Staff photo by Ari Selvey Back row (l to r): New Ulm's Jamisen Frederickson, Minnesota Valley Lutheran's Kaden Peterson, New Ulm Cathedral's Jake Finstad. Front row (l-r): New Ulm's Ramsey Hopp, MVL's Karlee Prahl, Cathedral's Jaylin Hartness.

By Ari Selvey

aselvey@nujournal.com

NEW ULM — The New Ulm Club held its 71st annual Athletic Appreciation Banquet on Saturday at Martin Luther College, with six senior athletes from the three New Ulm high schools being selected as Male and Female Outstanding Senior Athletes of the Year.

Each New Ulm school selected a male and female athlete letter winner to be the Outstanding Senior Athlete of the Year. New Ulm’s selections were Jamisen Frederickson and Ramsey Hopp, Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s selections were Kaden Peterson and Karlee Prahl, and New Ulm Cathedral’s selections were Jake Finstad and Jaylin Hartness.

Jamisen Frederickson

NUHS

Frederickson is a two-sport athlete who has participated in wrestling and track and field. He has earned four letters in wrestling and one letter in track and field with a second letter likely coming at the conclusion of the spring season.

In the fall, you can find Frederickson around the weight room prepping for the upcoming winter season. Frederickson prides himself on getting stronger and more explosive in the off-season. Strength coach Derek Lieser commented that Frederickson is an athlete who is familiar with the weight room and has built himself into a strong, confident athlete.

During the winter, you can find Frederickson on the mat wrestling at 215 pounds. Throughout Frederickson’s wrestling career, he is a four-time letter winner, received one All-Journal Wrestling Team selection, one All-Journal Wrestling Team Honorable Mention one all Big South Conference award and this season qualified for the individual state wrestling tournament. He was a major factor in the wrestling team’s historic success over the last few seasons. Frederickson’s wrestling style is exciting, high-scoring, and engaging because of his ability to roll, scramble and throw during matches. Frederickson has posted a career 89-58 record (73 wins by pin), scoring 518 team points for the Eagles. Frederickson finishes with 131 takedowns, 63 escapes, and 52 reversals. This winter, Frederickson set a new school record with 32 pin falls in a season.while wrestling 54 matches this year. That means 60% of his matches ending in him pinning his opponent. The Eagles wrestling team is a combined 48-12 during Frederickson’s junior and senior seasons — a historic run.

Head Wrestling Coach Kevin Briggs states, “Jamisen always gave the team and fans energy and hope. If the duel came down to the last two or three weights we knew we had a strong chance to win. Jamo is the ultimate team player, he would wrestle up often to help the team and had no problem sitting for an underclassman to get an opportunity. When Jamisen isn’t wrestling, he is engaged, cheering on his teammates, and demonstrating his pride for New Ulm wrestling. Outside of the wrestling season, Jamisen is an excellent example of what we want our athletes at New Ulm High School to be. He has great school spirit, and volunteers his time to give back to the school and youth programs.”

In the Spring, you can find Frederickson competing in track and field. Frederickson has earned one letter in track with a second likely after the spring season. Throughout Frederickson’s track and field career, he has competed in the shot put, discus, pole vault, sprints, and distance events. Frederickson has been a true utility athlete for New Ulm’s track and field team, stepping into a wide variety of events with a positive attitude and strong work ethic. Frederickson has demonstrated a rare willingness to put the team first, no matter the challenge. His commitment to growth and willingness to compete in unfamiliar events highlight his all-around athletic ability and make him a valued member of the team.

New Ulm head track and field coach Andrea Hanson adds that Frederickson has been in track and field for the past four years to stay active as an athlete and work toward his goals in the sports he competes in. He has tried several different races and events sometimes at the coaches’ request to ensure the highest competitive advantage. Frederickson is a great teammate, has great sportsmanship, and is supportive of all athletes around him. Frederickson is respectful to all coaches and teammates. Although podium finishes have been elusive, Frederickson has high hopes for this spring.

Next year, Frederickson will attend Northland Technical and Community College to continue his academic and athletic career. Frederickson is undecided on a degree but will wrestle for the Pioneers.

