WPMQ Releases Winter Sports Alumni Alert

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ALUMNI ALERT! 

While the winter sports season has ended and we prepare for the spring, we want to provide you with a recap of our Pirate Alumni who participated in intercollegiate athletics this past winter.

Below each athlete’s picture is a season or career recap (provided by what stats and news were available through the school’s website).

Caleb Brown – Indiana University Southeast Basketball

The Grenadier senior finished his career after playing in 127 games. He averaged 21 minutes per game and recorded 586 points, 199 rebounds, 62 assists, 7 blocks, and 54 steals in his four years. IUS made it to the championship game of the River States Conference Tournament where they fell to #1 seed St. Mary’s of the Woods, but they received an at-large bid to the NAIA National Tournament, where they lost in the first round to the overall #1 seed Freed-Hardeman University who has advanced to the NAIA Final Four. The Grenadiers ended their season with a 13-18 record. 

Kennedy Coleman – Marian University Basketball

The Marian freshman appeared in two games for the Knights. The Knights made the championship game of the Crossroads League Tournament where they lost by six to 4th ranked Indiana Wesleyan University but they received an at-large bid to the NAIA tournament. The third-seeded Marian women’s basketball fought a tough fight in the NAIA National Tournament Quarterfinals against the reigning National Champions Dordt falling 82-61. The Knights ended their season with an overall record of 27-8. 

Laney Hawkins – Olney Central University Basketball

The Lady Knights sophomore started in 27 of 28 games this season and finished the season with 232 points, 85 rebounds, 32 steals, 56 assists, and 4 blocks. OCU advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 24 Tournament Semi-Finals before falling to Wabash Valley College.   Hawkins will leave a two-year career at the junior college to continue at NAIA Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, Indiana. 

Brooklyn Henson – Indiana University Southeast Cheer

Brooklyn Henson – Indiana University Southeast Cheer
Henson and her IUS cheer teammates won “The Cheer Limited Open College National competition” on Saturday, March 21, 2025, marking their first national title in any athletic event.

Tatum McFarland – Indiana University Columbus Basketball

McFarland appeared in 15 games for the IUC Crimson Pride this season where she averaged 5.3 points, 1.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and .4 steals per game. The very young Crimson Pride finished the season 2-25 but will return everyone with experience to build upon since there wasn’t a single junior or senior on the team.

Maddie Nipper – Midway University Basketball

The Eagle freshman appeared in 23 games. She recorded 48 points, 14 assists, 22 rebounds, and 10 steals. Midway finished the season with a 16-13 record and a loss to Brecia in the River States Conference Quarterfinals .

And as a reminder, be sure to follow other alumni participating in college sports this spring:

Research provided by the WPMQ sportscasting class and article provided by Aiden Stewart

Pirate Football is Selling Mulch This Spring

ARSS, Athletic Department, Football

Charlestown Football is selling mulch to meet their program needs for equipment, player packs, and nutrition. A portion of the fundraiser will also be used to help pay for the newly renovated weight room which benefits all students and athletes at CHS. Bags range in price from $5.00 to $5.50 depending on color. One bag =is 2 cubic feet. 13.5 bags is 1 yard. Please help them reach their goals by making a purchase!

The mulch fundraiser is a plus for you since football players will deliver your mulch to your house and place it wherever you’d like. This will help keep your cars clean and your muscles from aching. Be sure to put specific instructions if you would like the mulch bags placed in a specific area. It can be as simple as: “Place the mulch bags in piles of 5 by the garage door.” Or it can be as specific as: “Place 3 bags by the tree in the front by the mailbox, put 5 bags in the mulch bed in front of the house, etc.” Please also give a good phone number to call in case there is questions about delivery. All information is for the order and fundraiser only and will not be shared. 

Free Delivery Zip Codes: 

  • 47111 – Charlestown 
  • 47143 – Memphis/Henryville
  • 47172 – Sellersburg
  • 47130 – Jeffersonville
  • 47163 – Otisco
  • 47141 – Marysville
  • 47147, 47162 – New Washington

If you are outside the delivery zip codes, you will still be able to make a donation on the players behalf by clicking the “Donate” button.

The fundraiser is taking place from March 11th until April 2nd. Charlestown Football Players and Parents will deliver your mulch purchases on Friday and Saturday, April 4th & 5th. 

Here is the link to place an order: https://www.raise-365.com/order/37356/24147/234046 . Thank you for your support of Charlestown Athletes and our Football Team!

