Several former local high school softball standouts are making this area proud by competing at different levels of the college ranks this spring.

There are five young local women playing NCAA Division I softball.

Columbia’s Kelly Metter, a junior who plays second base at Missouri State (7-12), is hitting .273 with a home run and a team-leading 10 RBIs in 19 games (all starts).

At Bradley, Keeler van Breusegen of Columbia has started eight games as a sophomore outfielder for the Braves (14-9). She has a pair of doubles and four RBIs in the early going.

A third former Columbia High School standout, Chelsy Pena, is a sophomore catcher at Southeast Missouri State (12-5) and is 4-for-20 at the plate with three RBIs in 13 games (five starts).

Joining Pena on the SEMO softball team is Dupo’s Rachael Donald. The senior catcher is hitting .367 with three doubles in 14 games (12 starts). 

Donald’s former Dupo High School teammate, Megan Brown, is hitting .256 in 18 games (15 starts) as a junior at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (15-6). She has three doubles and six RBIs.

Playing NCAA Division II softball this spring are Waterloo’s Taylor Downen and Valmeyer’s Chelsea Hooker at Quincy (5-11). Downen, a freshman catcher, is hitting .267 with three doubles in 15 games (all starts). Hooker, a freshman catcher/outfielder, is hitting .250 with two home runs and four RBIs in 16 games (15 starts).

Another DII softball player is Columbia’s Calli Wibbenmeyer. The sophomore infielder is hitting .352 with four doubles and eight RBIs in 19 games (all starts) at Rockhurst University (12-7).

The final local DII softball player is Columbia’s Lexi Touchette. She’s hitting .333 with six doubles and six RBIs in 15 games (all starts) as a freshman infielder at Maryville University (10-8).

A few former high school softball standouts are doing well at the NCAA Division III level.

Columbia’s Kalli Farmer is sizzling at the plate for Millikin (6-3) this spring. The senior is hitting .519 with nine runs, six RBIs and six stolen bases in nine games.

Dupo’s MyKenzie Kloess and Sarah Ostertag are both playing for MacMurray College (0-3). Kloess is 3-for-9 with an RBI in the early going and Ostertag is 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter. Both are freshmen.

Gibault graduate Sidney Wightman is playing at Eureka College (5-1). She singled and also closed out a win on Sunday by getting the final two outs in the pitching circle. 

At the NAIA level, three local women are playing for Missouri Baptist (6-9). Dupo’s Amber Mobbs,  a senior outfielder, is hitting .286 with seven runs and four RBIs. Waterloo’s Miranda Brown, a junior catcher/infielder, is 2-for-8 with an RBI. Red Bud’s Makenzie Harbaugh, a sophomore, is 5-for-23 at the plate with a home run.

There are three former standouts from this area playing junior college softball for Southwestern Illinois College (2-8). Waterloo’s Taylor Kaufmann, a sophomore, is hitting .316 with three home runs, 12 RBIs and 11 runs in 10 games. Columbia’s Jordyn Cygan, a freshman shortstop, is 1-for-3 at the plate in six games played. Red Bud’s Darrian Stapleton, a sophomore outfielder, is 3-for-17 at the plate in eight games.