By DAVID COOK
The High School Sports Scene coverage area is a hotbed of high school talent in the state of Michigan. Many local athletes go on to excel at the college level. The following is a look at how some of the many local athletes from the area are doing at the collegiate level this year.
Former Alma basketball standout Maddy Seeley made a smooth transition to the college game and was named the Female Newcomer of the Year at Northwood University. A freshman guard, Seeley averaged 10.1 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. She shot 39.8% from three-point range and 83.9% from the free throw line.
A pair of Mt. Pleasant graduates made a major impact with the Northwood University baseball team this spring. Junior infielder Dustin Lee hit .318 and scored 52 runs, turned in 23 RBI, and stole seven bases. Sophomore infielder Daniel Pulver hit .283 with 43 runs scored and 20 RBI.
Bree Fuller, a Fulton graduate, wrapped up her softball career at Trine University (Ind.) in a big way. She was 17-1 this season as a pitcher, with 101 strikeouts and a 2.07 ERA.
Courtney Reinhold, a Swan Valley alumna, turned in a strong first season of college softball. Reinhold, who attends Grand Valley State University, was named honorable mention, all-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). She was 13-5 as a pitcher, with a 1.92 ERA. She was third in the GLIAC in complete games, with 15, and in shutouts, with four.
DeWitt graduate Ian Yetsko enjoyed a solid season with the Oakland University baseball team. An infielder, he hit .291 and led the team with 26 RBI and 19 doubles. He was also second on the team in home runs, with three.
Former Saginaw Arthur Hill student Maurice Jones was named the Male Newcomer of the Year at Northwood University. Jones was named second team all-GLIAC in basketball and led the GLIAC in steals and was second in assists.
Okemos graduate Katie Dudley was part of a national championship water polo team at Stanford University. Dudley, a freshman, scored 21 goals this season for the Cardinals.
Ryan Orr, a graduate of Bath, turned in a solid first season with the Kalamazoo College baseball team. He earned second team all-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association honors. Orr, a pitcher, went 7-3 this spring with a 2.19 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 70 innings pitched.
Tyler Huntey, a Morley-Stanwood graduate, has been a key contributor to the Central Michigan University baseball team. Huntey is the starting catcher and hit .266 this spring. He was tied for first in doubles with 11, was third on the team in RBI with 36, and hit two home runs.
Bay City Western graduate Mackenzie Rousse, a senior softball player at Saginaw Valley State University, earned second team all-GLIAC honors this season. she played in all 45 games this season and collected 44 hits, 28 RBI, and a team-leading 18 stolen bases.
Emily Reed, a John Glenn graduate, earned honorable mention all-GLIAC honors in softball at Ferris State University. Reed led the Bulldogs with a .323 batting average and 27 RBI. She was also second on the team in hits, with 43.
Former Valley Lutheran student Sarah Appold earned second team all-GLIAC honors in softball this spring at Saginaw Valley State University. A pitcher, Appold was 8-4 in the league with a 1.72 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 85 innings pitched.
Birch Run graduate Sarah Hartley has put up some big numbers this spring with the Oakland University softball team. A junior infielder, Hartley leads the team with 11 home runs, is second in RBI (39) and in doubles (9), and has the third-best batting average (.362).
Fenton graduate Gabrielle Rivette was named Northwood University’s Female Athlete of the Year. Rivette was first-team all-GLIAC in basketball, as she averaged 12.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
Doug Walters, a Brighton alumnus, earned second-team all-MIAA honors in baseball this spring for Alma College. He hit .324 this season and tied for the team lead with 17 RBI.