The local area is well-represented at the college level when it comes to the sport of softball.

Here is a round-up of locals playing this spring at various levels of the college game.

At the NCAA Division I level, Columbia’s Karsen Jany is off to a sizzling start for the Saint Louis University Billikens. In 22 games for SLU, the sophomore is hitting .333 with a team-leading .450 on base percentage and nine doubles, 14 runs and 13 RBIs.

Jany’s former Eagles teammate, Elle van Breusegen, is a freshman at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville this spring. In 18 games, van Breusegen is hitting .250 with three stolen bases. 

Yet another former Columbia standout playing DI softball is Jaylyn Brister. The Northern Illinois University sophomore has a home run in six games played so far this spring. 

At the NCAA Division II level, former Waterloo standout Mia Miller is in her sophomore year as a pitcher for Missouri S&T. Miller is 5-3 with one save so far this spring with 52-plus innings pitched and 38 strikeouts.

At the NCAA Division III level, there’s former Columbia standout Kaitlyn Bearley at Mississippi University for Women. The senior infielder has a double and two RBIs in eight games played already this spring.

Also competing at this collegiate level is former Columbia standout Sam Augustine. The freshman has pitched seven-plus innings with five strikeouts for Culver-Stockton College. Her teammate is Millstadt’s Payton Todd, who has two hits in eight games played as a senior.

Another DIII local is Columbia’s Harlie Rainbolt, a freshman at Blackburn College. She has yet to see action in the early going this spring.

At the junior college level, there’s two locals on the Mineral Area College softball squad this spring. Former Gibault standout Libby Mesch is 1-1 in 28 innings pitched with 14 strikeouts and a 2.50 ERA. Dupo’s Kaylyn Woods is a freshman infielder for Mineral Area College, collecting two hits and driving in four runs in five games played.

Also excelling at the junior college level is Columbia’s Paige Froess. She is 8-0 with 56 strikeouts and a 2.13 ERA in 46 innings pitched so far at Danville Area Community College, which is off to a 19-3 start this season. 

At Southwestern Illinois College, a pair of Red Bud girls are playing softball this spring. Lydia Koesterer is a freshman catcher with one RBI in three games played. Alicia Burmester is a freshman outfielder who has played in six games.