By Bob Bakken
MaxPreps.com
Volleyball: Ridenour Commits to Baylor
Brittany Ridenour of Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln says she's signing a letter of intent to play at Baylor next season. The Iowa Girls Coaches Association's player of the year made the announcement this week, months after a season where she helped the Lynx to the state semifinals.
Ridenour made her official visit last month. Baylor head coach Jim Barnes heard she had not committed to a collegiate program and invited her to the Texas school for a visit, having seen her play in a club tournament last year.
"It fits my needs academically, and I really like the coaches and the girls,” Ridenour told the Omaha World-Herald.
Swimming: Gayton to Swim in Ivy League
Bettendorf swimming sensation John Gayton has signed a national letter of intent to attend Brown University and compete in the school's swimming program.
Gayton chose the Ivy League over Washington University of St. Louis and the University of North Dakota.
“I feel it gives me the best chance to explore all my options. It’s a great opportunity to swim in Division I,” Gayton told the Quad City Times. “It’s a little farther away — I know my parents are not happy with that — and will give me a chance to branch out.”
Iowa State was among the other schools recruiting Gayton. He won individual state titles in the 200-yard individual relay and 100 backstroke, was on a state championship 200 medley relay team and helped the Bulldogs finish sixth in the 400 freestyle relay.
Bettendorf took second as a team at the state swimming meet.
This year, Brown took sixth in the Eastern Intercollegiate League championship, a league that includes the Ivy League schools and the United States Naval Academy.
Girls Tennis: Columbus Flexes Muscle
Waterloo Columbus is early in its push toward a possible 14th state championship. Even without a senior on the roster, the Sailors showed a lot of strength in claiming their own Top Gun Tournament on the Byrnes Park courts in Waterloo last weekend.
Columbus won the team title ahead of second-place Decorah. The list of tournament challengers included Class 2-A powers Cedar Rapids Kennedy (defending state champion) and Ottumwa.
Sailor Michelle Schupbach claimed a meet title in singles play with an 8-5 victory over Ottumwa's Jena Sandova. Schupbach was half of a Class 1-A state championship doubles team last spring.
Lauren Friedman, who joined Schupbach on the 1-A doubles title team, also was perfect in singles play at the Top Gun Tournament, finishing off the day with a 12-1 victory over Jenny Dallenbach of Decorah.
The pair then combined to win three matches in doubles, including a 7-3 match result over a pair from Cedar Rapids Kennedy.
Girls Basketball: Fort Dodge-Area Players Pledge Iowa Central
Four players from the Fort Dodge-area will not be traveling far to continue their career.
Baileigh O'Brien and Ashley Vratny of Fort Dodge Senior High, Kristen Twait of Manson-Northwest Webster, and Jess Fevold of Webster City are among six players recruited by Iowa Central Community College, based in Fort Dodge. The Tritons were seventh among the nation's junior college women's basketball programs in the nation this season.
Iowa Central coach Craig Carlson was especially happy to get a commitment from O'Brien.
“She was recruited by a lot of our competition, and even had some D-I looks,” Carlson told the Ford Dodge Messenger. “I’m very pleased that she chose Iowa Central.”
O'Brien was an All-State choice in her junior year and finished her high school career as an All-CIML choice for the second-straight season, averaging 16 points and seven rebounds for the Dodgers. She ranks fifth on the school's all-time scoring list in five-player basketball.
Vratny finished as Fort Dodge's career leader in three-point baskets and was 12th on the school’s all-time scoring list.
Twait was on two-straight state tournament teams for Northwest Webster, this year reaching the state semifinals. She posted a 10 points and five rebounds per game.
Fevold averaged 8.5 points per game for Webster City this winter.
Boys Basketball: DM East Coach Resigns
A position is available in Iowa's capital city as Des Moines East coach Andy Howard has resigned after 12 seasons.
Howard coached East to the state tournament four years ago, but now wants to spend more time with his sons, who attend Ankeny High School.
He will continue teaching at Des Moines East.
"It's time for me to watch them and support their teams,” Howard told the Des Moines Register. “Time for me to be dad."
Howard fashioned a 166-210 record in his time at East, including a 7-16 record this season.
East activities director Ric Powell hopes to have a new coach named by early to mid May.
