SHS’s Future Female Collegiate Athletes

From the ice to the mat, to the pool, and the green, SHS’s senior female athletes have shown their drive to excel in just about every arena of high school athletics. Regardless of the setbacks from COVID-19, the senior class has seen four of its best athletes commit to college athletics.

Since the beginning of her swim career, Sofia Bormett has always been determined to be at the top of her game, continuously craving to improve. Practice makes perfect, and with this comes sacrifice. 

“I lost a lot of social life in my middle school and early high school years. I didn’t go to the fun camps that my friends were going to. I didn’t hang out as much on the weekends or weekdays because I was always busy with either schoolwork or swim. In the end, […] I think it was worth it,” Bormett says.

Early in her high school career, Bormett became a prominent leader on SHS’s swim team. Winning state as a sophomore, shattering record after record, and her commitment to Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va. (D1), have all made Bormett an athlete to remember for years to come. 

Sydney Schipper has shown her versatility and leadership across the fall, winter, and spring seasons as a tri-sport athlete. When she’s not on the soccer field, in the weight room, or competing for the swim team, you’ll find Schipper on the ice. Schipper leads her hockey team by her example of hard work.

“When it comes to hockey, I give up a lot to keep getting better. My goal is always to keep improving every time I step on the ice or walk into the weight room,” Schipper says.

Hard work often pays off, and with each missed school dance, soccer game, swim meet, and time spent with friends and family, Schipper has seen its return as she signed to play hockey at Marian University, Wis. earlier this month. 

Even despite the loss of this year’s fall season, Caylie Kotlowski has not stopped tuning her swing since the 2018 season, where she placed fourth at the Division 1 state girl’s golf meet after her team won the Conference title. Not to mention her commitment to the University of Green Bay, Wis. (D1), where she will tee off to start her college career next spring. 

Inspired by her grandpa to play golf, Kotlowski quickly developed a natural skill for the sport and has set herself apart from her competition with her mindset alone. 

“I devote a lot of time to [golf]. I golf and lift every day. I see my swing coach during the season and off-season. I am constantly working on the little things like fine-tuning my swing, researching the course, and making sure I am ready for any type of situation,” Kotlowski says.  

Rose Ann Marshall has built a reputation of her own as the first female wrestler from Stoughton to sign a national letter of intent to Friends University, Ka. As a three-time state champion in her weight division, Marshall has laid a foundation built off of her contagious drive to improve for future female wrestlers to come. 

“I hope to learn from the mistakes I will experience throughout my wrestling career. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have a purpose to train or a reason to improve,” Marshall says. 

Marshall has high ambitions for her collegiate wrestling career. As she describes, “I want to accomplish being the first national champion for Friends University’s women’s program.” 

Individually, Sofia Bormett, Sydney Schipper, Caylie Kotlowski, and Rose Ann Marshall are all respected athletes of their sport. Together, through their dedication to athletics, they lead female athletes down a path to a brighter future.