28 Brainerd Warriors to Continue Athletic Careers in College

Brainerd High School held their annual signing day on Wednesday morning, with 28 Warriors committing to play sports at the collegiate level.

The student-athletes were spread out over 18 different colleges representing 14 different sports across NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and Junior College.

Among the Warriors are Peter Brietbach was one of two warriors that will compete at the D1 level at Montana State for alpine skiing. Sophia Karsnia will be the other – she’s taking her talents to the University of South Dakota for golf.

Cassidy Rardin, who won the Class AAA state title in dance kick with her team this season, will stay close to home at St. Cloud State. And there will be seven boys playing football at the next level, including Mitch Wind, who will stay in the viewing area at Bemidji State.

Full list of Brainerd student-athletes continuing careers in college:

• Peter Breitbach: Alpine Skiing – Montana State
• Keaton Lingenfelter: Baseball – Dakota County Tech
• Luke Diem: Basketball – Jamestown
• AJ Johnson: Basketball – St. Benedict
• Eli Hoelz: Basketball – St. John’s
• Cassidy Rardin: Dance – St. Cloud State
• Mitch Wind: Football – Bemidji State
• Riley Johnson: Football – St. Scholastica
• Jake Merseth: Football – Concordia Moorhead
• Dilan Sypnieski: Football – Concordia Moorhead
• Atreyu Marcelo: Football – CLC
• DJ Tumpkin: Football – CLC
• Jaxon Fasching: Football – CLC
• Sophia Karsnia: Golf – South Dakota
• Molly Pohlkamp: Hockey – UW-Stevens Point
• Peyton LeMieur: Hockey – St. Benedict
• Mercedes Engstrom: Lacrosse – UW-Stout
• Lance Hastings: Nordic Skiing – St. Olaf
• Autmn Eastman: Softball – Southern Maine
• Elsa Borchert: Softball – Northern State
• Maren Ceynowa: Softball – St. Catherine’s
• Emily Rademacher: Softball – CLC
• Autumn Larson: Swimming – St. Benedict
• Brooklyn Dietz: Tennis – UW-Eau Claire
• Claire Erdal: Tennis – St. Benedict
• Lila Collins: Tennis – St. Benedict
• Brandon Stark: Track & Field – Sioux Falls
• Chloe Czech: Volleyball – Concordia Moorhead

Correction 5/16/24: Petyon LeMieur was originally listed as going to St. Cloud State to play hockey, when in fact she will be going to St. Benedict. We regret the error.