***If you choose to pay by cash or check instead of credit card, please see a player and make checks payable to Pirate Pride.***

2025 CHARLESTOWN SPRING SPORTS SCHEDULES

ARSS, Athletic Department, Baseball, Boys Golf, Girls Tennis, Softball, Track & Field

Students in the WPMQ Sportscasting classes at CHS have been hard at work preparing content for the upcoming winter sports season and they’re happy to share some schedule graphics with you! Feel free to save our graphics to your camera roll so you’ve always got them handy! We hope you’ll make it out to support our Pirates this winter! You can always follow the action through WPMQ or team’s individual social media accounts:

BASEBALL:

BOYS GOLF

SOFTBALL

GIRLS TENNIS

TRACK & FIELD

Watts Will Play Soccer at Georgetown College

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Recently while surrounded by family, friends, and coaches, Charlestown senior Bradley Watts signed his celebratory letter of intent to attend school and play soccer at Georgetown College in the fall.

Georgetown College is a private Christian college in Georgetown, Kentucky just 30 minutes from the state’s capital. Chartered in 1829, Georgetown was the first Baptist college west of the Appalachian Mountains. The college offers 38 undergraduate degrees and a Master of Arts in education. It offers degrees in areas of visual and performing arts, math and sciences, humanities, language and culture, business, medicine and healthcare, and others. Georgetown College is associated with five Rhodes Scholars and its alumni have included 38 Fulbright Scholars since 1989.

As a school of approximately 1200 students, Georgetown College has 58 student clubs and organizations, including four national fraternities. The college offers a chapel and several Christian and other religious groups for students. Its social organizations cover a wide range of interests, including government, recreation, community service, activism, the arts, and academics. Finally, it is home to 18 varsity sports in the NAIA and the Mid-South Conference.

Watts plans to major in Exercise Science. When asked about his choice to play at Georgetown College with the Tigers, Watts replied, “I chose to go to Georgetown College because I believe this place will help set me up for my future. The faith the coaching staff has in me is a big reason for my decision along with the support from my loved ones. I have been very grateful for the family created here at Charlestown and I feel Georgetown can provide me with a similar family with the team. I feel Georgetown will be a great way for me to succeed and my loved ones feel the same. I am grateful for their support and I am excited to make them proud. ”

Watts is a two-time Mid Southern Conference honoree who recorded 26 goals, 90 points, 38 assists, and 17 steals over his four year career as a midfielder at Charlestown.

Charlestown soccer coach Cristian Martinez shared his sentiments about Watts saying, “Approach college soccer like you did every practice and match—with heart, determination, and a fierce desire to improve. This is your chance to shine on a bigger stage. Embrace the challenge, work hard, and never forget the love of the game. You’ve got this!”

WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulates Bradley and wishes him a healthy and prosperous future as a Georgetown College Tiger.

Article contributed by WPMQ, The Pirate Network staff member Kyle Cook.

Taylor Signs with Mount St. Joseph

ARSS, Boys Soccer

Recently, Charlestown soccer’s Jared Taylor was joined by family, coaches, friends, and teammates to witness him signing his celebratory letter of intent to attend school and play soccer at Mount St. Joseph University next fall.

The 92-acre scenic campus overlooks the Ohio River just 15-minutes from downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Mount St. Joseph University is a private institution that was founded in 1920. The university enrolls over 1,800 undergraduate students and approximately 300 graduate students across 48 undergraduate programs, nine associate degrees, pre-professional and certificate programs, and graduate programs.

Mount St. Joseph soccer, known as the Lions, competes at the NCAA Division III level in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference with Anderson University, Berea College, Bluffton University, Earlham College, Franklin College, Hanover College, Manchester University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and Transylvania University. MSJ is home to 22 other varsity sports for both men and women.

Taylor told WPMQ, when asked about his choice to attend school and play soccer there, “I chose Mount St. Joseph because I believe it is somewhere that can help me excel not only athletically but academically as well. The people there, as well as Coach Clark made me feel like family. I am extremely grateful for everyone who has helped me get to this point. I am hoping to make them all proud and am excited to continue my future at The Mount!”

Charlestown soccer head coach Cristian Martinez shared his sentiments on Taylor’s decision and said, “Chase your dreams with the same passion you brought to the field. College is a new game, and I believe in your ability to score big. Remember, hard work and dedication are the keys to unlocking your full potential. Go make your mark!”

WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulates Jared and wishes him a healthy and prosperous future at Mount St. Joseph University.

