By TATUM FRIEDRICH
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — Mount Ayr has had many talented athletes compete at the collegiate level. Below are the athletes, in alphabetical order, who have embodied the spirit of Mount Ayr and whose journeys have inspired the next generation of athletes in our community.
Kensie Barnes is the daughter of Tracy and Shannon Barnes. Kensie is fresh into the new season of softball after her senior year at Mount Ayr. Kensie is following in her beloved sister’s footsteps at Southwestern Community College, where she continues to play infield. In high school, Barnes played first base and pitcher. Barnes led the Raiderette softball team, helping uphold the program’s standard. During her junior season, she had four doubles, 15 total hits, and pitched 71 1/3 innings with 41 strikeouts. Barnes’ passion for softball and leadership will be missed as a new group joins the Raiderette program.
Tyler Bishop is the son of Kim and Shane Bishop. Tyler is a Redshirt Freshman for the Northwest Missouri State University football team. Known for his spirit and intensity, Bishop brings his talent to the Bearcats. In high school, Bishop played fullback on offense and linebacker on defense. He earned First-Team All-District honors in 2023 and was listed as a defensive utility player on the 2025 Iowa Football Coaches Association Class A All-State team. Tyler’s leadership is missed by Mount Ayr athletes, and his impact on the Raider football program will not soon be forgotten.
Addison Doolittle, the daughter of Mitch and Lacey Doolittle, is taking on new courses as she has joined the Des Moines Community College Cross Country team. Doolittle finished 10th with a time of 22:18 at the Trent Smith Invitational on September 12 at Mason, with the first team championship of the season. Doolittle placed 38th with a time of 22:16 at the Indian Hill Cross Country Invitational on October 9 at Ottumwa with her team taking third. Addison’s talent has helped the Bears with their team scores, along with her improving times. In high school, Doolittle earned All-POI Conference honors and All-Senior POI honors from KMA Sports. Doolittle ran at the State Meet her senior year with a time of 21:57, placing 94th. Doolittle looks to improve her times and contribute to the Bears’ success throughout the remainder of the season.
Tate Dugan is the son of Nina and Dennis Dugan. Tate has taken up football at Iowa Western College. Dugan is a freshman for Iowa Western and is in his first collegiate year. In high school, Tate played on both sides of the field, contributing on offense and defense. Tate is a player to look out for on the field for Iowa Western.
Jaixen Frost is the son of Jolene Frost and Josh Heidtman. Jaixen is a Hawkeye baseball player at the University of Iowa. In the 2026 season, Frost has made 45 appearances with 34 starts. He has batted .250 with 28 hits in 112 at-bats, recorded six doubles, one triple, five home runs, scored 27 runs, and recorded 25 RBIs. In high school, Frost was ranked the 7th player in Iowa by Prep Baseball Report. Frost led the state in hitting with a .634 in 2021 and was a three-time first-team all-state selection. He holds seven school records, along with the highest batting average in a season with a .638 and a high school career of .615. Along with the other athletics Jaixen was involved in, he was Conference Player of the Year in baseball, football, and basketball his junior year. Frost’s baseball career was historic for Mount Ayr and is having an impact on Iowa University as well.
Braylon Greenwell is the son of Laura and Aaron Greenwell. Braylon is a freshman at Southwestern Community College, where he has continued his cross-country career. Greenwell raced in the Bill Buxton Invitational on September fourth, where he competed in the 6K with a time of 23:54.1, placing 31st, and at the Bradley Intercollegiate on September 18, with a distance of 4.97 miles and a time of 31:46, placing 97th. During his high school cross country career at Mount Ayr, Greenwell established himself among the program’s top runners. He recorded a personal best 54K times of 18:34 during his senior season in 2025, ranking sixth on Mount Ayr’s all-time boys’ performance list. Greenwell also led the Raiders at the Interstate 35 Invitational, finishing 17th overall.
