Volleyball player Peyton Bodemann to play Black Hills State University
Bodemann has signed with Black Hills State University to play volleyball next year as a yellow jacket, the school’s official mascot.
Bodemann was among five others who were signed by BHSU located in Spearfish, South Dakota. She will be a walk-on with a chance to be awarded a scholarship after her freshman year.
“This is an amazing opportunity to fulfill a dream,” says 5’9” Bodemann. “I have always wanted to play volleyball, and I have developed a good relationship with Kristen Carmichael, the coach there. This is important to me.”
Peyton’s athletic career is extensive. She excelled not only in volleyball, but also basketball, track and field, and Pom.
Her mom and club volleyball coach, Kim, recalls that Bodemann was always practicing her volleyball bumps and passes when she was younger. “We would take a ball with us wherever we went, even camping and play.”
However, Bodemann was also interested in other sports. As a three-year old, she began dance with the Canepa School of Dance and will graduate from the program this year. She also participated in soccer, baseball, softball and gymnastics.
These experiences all helped shape her as an athlete and give her an edge in other sports. Club volleyball helped to develop her mental toughness and refine her skills, and she credits gymnastics with her balance and overall body awareness and credits dance with her success in track and field. “The spins in dance really helped my spin in the discus throw,” she said.
Dance evidently paid off for Bodemann last year. It was the first year she competed in discus, and she brought home an eighth place from State and set a new school record.
Bodemann also earned All-Conference Honorable Mention her freshman year in volleyball and was then selected as All-Conference the next three. This year she was selected as All State for both Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports and the Colorado High School Coaches Association for volleyball. In basketball, she has received All-Conference all four years and earned Academic All-State honors.
Unfortunately, Bodemann injured herself in basketball this year exploding her ACL and partial tears in her MCL, LCL and meniscus. This prevented her from finishing her basketball season and competing in all her events in track and field this year.
Bodemann has been released for her discus event and will compete this Friday, but it will be more of a power throw vs a spin. Her doctor believes she may be able to play in the All-State volleyball game in June.
Bodemann also feels fortunate that her new coach, Carmichael, was willing to sign an injured player. “She was not worried at all about my injury. She had similar surgeries when she was younger,” added Peyton.
“Coach Clayton McSpadden also vouched for me and said I could handle the program.” McSpadden, a former alumni of BHSU and football player, was familiar with what was required at the university and felt Peyton was a good fit both athletically and academically. McSpadden also helped push Peyton in the weight room which ultimately made her stronger and faster in every sport. Peyton took on many leadership roles within the West Grand school as Co-leader of student council, is part of the National Honor Society, and maintained a solid GPA.
“Coach McSpadden and Coach (Liz) Bauer really helped encourage me and helped to get my name out there to colleges. I am very thankful for their support,” said Peyton of her coaches.
Bodemann said red-shirting is also an option if she is not completely recovered from her injury, but currently Coach Carmichael plans for her to be a middle hitter and thinks she is strong enough to
play both front and back row.
During Bodemann’s high school volleyball career, she tallied 752 kills, 136 blocks, 137 aces and 438 digs, and set the record for kills.
Carmichael was quoted as saying, “Peyton is a multi-sport athlete with a competitive spirit and a great work-ethic. She is very athletic and uses her speed and agility to beat the block on offense and she can be a threat from any position. We are excited to see Peyton’s growth and we feel that she has a lot of potential.”
Bodemann hopes she will play this year and says that there are several games scheduled in Colorado.
“I am going to miss all the community support. I am thankful to my family, coaches and teammates who helped get me here,” Bodemann said, “I am just very thankful for this opportunity to grow as a person and see what I am capable of.”
Bodemann hopes to work with athletes in the future and is considering BHSU’s exercise science program. She is the daughter of Kim and Shane Bodemann of Kremmling, CO.
Football player Isaac Matson signs with Adam State University
West Grand athlete and Winter Park Christian School senior, Isaac Matson, recently signed on to play for the Adam’s State University in Alamosa, Colorado as a walk-on. Matson received ASU Vice President’s Scholarship for high academic performance.
Matson #42 played varsity high school football for West Grand his junior and senior year, but before that, he fell in love with the sport in middle school as a sixth grader. “I had two very good seasons with West Grand Mustangs playing nose tackle and tight end. I played both defensively and offensively,” said Matson whose 6’3” frame and size set him apart on the football field, as did his determination to give everything he had on the field for himself, coaches and teammate .
Matson states, “Making the drive from Granby to Tabernash, then over to Kremmling was the best decision myself and family could have made.”
Matson’s efforts helped guide his team to a League title in the 8-man league both years that he played. Matson was named All-Conference and was All-State honorable mention. This June, he will play in the All State 8-man game which Matson describes as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” Assistant West Grand football coach Clayton McSpadden says, “When you combine Isaac’s stats and size, the college wanted him to play.” Coach McSpadden also highlighted Matson as “Most Inspirational player” in his senior year.
Matson is also a well-balanced athlete who has performed well in the classroom. He continues to hold a high GPA, excels in writing, communication. Matson will be presenting and defending his 15 page senior thesis paper on May 18.
Most notably Matson participated in the National History Day competition in 2016, his project was self- written Titled “ Banister Tarleton: Encountering Adversity, riding to Victory in the senior individual play division. Colorado had 16,000 students compete in the reginal competition.750 went on to State and out of that number 36 students won and were invited to compete at the national Completion in Washington DC. Not only did Matson write his play, he performed it with incredible energy memorizing 10 minutes of historical script. Isaac with the help of his Dad/ Grandma designed the military uniform and set. Isaac is bigger than life on the stage as well on the football field.
“I want to thank my coaches who pushed me to the limit, my amazing teammates who are even better friends, my family, friends, teachers and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” said Matson, “I am really looking forward to this amazing gift of playing College Football and discovering my academic future.”