Ramsey Hopp

NUHS

Hopp is a two-sport athlete who has participated in basketball and softball. In Hopp’s high school career, she earned five letters in basketball and four letters in softball, giving her nine letters combined. She will more than likely receive her fifth letter in softball this spring.

Each winter, you can find Hopp on the court competing in basketball. She has been a member of the varsity team for five seasons and lettered in each of those seasons. Hopp is a versatile player because she can play in the post and has the ability to shoot the ball from behind the 3-point line. During Hopp’s career, she scored 879 points, had 524 rebounds, 241 assists, and 162 steals. Ramsey had an assist-to-turnover ratio of two, meaning for every turnover she had, she made up for it with two assists. This season, Hopp helped lead her team to finish second place in Section 2AAA. On top of all of the statistics, Hopp was also one of 17 class AAA girls basketball players to receive Academic All-state for her GPA which is quite an accomplishment.

Head girls basketball coach Julie Rogers comments that Hopp is reliable and durable. Many people might not know that Hopp played the last month of her basketball career with a few extremely sore fingers. She pushed the pain to the side and refused to let that be a limiting factor in her contribution to the team. Hopp would go out of her way to help others whether it was helping teammates with a drill during practice, with their homework on the bus, or volunteering her time on Saturday mornings with kindergartners and first graders. Hopp was a steady presence on the court due to her competitive nature and years of experience, exactly what a coach wants out of a senior leader.

After basketball season, you can find Hopp on the softball field. Hopp has been a member of the Eagles varsity program for five years this season. During her time, she has earned four varsity letters and led the Eagles to three Section 2AAA championship games and two Big South Conference championships. Hopp is a three-time all-conference award winner and a three-time All-Section award winner. In the spring of 2024, Hopp was selected as First-Team All-State in softball and was the All-Journal Player of the Year. All of those accomplishments are very impressive and Hopp has the statistics to match it. She has a career batting average of .357 competing against some of the top pitchers in the state. Her on-base percentage is .541 proving she finds ways to get on base. Hopp’s career pitching record is 45-17 with allowing less than two runs a game with an ERA of 1.615. Hopp also averages 1.07 strikeouts per inning. Hopp has held opponents batting average to just .105, incredible statistics while facing some top-ranked AAA and AAAA opponents.

New Ulm head softball coach Kristi Andersen Loose states, “Beyond all of Ramsey’s awards and statistics, Ramsey is a remarkable young woman who showcases all the characteristics an Eagle Softball player should have: passion, pride, integrity, and grit. Ramsey leads with a calm tenacity that cannot be matched. Ramsey will be deeply missed next year, but those who have watched her play will always carry the honor of witnessing Ramsey in an Eagles uniform and seeing firsthand what true all-around greatness looks like on a high school softball field.

Next year, Ramsey will attend Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN, to continue her academic and athletic career. Ramsey will be pursuing a major in nursing and play softball for the Mustangs. New Ulm High School knows Hopp will find success in whatever she sets her mind to.

Kaden Peterson

MVL

Peterson is a three-sport athlete who participated on football, basketball and baseball. He earned eight letters: three in football, one in basketball and will earn his fourth this spring in baseball. Peterson was named Honorable Mention All-District his junior and senior years as the quarterback for the MVL football team. The senior captain also earned a KNUJ Player of the Week this fall. Last spring, Peterson earned All-Conference for baseball and was named to the All-Journal Second Team for his baseball skills.

Peterson was thrust on the MVL football scene suddenly as a sophomore when the starting quarterback was injured. Peterson went on to have a strong career as MVL’s quarterback and put himself firmly in the MVL record books. Peterson was blessed with an excellent arm and leadership qualities to steady the team. Peterson was also a very popular coach at MVL’s grade school football camp and possesses a servant’s heart to give back.

His career stats include 445 pass attempts and 2,804 passing yards, both fourth all time in school history. He also had 227 pass completions and 30 career touchdowns, both second in school history. He also set the school record of seven touchdowns in a game. He finishes his career with 3,458 total yards and 39 total touchdown.

Peterson also played basketball all four years at MVL, but unfortunately, the last two years, Peterson had a limited number of games due to injuries. But when he was healthy, he made a difference for the team. Peterson was an exciting player that, no matter the score, played hard.