Jaydon Knight is the son of Jacob Knight and Megan Griffith. Jaydon is a senior at Pittsburg State University, where he has continued his football career. Knight has been named a captain for the 2026 football program, where he has been an impact performer once again this fall. Knight has appeared in 37 college football games throughout his career, earning 14 starts. He has recorded 15 career receptions for 93 yards, averaging 6.2 yards per catch, with a longest reception of 12 yards. He has also contributed on special teams, recording a 22-yard punt return. Defensively, Knight has totaled five tackles, including two solo tackles and three assisted tackles, on tackles for loss, and one blocked kick. In high school, Knight was a first-team Iowa Class 1A All-State selection as a senior at Mount Ayr High School in 2022, a two-time first-team All-District selection and a three-time All-District honoree overall. Knight was selected as District Most Valuable Player his senior year after catching 31 passes for 431 yards and posting 69 tackles with 16.5 tackles-for-loss and five forced fumbles. Through his standout athletic career at the collegiate level, Knight continues to represent Mount Ayr with pride during his senior season at Pittsburg State University.
Kaley Murphy is the daughter of Jessica and Justin Murphy. Kaley is a freshman at Des Moines Community College, where she continues her dancing career. The dance team performs at basketball and volleyball halftime shows, with the ISDTA State Championships coming up soon in December. This is the second year the DMACC dance team has been around after making history by competing and placing at multiple events in their first year of 2025-2026. In high school, Murphy performed for the All Iowa Girls dance team and has made her mark on Mount Ayr’s Sparks Team.
Breya Nickle is the daughter of Nathan and Kasydi Nickle and Stasia Taylor. Breya is a sophomore at Simpson College, where she continues her basketball Career. Nickle joined Simpson’s Basketball team, building off of her skills from the previous year at Mount Ayr High School. In her first year at Simpson, she played against Nebraska Wesleyan on February 4, recording one assist. Nickles’ senior year in high school, she averaged 13.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. Unlike in high school, where she dominated in the post, she now plays forward for Simpson, working on building her skills at the collegiate level.
Ryce Reynolds is the son of Angela and Ryan Reynolds. Ryce is a junior at Stanford, where he has made history in Stanford’s Track and Field program. Reynolds career accolades for Stanford are top-performing. Reynolds ranks in four of “Stanford’s top 10” with No.4 indoor 400 meters with a time of 46.67, No.4 in 400 meter hurdles with a time of 50.75, No.6 indoor 200 meter with a time of 21.34 and No.10 in indoor 4×400 with a team time of 3:11:66. Career awards Reynolds has achieved is All-ACC First team in 2026 in the 400-meter hurdles, CSC Academic All-District in 2026, along with All-ACC Outdoor Academic Team in 2026. In high school, Reynolds was an eight-time Iowa 1A state champion, with six individual titles and eight school records. For three consecutive years, Reynolds won in the 400-meter hurdles and 400 meters at the 1A state championship. In 2024, he was Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year for track and field. Reynolds also has the Drake relay 400-meter title around his neck with multiple conference and meet championships. Ryce was a standout student and athlete at Mount Ayr and is excelling in many different aspects at Stanford University.
Aubree Shields is the daughter of Bailey and Jacob Cave and Shannon and Brennon Shields, has earned a spot on the Northwestern Red Raiders Women’s Volleyball team. The college freshman has quickly found success with her new team, earning multiple player-of-the-game recognitions. Aubree’s stats for the Red Raiders so far are 95 kills, one assist, 104 points, 18 digs, one solo block, 14 assisted blocks, and 15 total blocks. Shields’ top-ranked team in their conference has a record of 21-1 and 11-0 this year. Aubree ended her high school career with a total of 914 kills, 619 digs, 164 blocks, 101 solo blocks, and 80 aces. Last year, Shields was named First Team All-Conference, Third Team All-KMA Land, and All-District Selection. Shields continues to make an impact in her first collegiate season.
Brock Shaha is the son of Judi and Travis Shaha. Brock is a sophomore at Upper Iowa University, where he continues his wrestling career. Shaha has a 10-10 record for the 2025-2026 season. Shaha earned eight wins by fall, recorded 14 takedowns, and took second place at the Luther Hill Invitational. Shaha placed fourth at the Buena Vista Open and fifth at the Stormin Norman Open. In Brock’s high school career, he placed third in class 1A at 113 pounds and fifth the following year. Brock has left his impression on Mount Ayr wrestling and is making his mark for the Upper Iowa Peacocks.
Trevin Victor is the son of Victoria and Ryan Victor. Trevin is a sophomore at Wartburg College, where he continues his football career. During his senior year for the Mount Ayr Raiders, he had 280 yards, 15 tackles, three fumbles recovered, and two defensive interceptions. Victor is an athlete to be looking out for the Wartburg Knights.