Photos by Aiden Hoey and Ilia LuMaye
Press Release – De Pere Athletes Sign National Letters of Intent
On Nov. 13, De Pere High School seniors Braylin Bosetski, Reese Falish, Pryce Gregoire, Zach Kinziger, Carly Larson and Jocelyn Blahnik signed national letters of intent to compete in athletics at the collegiate level.
Bosetski is committing to play women’s volleyball at UW-Milwaukee. Falish will play softball at Minnesota State (Mankato). Gregoire and Kinziger will play men’s basketball at Northern Michigan University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, respectively.
Larson will sign with Liberty University for women’s swimming. Blahnik is committing to Northern Michigan University for women’s soccer.
Bosetski, a four-year letterwinner for the Redbirds, will sign with the NCAA Division I UWM program. She was named the co-Player of the Year in the Fox River Classic Conference this fall and is a two-time all-state honoree.
As a senior, Bosetski set the school single-season digs record with 585, a total that ranked fourth in the state. She finished with 1,004 career digs and 156 career aces with a 94 percent service accuracy.
“Braylin is a leader on and off the court,” Redbirds coach Greg Bosetski said. “She is an unselfish competitor who puts the team first while dominating at her position. Braylin excelled playing against the top competition in the country and will take that mental toughness to do great things at Milwaukee.”
Falish will sign with the NCAA Division II program at Mankato (Minn.). A three-year varsity pitcher, she has totaled 400 strikeouts and 31 victories for her career. She has a 2.14 ERA and .263 career batting average.
Last spring, she helped De Pere win its first WIAA regional championship since 2008 as the Redbirds compiled a school-record 20 wins. Falish is a three-time all-FRCC selection, including first-team honors as a junior.
“Reese has embodied what being a De Pere softball student-athlete is about,” Redbirds coach Travis Piper said. “She trains, practices and competes at a high level while building more confidence in herself and her team each season, which has helped lead this program to success.
“Reese will leave a lasting impact on our staff, our players and our program. I have full confidence she will do the same at the next level with the Mavericks’ softball program.”
Gregoire has chosen Northern Michigan University, an NCAA Division II school in Marquette, Mich. In two full seasons as a varsity player, he has helped the Redbirds win two conference titles, two regional championships, a sectional championship and the state title in 2023.
Gregoire was named first-team all-FRCC as a junior, when he averaged 10.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He has made 84 3-pointers during his career, which ranks among the top 15 in program history.
“While Pryce has always been a very good shooter, he has worked hard on developing all parts of his game and has become a complete player,” Redbirds coach Brian Winchester said. “Pryce is a great teammate and his leadership will be extremely important to our success this year.
“Our coaching staff is extremely proud of Pryce and wish him continued success at Northern Michigan – after a successful senior year and taking a run at another state title.”
Kinziger is signing an NCAA Division I scholarship with the University of Wisconsin. During his career as a Redbird, he’s helped the team achieve an 81-5 record, three conference titles, three regional championships, a sectional title and the 2023 state championship.
Kinziger was selected first-team all-state and first-team all-conference as a junior and is rated as a top 100 player nationally. He ranks among the top 10 in scoring, assists, and 3-point shots made in program history.
As a junior, Kinziger averaged 19.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. For his career, he has averaged 43 percent shooting from 3-point range, with 175 made.
“Zach is a complete player and competes every possession on both ends of the floor,” Winchester said. “He is a tireless worker and has earned the opportunity to play at Wisconsin.”
Larson has chosen Liberty University, an NCAA Division I school in Lynchburg, Virginia. She is the defending WIAA Division 1 state champion in the 100-yard butterfly, having won the event in 53.77 seconds as a junior. She is the school’s first state champion in swimming.
Larson, a three-time state qualifier, is the FRCC swimmer of the year. On Saturday, she will compete in four events at the state meet – 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 free relay and 400 free relay.
Last year, she established a sectional meet record in the 100 fly, in 54.96 seconds. Larson also holds FRCC meet records in the 50 free and 100 fly.
“Carly is a phenomenal person and athlete,” De Pere coach Melissa Wolf said. “Her work in the pool is unmatched. She leads the team with her contagious joy and excitement for hard work.
“Liberty University is gaining not only a talented swimmer but a selfless person. Carly has a high ceiling and is not done improving or making her mark in the sport of swimming.”
Blahnik will play Division II soccer at Northern Michigan. She’s a three-year starter and three-time all-FRCC selection at goalie, including first team as a sophomore and junior. Blahnik has recorded 219 saves with an 80.5 save percentage for her career.
“Jocelyn provides her teammates with the confidence to take risks and make plays knowing she’s behind them both literally and figuratively,” De Pere coach Mike Picard said. “She is an extremely hard worker who doesn’t take days off whether it’s through practice, goalkeeper-specific training, speed and strength, or high level club soccer.
“Jocelyn deserves the accolades she’s earned and has the ability and drive to make an immediate impact on her team at NMU.”