Each spring, Peterson can be seen on the baseball diamond. The three-year captain was All-Conference in 2023, a KNUJ Player of the Week and team MVP. Coming into this season, Peterson has hit .331 with 44 hits in 133 at-bats while collecting 31 RBIs and 23 stolen bases in 51 games.

On the mound, Peterson has a 2.154 career ERA while striking out 25 and allowing only 10 walks. MVL head coach Jim Buboltz summarizes Peterson as “A remarkable leader for Charger baseball for the past three years. As the team catcher, KP has led many pitchers to fine records and low ERAs with his skills to call a game and throw runners out who are attempting to steal bases. He is a fabulous base runner and infielder, but where his really excels is with a bat in his hands. His .412 batting average last season was one of the best in MVL baseball history. KP will look to cement his name in the record books with a fine senior season. He sets his example in baseball with countless hours working on his craft. MVL baseball is sure blessed to have KP as a leader for their baseball program.”

Peterson plans to attend Minnesota State Mankato next year.

Karlee Prahl

MVL

Prahl is a two-sport student athlete who played tennis and softball, where she has excelled In Karlee’s two short years at MVL, she has earned three letters and will earn her fourth this spring in softball. Karlee was twice named unanimous All-Conference in tennis and once so far in softball. This softball captain has also earned Second Team All Journal, Academic All Conference, All Section, and Honorable Mention All State.

New Ulm tennis coach Peter Engeldinger had the pleasure of coaching Prahl the past two years and compliments Prahl by saying, “Karlee is a seriously good tennis player. When she landed on our courts in 2023 after moving here from Litchfield, we didn’t know what to expect. Her brother, who was coaching in Mankato, told me after a meet about his younger sister being a ‘pretty decent player’ and that she might be on our team next year. I was thinking, okay, that’s nice and all. Then we hit the courts, I began watching someone play some legit next-level tennis. In her two years, she went 28-4 during the regular season, earning unanimous All-Conference honors both years and generally wowing everybody who got the chance to see her play. I got a lot of messages from college coaches hoping to get her on their team. She was one of those things that was just a little too good to be true, but there she was, and we enjoyed it all.

“Karlee was much more than an outstanding tennis player, though. She has some serious all-around game. She’s genuine, modest, considerate, and, maybe most importantly, always aware of what’s going on around her, not lost in herself but attuned to the things that are meaningful. What a great trait. Gonna miss her and know that she’s going to be ‘pretty decent’ in her next adventures. Thanks, Karlee, for keeping it real.”

In the spring, as in the past, Prahl plays softball, and this year was no exception. Under the previous MVL Coach Katie Scherer, Prahl led the Chargers in hitting with a .478 batting average, which was good enough for sixth most in MVL history. She’s also in fourth place for the number of doubles in a season with 8.

Coach Scherer reflects on her time with Prahl when she says, “Karlee is an outstanding athlete. She gives 110 percent in everything she does. She never settles for average and always pushes herself to do better. She is a utility player that I could put in any position and have full confidence in her success.”

Current head coach Nate Otto has been privileged to work with Karlee and the team for the past month when he compliments Prahl by saying, “Karlee is a dedicated, hard-working team member who encourages and leads our younger team. Her heart and love of the game, as well as her softball knowledge, put her in a unique position where younger players look up to her, and her peers respect her resilience and grit. She is a committed athlete, putting in time above and beyond practice to develop her fundamentals and hitting strategic goals. Karlee also lives her faith as she encourages others on and off the field. We are very excited to have her as a team captain for the 2025 season. I am excited to see her use her dedication and leadership skills in her continuing educational endeavors.

Prahl’s future is bright, and she plans to enlist in the Air National Guard and become a flight medic.

Jake Finstad

Cathedral

Finstad is a three-sport athlete who will earn ten letters during his high school career: three in football, four in basketball, and four in baseball.

Finstad lettered in football his sophomore, junior and senior year. In his career, Jake has 126 receiving yards on nine catches and one receiving touchdown, 511 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns and 1,168 passing yards and 14 passing touchdowns. Defensively he finished with 114 career tackles, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Finstad earned All-District honors as a junior and senior for the Greyhounds. He has been a big reason for the team’s success over the past three years.

Cathedral head football coach Denny Lux has this to say about Finstad.

