Tribune Notebook: Ridgewater Warriors' dynamic duo headed to Mary
· Yahoo Sports
Apr. 17—WILLMAR — For two seasons, they were the
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men's basketball team's dynamic duo. Like Batman and Robin or peanut butter and jelly, if you will.
DeAndre Holloway and Tyrese Mayo made a great combo.
They led the Warriors to arguably the best season in school history in 2025-26, when Ridgewater won an NJCAA Division III National Tournament game for the first time in school history.
Holloway and Mayo are taking their show to the next level.
The two have committed to the University of Mary, an NCAA Division II program in Bismarck, North Dakota.
"It's unbelievable," Ridgewater head coach Nate Thooft said, who added that Mayo and Ridgewater are the first recruits to secure Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference scholarships from the entire Minnesota College Athletic Conference in five or so years. "We are excited for them."
The two are also the first Ridgewater All-Americans in men's basketball since Akeen Ogelsby, who made second-team and honorable-mention All-American honors roughly 10 years ago for Ridgewater. Ogelsby was from Statesboro, Georgia. He accepted a scholarship from Division II Northwest Oklahoma State.
Holloway and Mayo both earned All-America honors for their 2025-26 seasons in which Ridgewater went 9-3 in the MCAC, 23-8 overall and 1-2 in the national tournament. The Warriors beat Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania 83-66, then lost to Dallas College-North Lake 89-82 and Riverland Community College of Austin 97-89.
"They were two of the top players in a tournament with the best teams in the nation," Thooft said.
Holloway is a 6-foot-7 forward from Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg who averaged 22.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game last season, shooting 57.8% from the field, including 37.2% from the three-point line. He was an 80.0% free-throw shooter.
"DeAndre has done everything we've asked," Thooft said. "He's a great person."
Mayo is a 6-0 guard from Winter Haven, Florida. He averaged 22.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 53.7% from the field, including 42.0% from three-point range. He was an 80.2% free-throw shooter.
"He (Mayo) has just taken off," Thooft said. "Plus, he's a great person just like DeAndre and they're both great teammates.
"Tyrese has been pretty amazing."
They are about to become Mary Marauders for Darren Tighe, who coached at Ridgewater for three seasons. Tighe's first season at Mary was in 2025-26 after leading Mayville State University in North Dakota to three national tournament appearances and three conference tournament championships. He also coached two seasons at Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota, after spent three seasons at Ridgewater.
Mary was 5-23 last season and looking for players.
"He's looking for solid guys," said Thooft, who believes Mary has signed two of those types from Ridgewater.
Rescheduling because of weather has caused the Ridgewater College baseball team to reschedule its weekend games, moving a home doubleheader to a 1 p.m. start Sunday at Elsie Klemmetson Field against St. Cloud Technical & Community College. The two teams then play in St. Cloud for another doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Monday.
Then, the Warriors are host to Alexandria Technical & Community College for another doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Then there are four games next weekend. They play at Minnesota State-Fergus Falls on Saturday, April 25, then are host to the Spartans for two beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 26.
All told, Ridgewater has 10 games in the next eight days.
'It is what it is," Ridgewater head coach Tyler Hebrink said. "It's going to be the ultimate task."
The Warriors are 2-4 in the MCAC and 11-9 overall. Hebrink said the schedule has been especially difficult, with games against powerful Century College, Riverland and Alex Tech.
"Since we've been back from Florida, our schedule has been really tough," he admitted.
Ridgewater has hit well. Seven starters are batting .300 or better, including Nolan Eischens (.406), Luke Kester (.403), Davis Patzer (.397), Luke Jeseritz (.361), Elliot Domagala (.358), Blake Morris (.314) and Joe Liebl (.300).
The pitching has struggled, with a team earned-run average of 9.42.
The Ridgewater softball team has moved its home doubleheader with St. Cloud Technical & Community College back to 3 p.m. Monday in Willmar. The Warriors then play a doubleheader Tuesday at Anoka-Ramsey before getting another home doubleheader with Rochester Community & Technical College beginning at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
The Warriors are 5-5 in the MCAC, 6-8 overall and fighting for a top-three finish in their conference. The top three advance to regional play. Ridgewater is currently third, right behind nationally ranked St. Cloud, but in contention with Anoka-Ramsey, Rochester and Minnesota West.
"It's going to be a tough battle," Ridgewater head coach Jordyn Swoboda said.
Offensively, the Warriors have been led by Nevaeh Rahm (.417 average, .512 on-base percentage, .750 slugging percentage), Aly Wendlandt (.350/.435/.550), Madison Norsten (.324/.468/.514), Kylie Pauls (.311/.385/.400) and Hannah Magnuson (.289/.407/.289).
Rahm is the only sophomore on the roster. She's from Fairmont and has thrown 71-2/3 of the team's 81 innings. Wendlandt is from New London-Spicer. Norsten and Magnuson are from Willmar and Pauls is from Paynesville.
When Paynesville softball coach Zach Nelson began practice in March, he figured Ava Albrecht might be one of his top three pitchers this spring.
The sophomore right-hander had a good ninth-grade season on the junior varsity and Nelson knew she could throw strikes.
"Honestly, I thought she probably would be our No. 3," Nelson said.
Because of injuries, she has become the young Bulldogs' ace. And, she's still throwing strikes.
She has issued two walks in five games and 32-2/3 innings.
"She keeps the ball down and she's got a little movement on it," Nelson said.
Paynesville is off to a 3-1 start in the Central Minnesota Conference and is 4-2 overall. The Bulldogs split a doubleheader with Maple Lake on Thursday, winning 6-5 and losing 8-3. Albrecht got the Game 1 win, striking out three with no walks. She allowed six hits over seven innings, including two earned runs.