One of the biggest decisions to be made in the senior year of high school is which college to attend. For seniors Mitchel Wainscott and Catelynn Floy, the decision has been sealed with the Dickinson Blue Hawks. 

Wainscott signed for the Dickinson Blue Hawks for collegiate wrestling, while Floy signed for collegiate volleyball. 

“It feels really good to finally make it official; I’m super excited for the future,” Wainscott said. “I was offered and went to visit a few other schools, but ultimately Dickinson was the only one where I felt I was at home and knew I really wanted to be there.”

Even now, Wainscott looks forward to his wrestling career and the challenges, achievements, and opportunities it will bring.

“My goals in college wrestling are to become the best version of myself, not only on the mat but also off the mat,” Wainscott said. “I just want to make great relationships and lifetime friendships, I also want to become an All-American, which is awarded by placing top 8 at the national tournament.”

Furthermore, Wainscott is very grateful for the coaches, friends, and family who have helped him get this far in his wrestling career and pushed him to do more. 

“I’ve been lucky enough to have lots of people in my corner supporting me, but ultimately my family, friends, coaches and teammates are the reason I am able to get this opportunity,” Wainscott said. “They were the ones pushing me in training each day and pushing me to reach my goals even when I wasn’t at my best. I’m just super grateful for everyone that has supported me, and I’m very grateful that I have been lucky enough to have been a Powell Panther. That’s something that I’ll always remember and be very thankful for.”

On the other hand, Floy signed with the Blue Hawks for volleyball, even though she thought she would have a collegiate basketball career.

“When I was going into high school, I definitely wanted to play college basketball, and then about five months ago I decided to play volleyball instead,” Floy said. “I think that through all that my mom…my family and my friends [were the most supportive].”

One of the harder decisions for Floy was to decide between two different colleges that gave her an offer.

“I got a pretty big scholarship in Nebraska at Crete, Nebraska; [I] visited North Dakota and I was like, this just feels like more homey,” Floy said. “The one in Nebraska I never visited… because when I went to Dickinson that one felt the [best for me].”

Furthermore, unlike Wainscott, Floy does have some concerns and anxiety about starting her collegiate career.

“I’m definitely excited because when I ask everyone about their college athletics – they say it’s completely different from high school, and I just kind of want that next step,” Floy said. “I would say I’m kind of nervous just to leave home… money wise, you know [and] stuff like that, but I know that the degree I’m going in is going to help me with that.”

In the end, despite anxieties and challenges, both Wainscott and Floy are ready to soar with the Dickinson Blue Hawks.