Our new feature on Hillsboroughsports.com takes a look at how graduates from Orange and Cedar Ridge High Schools are doing at the college and professional levels. If you have any updates on athletes that slip through the cracks, feel free to contact us at hamlin37@hotmail.com.
Bryse Wilson: The former Orange High right-hander finished his first full professional season on Labor Day with the Rome Braves of the South Atlantic League. He threw three hitless innings against the Columbia Fireflies on Monday, striking out six while walking one before a crowd of 2,077 at State Mutual Stadium in Georgia. The Braves won the game 4-2 as Wilson had a no-decision.
Last week, Wilson was named the South Atlantic League’s Right Handed Pitcher of the Year. He made the South Atlantic League All-Star team, leading Rome with a 2.50 ERA. Wilson completed the year 10-7, striking out 139 while walking just 37 in 26 starts. Statistically, Wilson’s best performance of the season came on July 8th when he threw a five-hit shutout against the West Virginia Power, his only complete game of the season. Wilson struck out seven and walked no one, hurling 69 strikes on 109 pitches.
Lindsay Thompson: After being a member of the Cedar Ridge volleyball team that won 52 games over the course of three years, Thompson is now a defensive specialist with the Cape Fear Community College Sea Devils in Wilmington. CFCC, which plays in the Carolina Junior College Conference of the National Junior College Conference Athletic Association, is 2-0 after victories over Potomac State College of West Virginia and Central Carolina Community College. They also defeated North Carolina Wesleyan (an NCAA Division III team) in an exhibition game. Thompson has played in both of CFCC’s official matches. In her college debut against Potomac State, Thompson had two assists and five digs in a 3-2 victory. Against CCCC, Thompson played two sets as the Sea Devils swept the Cougars
Jordan Lloyd: After leaving White Cross during the summer to move to Transylvania County, Lloyd has played in two of Brevard College’s first three volleyball matches last weekend in the season-opening Pfeiffer Tournament in Richfield, NC. The Tornadoes lost its opening match against West Virginia St 3-0. Lloyd played in one set against the Yellow Jackets. Brevard, a D3 team, defeated Virginia Union and Pfeiffer on Sunday, both 3-0 victories. Against Pfeiffer, Lloyd recorded her first kill as a college player. She finished with two kills as Brevard finished second in the tournament.
Andie McKinnon: The 2015 Big 8 Player of the Year and 2016 Orange High graduate, McKinnon just started her sophomore season playing volleyball at Emory University in Atlanta. The Eagles, who play in Division III, opened the season going 2-1 in the Wittenberg University National Invitational in Springfield, Ohio over the weekend. In the opener, Emory defeated Johns Hopkins 3-1. Wittenberg, ranked #11 in D3, rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Eagles 3-2. McKinnon saw her first action of the season on Sunday in a 3-2 victory over Illinois Wesleyan. She played all five sets and recorded 12 digs.