Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Your Prep Sports Alumni Report is a weekly segment that recognizes the accomplishments of graduates from YPS area schools that are continuing their careers as student athletes at the collegiate level. Alumni News is a way for readers to keep tabs on former area standouts.

Ella Cook

Former City High standout and current St. Thomas senior Ella Cook earned first-team all-Summit League honors when the conference released its postseason awards on Tuesday.

A two-way standout at the plate and in the pitchers circle, Cook earned first-team all-conference honors after helping the Tommies earn a share of the Summit League regular season title.

In conference play Cook posted a 1.82 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 21 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings pitched and also hit .311 with five doubles, two home runs and 15 RBI against conference opponents.

On the season Cook batted .355 with 15 doubles, seven home runs and 43 RBI and also went 12-9 with a 3.04 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with 74 strikeouts in a team-high 106 2/3 innings pitched.

Lilly Houtakker

Solon graduate and current Des Moines Area Community College sophomore Lilly Houtakker finished eighth at the North Plains District Regional to help the Bears to the team title last week at Otter Creek Golf Course in Ankeny.

Houtakker posted a two-day total of 176 to finish eighth overall as DMACC put four golfers in the top eight while securing a spot at the national championships.

DMACC won the title with a two-day total of 670, eight strokes better than runner-up Iowa Central Community College.

Houtakker shot an 87 in the opening round and finished with an 89 to card a 176.

The 2025 NJCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship will be held May 13-16 at Cedar Point Golf Course in Boone.

Hunter Garvin

West High graduate and current Stanford sophomore Hunter Garvin continued to rake in accolades following an impressive season when he earned all-Academic Honors from the ACC last week.

Athletes selected to the All-ACC academic team include a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and participation in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests.

Garvin was also named a Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association last month and was an all-ACC selection following a sophomore season in which he went 23-9 and earned all-American honors with a sixth-place finish at 165 pounds at the NCAA tournament in Philadelphia in March.

If you know of a Your Prep Sports area graduate currently excelling at the collegiate level let us know by sending information to rmurken@yourprepsports.com or @yourprepsports on Twitter.

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