Reitz Memorial High School

Evansville, IN – Five Reitz Memorial High School seniors will sign their National Letter of Intent on Tuesday, November 15, at 3 PM at Reitz Memorial High School in the Auxiliary Gym. Kennedy Neighbors, Ella Hamner, and Lydia Bordfeld will all be signing to play soccer at Indiana University, University of Evansville, and University of Southern Indiana respectively. Emily Mattingly will be signing to play basketball at Indiana Wesleyan University. Nicklaus Wangler is signing to play baseball at Wabash College. All four girls have had outstanding athletic careers both individually and as teammates throughout their time at Reitz Memorial. The group is a part of the back-to-back IHSAA soccer State Championship teams and went undefeated their final season for the Tigers. Lydia and Emily excel on the basketball court together and begin their senior campaign this Friday against Boonville. Kennedy Neighbors, who committed to IU as an 8th grader, has been a varsity player all four years and has served as a team captain her junior and senior year. Neighbors scored 57 goals and had 69 assists throughout her four years for the Tigers – including the game winning assist in the 2nd overtime during the State Championship game her junior season. Kennedy received many individual honors as a Tiger including, All-City Honorable Mention and Academic All-City her freshman season, Indiana Soccer Coach Association (ISCA) 3rd Team All-State, Indiana Coaches Girls Sport Association (ICGSA) 2nd Team, and Academic All-City as a sophomore, United Soccer Coaches Association Region Team, ISCA 1st Team All-State, ICGSA 1st Team, on the High School All-American Watch List as a junior, and ISCA 1st Team All-State, ICGSA 1st Team, Zionsville Lady Eagle Invite All-Tournament Team, Evansville Co-Player of the Year, Conference Co-Player of the Year, and the Kiwanis award winner her senior season. She was 1st Team All-City, All-Conference, All-District, and on the All-Metro Team her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She will also be playing in the annal High School All-American game in December. Kennedy is also the president of BESTIES, a member of the National Honor Society, Tiger Pride, Student Council, and Student Athlete Advisory Council and plans to major in biology or biochemistry and pursue a career in the dental or medical field. Ella Hamner was a MAXPREPS Indiana High School Athlete of the Week after scoring 3 goals in the IHSAA State Finals, which tied the IHSAA record and set the record in 2A. Hamner was Academic All-State, 1st Team All-SIAC, 1st Team All-District her junior and senior years, as well as 2nd Team All-State and United Soccer Coaches All-Central Region Team junior year, and 1st Team All-State, Conference Co-Player of the Year, and Evansville Co-Player of the Year her senior season. Ella is also involved in Student Council, BESTIES, Tiger Pride, and a National Honor Society member. Ella plans to go into Pre-Physical Therapy. Lydia Bordfeld has been a varsity player for the Tigers on the soccer team since her sophomore year and the basketball team all four years. On top of receiving multiple honors for basketball, she was All-City honorable mention junior year and 1st Team All-District, 2nd Team All-State, and 1st Team All-City her senior soccer campaign. Bordfeld is also a member of National Honors Society, Tiger Pride, BESTIES, and Tiger Fest. Lydia has not decided what she wants to study as a Screaming Eagle. While Emily Mattingly thrived on the defensive end of the soccer field as a varsity player since her sophomore year, she fell in love with basketball at a young age. She was on the varsity basketball team all four years of high school. She was 1st Team All-Conference her junior year, 2nd Team All-Conference her sophomore year, and Honorable Mention All-Conference her freshman year, and she was Academic All-City (grades 9-11). Outside of multiple individual basketball and soccer honors, Mattingly boasts an outstanding academic resume as well. Emily is a National Honors Society Member, Tomorrow’s Workforce Leadership Award recipient, Honoree at Optimist Youth Appreciation Day, and the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award after winning the 2022 Soccer State Championship. She also serves as an officer of Student Athlete Advisory Council and Student Council. Emily will be pursuing a career in nursing at Indiana Wesleyan. The final athlete to sign on Tuesday is Nicklaus Wangler. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nick didn’t get the chance to have a baseball season his freshman year, but he has been on the varsity baseball team since his sophomore year. Wangler is a two-time Sectional Champion, was on the All-Metro Team his junior year, and was Academic All-City his sophomore and junior years. He is a National Honors Society member, in Tiger Pride, and leads the student sections at other athletic events. Nick plans to study Business Administration at Wabash College. Aaron Schmitt, Principal of Reitz Memorial High School says, “the staff, faculty, and I are so proud of these students and their achievements, and we are excited to support them in the future as they continue to pursue their dreams. Their contributions to their teams, the school, and the community are exemplary, and we appreciate all they have given with their time and talents." ###