Contributed by WPMQ, The Pirate Network staff member Tatum Poirrier

Benner to Become an Eagle at Midway University

ARSS, Volleyball
Front Row (L to R): Jennifer Benner (Ava’s mother), Ava, Scott Benner (Ava’s father); Back Row (L to R): Brandon Nylin (CHS Volleyball Assistant Coach) and Hannah Nylin (CHS Volleyball Head Coach)

Recently, Charlestown senior Ava Benner was recently joined by family, coaches, teammates, and friends to sign her celebratory letter of intent to attend school and play volleyball at Midway University in the fall.

Midway University is a private Christian university in Midway, Kentucky just minutes from the Lexington area along I-64. The school is located on a 200-acre working farm in the heart of the Kentucky Bluegrass region. It enrolls approximately 1,900 students earning two-year and four-year degrees as well as master’s degrees.

Midway is home to twenty-eight varsity teams for men, women, and co-ed sports and it competes in the River States Conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The women’s volleyball team has posted winning records in four of its five seasons while most recently advancing to the conference tournament quarterfinals.

When asked about her choice to attend school and play volleyball at Midway University with the Eagles, Benner replied, “I chose Midway because from the moment I stepped on campus, I felt genuinely welcomed by not only the coaching staff, but by everyone I met. Coach Mang is an amazing person and immediately made me feel like I fit right in. I’m super grateful that she has given me this opportunity to continue doing what I love and fulfill my dreams. Additionally, the campus is absolutely beautiful and is everything I was looking for when visiting schools. I’m so excited to be on campus and continue my future at Midway! ” Benner plans to major in biology on the pathway to becoming an occupational therapist.

Charlestown Lady Pirates volleyball coach Hannah Nylin said: “Ava has been an exceptional athlete and strong leader in our program. Her continuous pursuit of excellence—balancing academics, athletics, and school/community involvement—has been truly inspiring. She has left a lasting impact on all of us, and we couldn’t be more proud of her. Midway is incredibly lucky to have her!”

Benner finished her Charlestown career with Mid Southern Conference All-Conference and Academic All State honors. She also charted over 500 career digs and over 750 career kills.

WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulates Ava and wishes her a healthy and prosperous future as a Midway University Eagle.

Article contributed by WPMQ, The Pirate Network staff

Alexa Escamilla to North Carolina A&T to Bowl

ARSS, Uncategorized

Recently in the presence of family, friends, and coaches, Charlestown senior Alexa Escamilla signed her national letter of intent to attend school and participate in bowling at North Carolina A & T in the fall.

Spread over 188 beautiful acres in Greensboro, North Carolina, the campus reflects the pride of every Aggie, with its modern facilities and diverse student resources. They offer 58 undergraduate degree programs, 18 minors, 13 doctoral degree programs, 36 master’s programs and 41 graduate certificate programs. Certificate programs and continuing education opportunities are available in a wide range of areas, as well. With an enrollment of over 14,000 students, North Carolina A&T is the largest historically black college or university (HBCU) in the United States, a position it has held since 2014. Escamilla will major in biology on the pathway to pharmacy at North Carolina A & T.

The Aggies, with 13 sports -five for men and eight for women- compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) in all sports with the exception of football and women’s bowling where they compete in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference and just earned their 5th straight regular season conference title. They won the United States Bowling Congress’ Intercollegiate Team Championship in 2015.

Escamilla just completed her senior season for the Pirates as a three-time sectional and regional champion, and two time state finalist. When asked about her choice to play at North Carolina A & T with the Aggies, Escamilla replied, “I am choosing to go to NC A&T because of the incredible environment. I know that I will have all of the resources I need to be successful. Along with an amazing bowling team they have an even better Biology program that I plan to major in! I had the opportunity to meet people who were very genuine and helped make a hard decision, much easier. I am grateful for this opportunity to be a part of something amazing like this team because they have shown me I will be a part of their family. I know that I will feel at home with all of the people I will have around me. The faculty is also a huge part as to why I made my decision. They are willing to help with whatever I may need, especially schooling. A&T will help me grow as a person in both academics and as an athlete. These programs will help me have a future in the career that I know will fulfill me.”

Charlestown bowling coach Wesley Wiles commented on Alexa saying: “Alexa is one of the hardest working and most humble athletes that I have met. Her knowledge of the game and hunger to learn more makes Alexa one of the best bowlers I’ve witnessed. Alexa’s respectfulness and sportsmanship is top notch. I am proud of Alexa and can’t wait to see her continue to grow.”

WPMQ, The Pirate Network congratulates Alexa and wishes her a healthy and prosperous future as a North Carolina A & T Aggie.

Article contributed by WPMQ, The Pirate Network

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