By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's soccer coach Davy Phillips has announced the signing of 10 high school athletes who will be joining the Ichabods for the 2025 season, including Washburn Rural stars Destiny Higgs and Kate Hinck.
Destiny Higgs, Washburn Rural
Kate Hinck, Washburn Rural
Hinck and Higgs helped lead the Junior Blues to a third-place finish in the Class 6A state tournament last spring.
Hinck was named the Centennial League player of the year last season and both Hinck and Higgs both earned All-City and all-league first-team honors.
Signing capsules:
Bricelyn Betts – 5-1 • Attacking Midfielder • Raymore, Mo. • Raymore-Peculiar HS
Member of the Raymore-Peculiar Panthers soccer team … 2022 Midwest first-team all-conference for club team … daughter of Jeremy Betts and Tricia Trutzel-Betts … has two brothers, Brandt and Brucker, and one sister, Brilee … brother Brandt played soccer at Liberty University … plans to major in kinesiology and biology
Thea Martin – 5-7 • Defender • Lincoln, Neb. • Lincoln Southwest HS
As a junior, earned honorable mention from Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Journal Star … helped Lincoln Southwest Silverhawks win state championship with an 18-1 record … team won district championship and finished state runner-up sophomore year … as a freshman, Silverhawks claimed district championship and were state semifinalists … daughter of Erica and Brad Martin … has one brother, Judson … plans to major in biology
Destiny Higgs – 5-7 • Center Midfielder • Topeka, Kan. • Washburn Rural HS
As a junior, Higgs scored nine goals and had seven assists while earning first-team All-City (TopSports.News), first-team All-Centennial League and second-team All-State honors … helped the Washburn Rural Junior Blues to a 17-4-0 record and a third-place finish at Class 6A State Tournament … recorded eight goals and three assists as a sophomore, earning second-team All-Centennial League selection while team went 15-5-1 and finished third at state … named All-Centennial League honorable mention as a freshman after scoring three goals and adding five assists, contributing to second-place state finish for Junior Blues … daughter of Marcia and Shannon Shaddox and Jerry Higgs … has two brothers, Brian Johnson and Freddy Richter, and one sister, Mya Higgs … undecided major
Lydia Keller – 5-9 • Midfielder • Kansas City, Mo. • Park Hill HS
Earned second-team honors for district soccer and conference honorable mention as a junior … honorable mention for both district and conference as a sophomore … also plays basketball, being named honorable mention for conference … played club soccer for Kansas Rush … daughter of Trent and Haley Keller … has two brothers, Kaden and Collin … both parents are former Washburn athletes, with mom Haley playing softball and dad Trent playing baseball … planning to major in law or radiology
Brooke Willcott – 5-10 • Defender • Holton, Kan. • Holton HS
Club team won 2023 USYS State Championship and was runner-up at Midwest Regionals … team was ranked 1st in the state of Kansas for 2024 … also plays basketball for Holton High School Wildcats … named to Big 7 All-League first-team as a sophomore and was 4A All-State honorable mention pick by Sports in Kansas and KSHSAA Covered … daughter of Jennifer and Sean Willcott … plans to major in business
Kate Hinck – 5-4 • Forward • Topeka, Kan. • Washburn Rural HS
As a junior, scored 28 goals, the second-most in a season in school history … Centennial League Player of the Year … first-team All-City (Top Sports.News), first-team All-State, and first-team All-Centennial League … helped Junior Blues to a third-place finish at Class 6A State Tournament with a 17-4 record … scored 13 goals with seven assists as a sophomore … tallied 13 goals and five assists as a freshman … daughter of Rita Hinck and Dustin Hinck … has one sister, Alyson … plans to major in kinesiology
Leah Henke – 5-6 • Forward • Wichita, Kan. • Bishop Carroll Catholic HS
Named first-team All-State, first-team All-City, and first-team All-Metro after scoring 26 goals and tallying 11 assists as a junior … team placed third at state and were City League champions … scored 24 goals as a sophomore on her way to first-team All-State, first-team All-City, and first-team All-Metro honors … team won City League and finished as state runner-up … GWAL honorable mention as a freshman with 11 goals scored … also plays basketball, earning second-team All-State as a junior and first-team All-City as a junior and sophomore … daughter of Karla and Jason Henke … has three brothers, Joel, Eli, and Isaiah … plans to major in nursing
Jules Wardlaw – 5-5 • Midfielder • Lenexa, Kan. • Olathe West HS
As a junior, named Sunflower League midfielder of the year, first-team All-Sunflower League, and first-team All-State … earned Kansas 6A All-State second-team, All-Sunflower League second-team, and Olathe West Varsity Offensive MVP as a sophomore … named team Varsity Newcomer of the Year as a freshman … also participated in track as a freshman … daughter of Tina and Kevin … has two sisters, Maleah and Ava … father Kevin played soccer at Olivet Nazarene University … mother Tina played soccer at the University of the Cumberlands … sister Maleah participates in cross country and track and field at Colorado Christian University … sister Ava participates in cross country and track and field at Mississippi College … plans to major in kinesiology
Ruby Wexler – 5-6 • Forward • Lenexa, Kan. • Olathe Northwest HS
Named Top 25 KC (KS) Class of 2025 Girls Soccer Players by SoccerKC … helped team to 15-4 record and regional championship as a junior … named All-Sunflower League honorable mention as a sophomore as team went 11-5-1 with a regional championship … team placed third at Kansas 6A Girls State Soccer Tournament as a freshman … also participated in cheerleading … member of National Honor Society, Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society, and FCCLA … daughter of Sheila and Randy … has one brother, Jackson, and one sister, Hannah … brother Jackson played five seasons of golf at Washburn, concluding his career in 2023 … plans to major in nursing
Brynn Allison – 5-7 • Right wing/right back • Olathe, Kan. • Olathe West HS
Two-year letterwinner in soccer for Olathe West Owls … daughter of Dustin Allison … has one brother, Andrew … father, Dustin, played football at Pittsburg State … plans to major in biology or radiology
