For many, the opportunity to play college level sports is a dream they have been holding onto since the beginning of their athletic careers. However, after years of dedication and hard work, only a handful of student athletes are given this sought-after opportunity. This year, Willow Glen High School’s senior class hase several athletes who have committed to play at the next level. In this article, we want to highlight five of these talented individuals and congratulate them on their major achievements in high school as well as their decision to play in college.
Sierra Cherniavsky – Carleton College:
After kick starting her career with the Willow Glen 5k in kindergarten, Cherniavsky is looking forward to running cross country and track at Carleton College in Minnesota! While running in college wasn’t initially her goal, after “finding success and community in cross country [at Willow Glen], it showed [her] how much [she] loves running,” and motivated Cherniavsky to continue advancing in the sport. Today, she runs an impressive 55 miles a week and is a valuable asset to our school’s cross country and track team. In her senior year cross country season alone, Cherniavsky placed in the top ten in CCS as well as top ten at Foot Locker. “My goal had been to maybe get like top 20, and then I got 9th!” she shared excitedly. With sweet memories like this, it’s clear Cherniavsky has a promising career waiting for her in Minnesota. Congratulations Sierra!
Katelynn Dilbeck – Linfield University:
This fall, Dilbeck will continue her athletic career at Linfield University in Oregon, where she will play in the outfield for the college’s softball team! Dilbeck says she is looking forward to being with the team, playing at a higher competition level, and building her skills even more in college. A talented and valuable player, Dilbeck was First Team All League her junior year and in 2023 helped the softball team win the NorCal State Championship. Her favorite memory from the past four years was during that championship game when she scored the winning run. With her teammates crowding around home plate and cheering her on, she described it as “just the most exciting moment.” We’re sure that as Dilbeck moves on to play in college, more exciting moments like these will come her way. Best wishes Katelynn!
Lola Herning – Pepperdine University:
One of the cross country legends at our school, Herning has made an impressive mark in her four years here. She has set many records for our school in events such as the 1600m (5:02 minutes), the 3200m (11:04 minutes), and in numerous cross country Invites. Furthermore, she was on the CCS championship team and was CCS top 6 individual finisher (3 times). With this impressive resume, Herning got her offer to run cross country and track at Pepperdine University this fall! Beyond her accomplishments on the track, Herning said that her favorite part about running in high school was the “supportive community of the team and sport.” As Herning embarks on the next part of her running career, we hope that she continues building strong bonds with teammates and leaving school records in the dust. Way to go Lola!
Adya Kadam – UC Berkeley:
After playing field hockey for eleven years, Kadam’s hard work and ambition paid off, as this fall she has committed to play at UC Berkeley! When asked about receiving the offer, Kadam explained how it felt like all her effort and dedication over the years had amounted to it. In high school, Kadam played center mid field and due to her impressive skill and talent, was ranked in the top 150 players in the class of 2025! Kadam was in 7th grade when she decided she wanted to play at the collegiate level, and was driven to take her skills to the next level because “[she] had great friends on the team that motivated [her] to enjoy playing.” With her outstanding accomplishments from high school, Kadam’s future at UC Berkeley is clearly promising. Well done Adya!
Sienna Wilson – Massachusetts Institute of Technology:
Back in January, Wilson made the exciting announcement that she will be continuing her softball career at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)! After receiving her offer, Wilson stated that she “felt really excited and relieved.” In high school, Wilson played shortstop for our school’s softball team as well as 3rd base on her travel ball team. In 2023, she and the rest of Willow Glen’s softball team won the Norcal Championships. Not only was this one of Wilson’s favorite memories from high school, but she also said it made her feel unstoppable. As for the next four years, Wilson is looking forward to being able to play in college and having a fresh start in a new environment. We’re confident that Wilson will grow and flourish in her new environment at MIT and we can’t wait to see the result when she does. Good luck Sienna!
Wherever it is they’re going, we hope all of our student athletes continue to grow their love, passion, and skills in their sport in the upcoming years. After years of commitment and grit, these individuals deserve to celebrate their achievements and anticipate their exciting future. We congratulate them and wish them the best of luck in college and beyond. Goooo Rams!
