Fargo’s family environment fueled Koehn’s decision

Kalyssa Koehn collected 11 doubles and led the Lady Panthers in most offensive categories as a junior (Earlene Frederick/The Report).
Kalyssa Koehn collected 11 doubles and led the Lady Panthers in most offensive categories as a junior (Earlene Frederick/The Report).

Wilmot senior commits to NDSU

By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer

When University of Wisconsin-Green Bay softball coach Beth Spoehr resigned in June, the decision left Wilmot Union High School shortstop Kalyssa Koehn with no guarantee the Division 1 Horizon League school would follow through on the verbal commitment she made as a junior.

Spoehr, who recruited Koehn, made the current Panthers senior look elsewhere for an opportunity.

“The coach quit,” said Koehn, who played for the Illinois Chill Gold club softball team and explored other schools in the summer.

While she explored, Spoehr joined Division 1 North Dakota State University in July, when the Bison were coming off a 39-15 season, including a 17-0 Summit League slate to produce its fifth straight regular season championship, according to an NDSU press release.

“When coach Beth went to North Dakota, she talked to the coach about me,” said Koehn, referring to head softball coach Darren Mueller, who has a 542-282 NDSU record in 16 seasons. “When I was out in California playing in nationals, they were there.”

Koehn’s performance, along with Spoehr’s referral resulted in an invitation to the school in Fargo, North Dakota.

“When I got there and went on a visit, I loved it, it was beautiful,” Koehn said. “Everyone knows everyone around there and they are all so close and that was really what I was looking for.”

“What I looked for was a family environment, where all the players and coaches come together and if they had my career path or not,” said Koehn, who plans to study criminal justice.

The campus visit, coaching staff, in addition to her preferred course of study, was enough for her to sign her National Letter of Intent at Wilmot school on Nov. 9.

While she played shortstop at Wilmot, Koehn is not ruling out playing other positions, stating she just wants to play.

“Honestly, I could be playing anywhere, wherever they put me, I will play,” she said.

As a junior, Koehn received first team all-Southern Lakes Conference, second team all-state following a season where she batted a team-leading .495, collecting 48 hits, 18 were for extra bases including 11 doubles and four home runs.

Through 97 total at bats, Koehn struck out just three times.

Additionally, she scored 38 runs and batted in 36.


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