Baseball Friday, December 2, 2022 NWC Athletic Communications

Nine Join Recruiting Class in November

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Northwestern College athletic communications office announces the signings of nine Red Raider recruits during the month of November.

Baseball
Brody Ayers (Manhattan, Mont.) has signed a letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Northwestern College.

Named most valuable player in 2020 and 2022, Ayers most recently hit .411, driving in 43 runs and stealing 12 bases for Manhattan Christian. He also had the team's top GPA during his freshman and sophomore years.

"I chose Northwestern because of the personable experiences I had with coaches, faculty, and students," said Ayers. "The baseball team is highly competitive and the facilities are top notch. I know that my education will set me up for many possible job opportunities, while teaching me more about Jesus and the Bible."

He is the son of Brian and Jill, and brother to Sydni and Kyli. Ayers plans to study Sport Management at Northwestern.

Jack Craig (Urbandale, Iowa) has signed a letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Northwestern College.

A member of the Urbandale High School baseball team, Craig batted .219 with a .317 on-base percentage, three stolen bases, and a fielding percentage of .966. During his career, he was a three-time academic all-conference honoree.

"The campus feels like home," Craig commented. "I feel like the next four years at Northwestern will help me grow as a person and as a baseball player."

He is the son of Brad and Jen, and brother to Sam. Craig plans to study Criminal Justice at Northwestern.

Cheerleading
Hannah Van Maaren (Sheldon, Iowa) has signed a letter of intent to join the cheerleading team at Northwestern College.

A four-year member of the cheer team, Van Maaren was a member of the National Honor Society, received academic letters her sophomore and junior years, and has consistently been an honor roll student.

"I chose Northwestern because of the closeness of the community and everyone on campus," noted Van Maaren. "I loved hearing about the relationship that professors have with their students and the bonds that formed from being in their classes. While visiting Northwestern, I felt welcomed and wanted. I really enjoyed being with other students, and I also loved the Christian fellowship."

Van Maaren is the daughter of Paul and Courtney, and sister to Olivia, Ella, Sam, and Ellen. She plans to study Business Administration-Marketing at Northwestern.

Men's Soccer
Mason Anderson (Harlan, Iowa) has signed a letter of intent to join the men's soccer team at Northwestern College.

A midfielder at Harlan Community, Anderson finished the most recent season with six goals and five assists, helping the Cyclones to a third-place finish in their conference. In addition to his accomplishments on the pitch, Anderson was a member of Harlan's state championship football team.

When asked why he chose Northwestern, Anderson said that the college felt like home.

He is the son of John and Kiley Anderson, and brother to Kayla and Abbie. Anderson plans to study Business Administration-Management at Northwestern.

Ryan Gostonczik (Plainview, Minn.) has signed a letter of intent to continue his soccer career at Northwestern.
A member of the men's soccer team at Plainview-Elgin-Millville High School, Gostonczik most recently scored 11 goals on the season at the midfield and center back positions. In 2022, he was named the team's most valuable player and earned all-conference honors.

When asked about his reason for choosing Northwestern, Gostonczik was noted the opportunity to play soccer and the small-town feel as deciding factors.

He is the son of Mike and Michelle Gostonczik, and brother to Jacob. Gostonczik plans to study Biology at Northwestern.

Joao Mbala (Luanda, Angola) has signed a letter of intent to join the men's soccer team at Northwestern College.

In his most recent season, Mbala has recorded a goal and three assists at the midfield position. He finished with a career-high nine goals during the 2019 season and was named the school athlete of the year in 2018 as a member of the soccer
and track teams. In club play, Mbala has been a member of Highlands Park, Corinthians FC, Sporting CP, and AFA.

"The religious aspect was a deciding factor, along with the conversations and positive interactions I had with the coaching staff and players," said Mbala. "They left me feeling impressed and that I would feel at home at Northwestern. The facilities and the ambition the school has in maintaining good results academically and athletically were also factors."

He is the son of Jose Mbala and Veronica Vangu, and brother to Veronica, Jo, Mendes, and Toriano. Mbala plans to study Economics or Business Administration at Northwestern.

Volleyball
Alexa Trover (Sergeant Bluff, Iowa) has signed a letter of intent to continue her volleyball career at Northwestern College.

A three-year member of the Sergeant Bluff-Luton High School volleyball team, Trover has recorded 521 kills at a .207 efficiency, 79 blocks, 168 digs, and 44 service aces during her career. She has received academic all-conference and all-district honors from 2020-2022, and was a 2022 First Team All-Conference selection. In addition to her role on the volleyball team, Trover played three years of basketball and two seasons of soccer.

"The reason I chose Northwestern is because of the amazing volleyball and academic programs they have," commented Trover. "Another factor was how comfortable I felt on my visit. The campus was beautiful and everyone was so nice and friendly. I could envision myself at Northwestern."

She is the daughter of Mike and Kathie, and sister to Kaci and Jordan. Trover plans to study Biology at Northwestern.

Emma Van Regenmorter (Baltic, S.D.) has signed a letter of intent to join the volleyball team at Northwestern College.

A four-year volleyball athlete in high school, Van Regenmorter competed at Baltic High School and previously, at Dell Rapids High School. During her most recent season, she picked up 181 kills and 49 blocks to add to her career totals of 605 kills and 277 blocks. Van Regenmorter was a First Team Big East All-Conference selection, an Honorable Mention All-State honoree, a 2021 Offensive MVP, and an Adrenaline Volleyball Future 50 member. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.

"I chose Northwestern because it feels like home," noted Van Regenmorter. "The quality of people at Northwestern is one of a kind, and I'm excited to continue my athletic and academic career as well as grow my faith in this community."

She is the daughter of Daryl Van Regenmorter and Naomi Hoffman, and sister to Drew and Sara. Van Regenmorter plans to study Exercise Science at Northwestern.

Wrestling
Tyler Orzechowski (Kingsley, Iowa) has signed a letter of intent to continue his wrestling career at Northwestern College.

A four-year wrestler at Kingsley-Pierson High School, Orzechowski went 34-14 in his most recent season and 68-32 for his career. On the mat, he was a Second Team All-Conference honoree, a state qualifier, and a two-time district qualifier. Orzechowski has also been a member of the academic honor roll.

When asked why he chose Northwestern, Orzechowski said, "The campus felt like home and the students were really nice."

He is the son of Niki, and brother to Alison and Emma. Orzechowski plans to study Exercise Science or Sport Management at Northwestern.

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