Before the 2025-26 prep sports season begins, it’s time to honor those athletes that concluded their prep careers as 2025 graduates.
In previous editions, the Lake Fenton, Holly and Linden graduates headed to play athletics at the collegiate level have been detailed, leaving just Fenton.
The Tigers have the most 2025 student-athlete graduates headed to the college level among the area schools, with 17 making athletic decisions.
Those 17 athletes represent 10 sports with maybe the sport making the biggest splash being swimming and diving.
The 2025 ChoiceOne Female Athlete of the Year award winner Tess Heavner and Fenton’s male representative Owen Cox will be continuing careers in the pool, both at the Division I level — Heavner was a swimmer at Notre Dame and Cox was a diver at Oakland University.
Heavner was a four-time Division 2 individual event State Champion during her four seasons at Fenton, winning back-to-back 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke titles her junior and senior seasons. She also earned All-American honors in both events.
“I’m super excited,” Heavner said. “I got to visit the team and their atmosphere and their team chemistry. I feel like it kind of matches my high school teams — they’re all each other’s best friend. The coach seems to give off high energy. I’m really excited for the relationships that I’ll build there, and what I can accomplish in my races. I’m really excited.”
Cox is a three-time All-State performer in diving, earning sixth place in each of the last three D2 state meets. He earned his All-State honors in March in the pool he’ll compete in at Oakland University.
“I owe all of my success to my parents and coaches because they have stuck with me throughout these four years,” Cox said. “It was really cool having my last states at Oakland University because that’s where I will be diving in college.”
Three of Fenton’s athletes headed to the next level were baseball players — Jadon Burnau to Henry Ford Community College, Dylan Mrazik at Defiance College and Jake Murphy at Luther College.
Burnau earned second-team Metro League Stripes Division honors this spring. He had three of his best pitching performances from late April until the season’s end. Burnau tossed a three-hit, nine-strike out shutout against Linden. That may have been his best pitching performance of the year. Henry Ford had a 30-11 record overall last spring.
Murphy was a second-team Stripes Division selection as well. Luther College posted a 20-22 record a year ago and is a Division III school in the American Rivers Conference in Iowa.
Mrazik is headed to Defiance College, a squad that went 5-23 overall a year ago. Defiance plays in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.
Two Fenton girls golfers from the Tigers’ program are headed to the next level. Sophia Rossi is headed to Mott Community College while Payton LaRowe will play for Division III Albion College.
LaRowe was a first-team All-Metro selection last fall, and was a team captain her final two seasons. Albion College finished seventh in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association during the spring season. Rossi is joining a Bears’ squad that finished fourth in NJCAA District tourney action last season.
Two Fenton athletes will join the same college program. Paige Lefevre and Carina Lynch will compete on the Davenport University national championship dance team. The Panthers won Division II national titles in jazz and team performance. They’ve won nine national titles overall.
Soccer players Connor McDermott (Spring Arbor University) and Olivia Trosen (University of Michigan Dearborn) are moving to the next level. Spring Arbor University’s men’s soccer team finished with a 13-7-3 overall record, earning a spot in the NAIA tournament. McDermott was a first-team All-Metro boys soccer recipient last fall. Trosen was a girls first-team All-Metro selection and is joining a Michigan Dearborn squad that went 2-13-3 overall last fall
Lacrosse players Cuyler Fielhauer (Alma College) and Owen Mueller (Hope College) will be MIAA opponents in future seasons instead of teammates. Mueller was a first-team All-Metro player this spring while Fielhauer was an honorable mention selection. Hope College won the MIAA title a year ago with a perfect 6-0 mark. Alma went 0-6 in MIAA play.
Rayn Rutley was a top-notch sprinter for the Tigers’ track team and will run for Calvin University this school year. Rutley finished second in the 100 and the 200 at the Metro League Stripes Division meet last spring.
Megan Gornick was a strong volleyball player at Fenton but will be changing sports at the University of Michigan. She’s joining the Wolverine’s rowing team. The Wolverines finished 11th at the national meet last year.
Lydia Klemish was an all-district and all-region performer for Fenton’s competitive cheer team. She’s joining the Western Michigan University cheer squad.
Anna Logan was a first-team All-Metro member of the Tigers’ state semifinal volleyball squad and will be playing at Mercyhurst this fall. Mercyhurst was 5-19 a year ago.