In our very own Ida B. Wells community, we have a wide array of seniors committed or looking to commit to colleges and universities for athletics. These dedicated students are part of the six percent of high school athletes who continue on in collegiate sports, being a part of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). There are three different levels in the NCAA: Division I, Division II and Division III. There is also the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or NAIA for schools that compete in athletics that are not part of the NCAA.
Around three percent of committed high school athletes will play at the D1 level, the highest and most competitive division in the NCAA. Our very own Kiran Cerwonka is one of the lucky few. Cerwonka has committed to the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio and beginning in Spring 2026, she will be playing lacrosse for the Zips.
The current Guardian and future Zip started playing club lacrosse in sixth grade and has continued since. Cerwonka says, “It’s kind of always been the plan to play [in] college.” It wasn’t until her sophomore year that she became more serious about pursuing her dream.
She started considering which aspects of schools she valued most and looked at different programs throughout the country. That’s when she heard about the University of Akron. At first, she was apprehensive because she wasn’t sure about living in Ohio. Then, she decided to take a trip east and take a chance on the Zips. “The team environment was amazing,” said Cerwonka. “They did a team camp there and I thought it was really cool that so much of the team was there, even the upperclassmen.” Needless to say, Cerwonka is very excited to continue her lacrosse career.
Another fellow Guardian and college-bound athlete is Cam Hammer. He is due to play D3 baseball in the Spring of 2026 at Willamette University, the oldest college in the western United States. Hammer has been playing baseball “pretty much [his] whole life, since [he] can remember.” During middle school, Hammer prioritized baseball and made playing in college one of his biggest aspirations.
The Guardian shortstop and second baseman delayed his recruitment process, which only began a couple of months ago. He says even though he was a little late to the game, it “obviously didn’t affect things, but it [did] make it a little more stressful.” Hammer’s recruiter recommended he get an app that allowed him to contact the coaching staff of prospective schools. While he did visit colleges, it was Willamette University that stood out above the rest. “Willamette is a very strong private school with good academics and a good business school,” says Hammer. He was looking for a school that was equally academically focused as it was athletics focused, and Willamette University fit the description, as it would benefit him both now and in his future.
IBW senior Julia Iwanow is also committed and she is planning on attending Binghamton University in Greater Binghamton, New York. Iwanow will preside there for the next 4 years, where she will compete on their D1 level swim team.
Committing and recruiting may seem like a daunting task, but for anyone looking to try, Hammer says, “My main advice is to definitely start early.” In addition to that, Cerwanka also reminds us that, “No matter what, you will find a school that you will fit into. Even though it is hard, you just have to kind of keep going”.
These IBW athletes have gotten to where they are today by hard work and the help of others. Hammer, Cerwonka and Iwanow are all strong and prominent leaders in our athletics program. Though we are sad to see them leave, the IBW community is excited to see how they thrive in their respective colleges.
