This has been a busy season for Fredericktown student-athletes who are continuing their post-Freddies athletic and academic careers in college. Record-holding hurdler Ashley Cockrell signed on Feb. 2 to run at Ashland University; Kaid Carpenter and Brady Lester both signed on Feb. 10 to continue their baseball careers at nearby Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Fredericktown record holder Elsa Hoam signed on March 2 to take her track skills to Ohio Wesleyan University.

Hoam's signing day was held at the Fredericktown track and was attended by more than 40 supporters, including her family, the high school track team and school coaches and officials.

Hoam will continue her athletic and academic careers at Ohio Wesleyan University, where she will run cross-country and track and study business and art.

Hoam chose OWU for the people, the environment and the setting.

“I chose Ohio Wesleyan because I fell in love with the campus, I really liked the coaches and I felt that I would have a multitude of opportunities there,” she said.

Hoam is a four-time state qualifier in cross-country. She placed 16th in state competition this past fall and was 20th in 2021. She also qualified for state in the mile run during her sophomore track season. Hoam holds multiple middle school records at Fredericktown, including the cross-country record, 1600-meter run, 4x400 relay and 4x800 relay.

This track season, she hopes to break the school record in the mile and qualify for the state meet, and her track coaches, Bill Porter, Bob Geiger, Will Hartley and Greg Davidson, see a strong senior season ahead for Hoam in 2023.