Every year, colleges and universities watch student athletes, typically juniors and seniors in high school, like a keen hawk waiting to recruit new prospects to join their organization. Athletes from the class of 2026 recently committed in mid-November to colleges/universities for performing outstanding talent in their sport.
Grand Ledge High School (GLHS) has had several talented athletes commit to local state schools including Central Michigan University, Oakland University, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, and more.
Centraling back to Central Michigan University (CMU), senior Jade Queen, committed to CMU for girls’ softball.
“Once I got to high school, I realized, okay, I really want to keep doing this. And then junior year when the recruiting opened up, that’s when I was like, okay, boom. Like I’m going to do it. I’m going to play in college,” Queen said.Queen wasn’t the only one who knew she was going to continue her love for the sport in college.
Katie Blue, a senior at GLHS, is vaulting her way to Michigan State University (MSU) for track and field,
“I’ve always wanted to do it [pole vaulting] in college, honestly, like, since middle school. My dad did it at Western Michigan.”
Blue surprised herself with her choice of the school she’ll be attending next fall.
“I honestly didn’t want to go to MSU at first, and then they offered me money, so I changed my mind.”
Blue not only brings her talent to Michigan events, but she also had the opportunity to travel to Oregon for the 2024-2025 track and field outdoor nationals.
Our last senior, Kamsi Iweajunwa, committed to Oakland University for girls’ volleyball. Iweajunwa plays as Grand Ledge’s and Oakland’s future middle blocker.
“I just felt like I didn’t want to be done yet. I started in 7th grade because all of my friends were doing it.”
As these seniors prepare for the next chapter of their academic and athletic careers, they leave behind their trail of Grand Ledge’s gold and blue and into their next set of school colors.
