckeyes Brian Mannino and Dan Burkhart. Being offered the opportunity to follow in their footsteps is a dream come true.”

Beals on Ulrich: “Evan is a very skilled player with a strong baseball IQ. His ability to catch and throw combined with his gamesmanship is exactly what we are looking for behind the plate.”

Mackenzie Wainwright – OF – R/R – 6-2, 190 Cleveland, Ohio – St. Edward H.S. Mackenzie is the son of Shannon Wainwright and Nicole Napier and plays for Matt Rosinski at St. Edward High School … plays summer ball for Team Ohio Pro Select … a four-year starter at St. Edward who holds the school record with three home runs in a game … East Coast Pro and Area Code Games selection. Beals on Wainwright: “We are really excited to have signed Mac, the top prospect in Ohio. He possesses a serious ability to hit and projects to make an immediate impact in our lineup.”