SHELBYVILLE, Mo.- A local football standout will be playing at the next level this fall.  North Shelby Raider lineman Oren Vanskike signed his National Letter of Intent (NLI) on Tuesday.  Vanskike will be playing guard or tackle this fall for the Westminster College in Fulton.  The Blue Jays are an NCAA Division 3 school, led by Head Coach Luke Butts.  Vanskike said that Westminster showed immediate interest in recruiting him.

Vanskike- Recruiting Process

Vanskike said that he was very impressed with what he saw with the Blue Jay program.  He was particularly impressed with the emphasis on academics.

Vanskike- What Stood Out

North Shelby plays eight-man football.  And while Vanskike says that it is obviously a bit different than 11-man, there are many aspects of his experience on the line that will translate well to the 11-man game.  He also acknowledges that there will be a bit of a learning curve as well.

Vanskike- Transition to 11-Man

Oren Vanskike helped lead his team to a 2^nd place finish in Missouri State 8-Man football.  He was joined at his signing ceremony by his North Shelby Raiders head coach David Stuckey and newly named head coach Josh Klusmeyer.  Vanskike is the son of Nicole Donaldson and Josiah and Amanda Vanskike.

Oren Vanskike (center) signed his NLI Tuesday with Westminster College.  Retiring North Shelby Raiders head coach  Dave Stuckey (right) and incoming head coach Josh Klusmeyer (left) helped Oren celebrate his day.

(Photos courtesy Vanskike family)

CANTON, MO — Culver-Stockton College will present the Women in Sports Speaker Series
Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. in the Meaders Lounge in the Gladys Crown Student Center. The
event will feature inspiring conversations with two accomplished professionals in athletics:
Jennifer Durst ‘96, area representative for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Tori
Niemann, assistant athletic director at Clemson University.
The event will be introduced by Lexi Tekell, president of Women of Promise, who will welcome
attendees and introduce the speakers.
Durst, a 1996 graduate of Culver-Stockton College and former dual-sport athlete in softball and
basketball, currently serves as the Northeast Missouri area representative for the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes. She is also the junior varsity and assistant varsity coach at Quincy Notre
Dame High School in Quincy, IL. With over 25 years of experience in teaching and coaching,
Durst has built lasting relationships with athletes and coaches across the Tri-State region and
beyond.
Niemann — a Canton, MO, native and a Western Illinois University graduate and former
collegiate basketball standout — currently leads student-athlete development at Clemson
University. She oversees leadership and personal growth initiatives for athletes, manages
community engagement efforts, and serves as the secondary sport administrator for Clemson
Men’s Basketball. Niemann is the founder of the POWER Women’s Leadership Academy, the
only program of its kind in the country, and has raised nearly $3 million to support
student-athlete development programs.
The evening is free and open to the public and will include remarks from each speaker,
followed by an audience Q&A session:
? 7 p.m. — Welcome and introductions by Lexi Tekell
? 7:05–7:20 p.m. — Jennifer Durst: Reflections on her high school sports career and her
current work with FCA
7:20–7:45 p.m. — Tori Niemann: Insights on her career in collegiate athletics and the
POWER Women’s Leadership Academy (NOTE: Tori will be sharing her story via video
conferencing).
? 7:45–8 p.m. — Q&A with attendees
? 8 p.m. — Closing remarks by Lexi Tekell
For more information, contact C-SC Marketing & Public Relations at pr@culver.edu.

Tori Niemann (top) and Jennifer Durst (bottom) will be featured presenters as part of the Women in Sports Speaker Series at Culver-Stockton College

(Photo courtesy Culver-Stockton College)