Area athletes commit to NCAA Division III football and NJCAA Division III baseball

Some area high school athletes will be taking their talents to the next level for the 2020-2021 season.

Congratulations to Austin senior Nick Dunlap, who has committed to play football at Division III UW-River Falls next season.  Dunlap, who also played hockey and baseball for Austin is expected to play safety for the Falcons, who finshed 2-8 last season.

Congratulations also goes out to Hayfield seniors Jake Risius and Brady Nelson, who both committed this week to play baseball next year at Rochester Community and Technical College.

Risius, who caught for the Vikings for the past two seasons hit .349 with four doubles and 29 RBI’s last season.  Nelson went 8-0 on the mound last sesaon with a 2.82 ERA, plus he hit a torrid .396 with eight doubles and 24 RBIs for a Hayfield team that went 24-3 overall and qualified for the State Class A Baseball Tournament for the first time in school history.  The Vikings took fifth place, falling to Sacred Heart 10-6 in the quarterfinals before rallying to defeat South Ridge 6-5 and Randolph 16-5 in six innings.

RCTC was 8-4 before the rest of the 2020 NJCAA Division III season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.