Ten Badin High School student-athletes were recognized at a Signing Reception Friday morning, Feb. 12, in Mulcahey Gym, including one Division I athlete and four football players.

“This is a talented group who will continue the tradition of outstanding college athletes from Badin High School,” Athletic Director Geoff Melzer said. “Eight different sports are represented, which is another example of what a well-rounded athletic program we have at Badin.”

Owen Mathews will run cross country and track at Northern Kentucky University, a D-I program in Highland Heights, Ky. Mathews went to state in cross country as a junior and a senior, placing fifth in Division II as a senior running at Fortress Obitz in suburban Columbus. He was also a member of a state relay team as a sophomore in track.

Owen is the son of Jeff and Andrea Mathews of Fairfield and a graduate of Sacred Heart School. He plans to major in accounting.

Four members of Badin’s football program will also play on. They helped lead Badin to a 7-0 start, its best since 1994, and the Greater Catholic League Coed Division championship. All were named first team GCL Coed Division as seniors.

Twins David Schweinefuss and Michael Schweinefuss will play for Alderson Broaddus University, a Division II school in Philippi, West Virginia. They are the sons of Mark and Michele Schweinefuss of Liberty Township, and graduates of Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School. Both plan to major in nursing.

As excellent athletes, the Schweinefuss twins have also been recruited to play men’s volleyball at Alderson Broaddus.

Bobby Young will play football at Ashland University, a Division II school in Ashland, Ohio. He is the son of Paul and Patti Young of Hamilton and a graduate of Queen of Peace School. Young, an all-Ohio selection as a defensive back, plans to major in business.

Connor Young will play football at Marian University, an NAIA school in Indianapolis. Connor is the son of Tim and Connie Young of Fairfield and a graduate of Sacred Heart School. He plans to major in business.

Other sports represented in today’s signing include baseball, softball, men’s soccer, and shooting sports.

“Colleges are always interested in Badin student-athletes,” Melzer said. “This makes 15 commitments in the Class of 2021, and we expect to have another reception for additional signings in May.”

Ryan Kirkendall will play baseball at Washington University in St. Louis, a Division III school in the city known as the Gateway to the West. Ryan has been a part of a Badin baseball program ranked in the Top 10 in the state of Ohio for the last three seasons.

He is the son of Matt and Heather Kirkendall of Hamilton and a graduate of St. Peter in Chains School. He plans to major in political science.

Emma Kent will play softball at Thomas More University, an NAIA school in Crestview Hills, Ky. She is the daughter of Dave and Tara Kent of Hamilton and a graduate of St. Joseph Consolidated School. A first team GCL Coed Division selection as a sophomore pitcher in 2019, she plans to major in nursing.

Sean Eberly will play men’s soccer at Capital University, a Division III school in Columbus. He is the son of Rebecca Eberly and the late Steve Eberly of Hamilton, and a graduate of Immanuel Lutheran School. As a senior at Badin, he was a first team GCL Coed selection and set the school record for assists in a single season. He will major in exercise science.

Two Badin students will continue the shooting sports pipeline to Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. Lindenwood has won 15 consecutive national championships in clay target shooting, including during the college tenure of Chris Arnold ‘16, the son of Badin head coach Mark Arnold.

Matthew Keist and Ryan Kraemer will head west to Lindenwood.

Matthew is the son of Steve and Lisa Keist of Hamilton and a graduate of St. Joseph Consolidated School. He will major in business administration. Ryan is the son of Chris and Ann Kraemer of Hamilton and a graduate of St. Joseph Consolidated School. He will major in marketing.

“These students are playing a number of different sports and going into a number of different fields of study,” Melzer said. “It just goes to underline that the well-rounded opportunities at Badin carry over to the success these student-athletes will have in college.”

Five Badin High student-athletes had previously committed in November – Christopher “Luke” Paxton, swimming at Ohio State University; Sergio DeCello, baseball at Charleston Southern University; A.J. Enginger, baseball at Thomas More University; Grace Harris, women’s soccer at Indiana University/East in Richmond; and Paige Long, women’s soccer at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville.

Other Badin student-athletes are also in the college recruiting pipeline. Two BHS underclassmen have verbally committed to play baseball – junior Jimmy Nugent to Penn State University and sophomore Lucas Moore to the University of Kentucky. Badin graduated 24 student-athletes in the Class of 2020, 15 percent of the class.

The school plans an additional athletic signing reception for seniors in May.