“Jake has played numerous positions during his three-year varsity career. He excelled at any position we put him at. But he really showed his athleticism as he led our team at QB and safety this past season. His play-making ability ranks him right up with some of the best we have had. Congratulations Jake.”

Finstad was a four-year letter winner in basketball. He was also a basketball team co-captain as a senior. Finstad has been a big part of Cathedral basketball’s success over the past four years. His career totals include 1,176 points (sixth in school history), 327 rebounds, 182 assists, and 151 steals. Finstad earned All-Conference Honorable Mention honors his sophomore, junior, and senior season.

This spring Finstad will be playing his fourth baseball season at the varsity level. For his career, Finstad is a .264 hitter with 39 RBIs, 74 runs scored, and .444 OBP. Finstad has also had a big impact on the mound for the Greyhounds where he has a record of 2-3 for his career with 7 saves. Findstad has 43 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.85. Finstad has helped the baseball team post a 65-17 record the last three years and also was instrumental in helping the team win section titles his freshman and sophomore season. Finstad has earned two All-Conference awards and one All-Conference Honorable Mention award. He already has some impressive career numbers and will continue to add to those this spring.

His basketball and baseball coach, Alan Woitas, had the following to share about Finstad, saying, “Coaching Jake in both basketball and baseball was an absolute privilege. His dedication, relentless work ethic, and team-first mentality set him apart as a true leader on and off the field. He consistently put in the extra effort, inspired his teammates and played with heart every time he stepped on the court or field. This award is a well-earned recognition of his commitment and passion for the game. Congratulations, Jake!”

Jaylin Hartness

Cathedral

Hartness is a two-sport athlete who will earn six letters during her high school career: three in volleyball and three in softball. Hartness also excels in the classroom with a cumulative GPA of 3.864.

Hartness was a three-year letter winner in volleyball. She was also a volleyball team co-captain as a senior. Hartness has been a big part of the volleyball program’s success over the past three years. Hartness’ career totals include 137 ace serves, 241 kills, 14 block kills, 812 digs, and a 89.1 serving percentage. She earned All-Conference honors as a senior. She was also selected as the team MVP her senior season.

Cathedral volleyball head coach Becky Wilfahrt has this to say about Hartness.

“Jaylin is an athlete who truly embodies the spirit of sportsmanship, dedication, and leadership. As a four-year member of the volleyball team and a three-year starter, she has been a cornerstone of the program. She is the kind of player every coach dreams of — one who leads not with loud words, but with quiet strength, unwavering commitment, and a team-first mentality. Her ability to make everyone feel welcome, valued and supported has left a lasting impact on her teammates. Whether offering encouragement, setting the tone in practice, putting in countless hours in the offseason and outside of practice, or stepping up in critical moments, Jaylin has been a constant source of positivity and motivation.

“Over the past four years, Jaylin has selflessly embraced multiple roles, excelling as both a libero and an outside hitter, always doing whatever was needed for the success of the team. Her efforts earned her a place in the CHS record books, ranking in the top ten for ace serves and top five for digs. Beyond her contributions on the court, she has also dedicated her time and talents to mentoring young athletes through our youth programs, demonstrating her deep commitment to the sport and her community. Jaylin’s tireless work ethic, uplifting attitude, and selfless approach have set a powerful example for those around her. She is an extraordinary young woman who will be greatly missed, but her impact on the program will not be forgotten. Congratulations, Jaylin!”

This spring, Hartness will be playing her third softball season at the varsity level. Hartness’ career totals at the plate include a .308 batting average, 25 RBI’s, 20 runs scored, and four stolen bases. Hartness was named to the All-Conference honorable mention team her junior season. She has been a big part of the Greyhounds winning multiple conference titles and a state championship in 2024. Hartness already has some impressive career numbers and will continue to add to those this spring.

Her softball coach Jamie Kuehn, had the following to share about Hartness.

“Jaylin has been an integral part of Cathedral softball for the last three years and was a huge reason we won the state championship in 2024. She has stepped into her role as a catcher and become a leader on the team. This was especially true last season when she was asked to lead two inexperienced pitchers through their first varsity season. Jaylin’s grit and determination to be the best are evident in everything she does. Her God-given talent, both in softball and outside of it, are an asset to Cathedral and will be greatly missed next year.”