WINTER HAVEN – Polk State College has had plenty of athletic talent walking around its campuses over the years. Often times, that talent continues to shine long after student-athletes' time at Polk State has passed.

During the 2025-26 Academic Year, several former Polk State players continued to shine at their current schools. This past year, 15 former Polk State players went on to earn either All-Conference, All-Region, All-America or All-Tournament honors at a four-year athletics program.

BASEBALL

Over the past decade-plus, former Polk State players have occupied all levels of baseball, including the major leagues. For the 2026 season, several former Eagles made their marks in new places.

At the NCAA Division I level, Jordan Thomas earned second-team All-Atlantic Sun honors for Lipscomb University. A former Rawlings Gold Glove winner in centerfield for Polk State, Thomas hit .314 for the Bisons with a team-leading 11 home runs and 43 RBIs as Lipscomb won the Atlantic Sun for the fourth time and earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Georgia Southwestern State University, an NCAA Division II program, had six players earn All-Peach Belt recognition. Three of those were former Eagles.

On the mound, Evan Koehler took home a slew of honors, including Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year. After finishing 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA, three complete games, a shutout and 119 strikeouts in 96 innings of work, Koehler also earned first-team All-Conference, first-team All-Southeast Region and second-team National College Baseball Writers Association All-America recognition.

Joining Koehler on the Peach Belt's first team was infielder Evan Wainman. In 52 games, Wainman led the Hurricanes in batting average (.349), hits (76), OPS (1.049) and home runs (11). Wainman was also recognized as second-team All-Southeast Region.

Wainman's best friend and former Polk State teammate Kelsen Johnson earned second-team All-Peach Belt. Johnson started all 53 games for Georgia Southwestern State and finished the year by hitting .310 with 29 RBIs and 49 runs scored.

BASKETBALL

Polk State Basketball didn't have any former players earn All-Conference recognition during the 2025-26 season, but multiple former Eagles shined at the highest levels of college basketball.

After earning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year as a junior at Utah Valley University, Dominick Nelson helped Iowa State University reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division I Tournament as a senior. A two-time All-Conference performer at Polk State, Nelson appeared in 24 games for the Cyclones as a senior.

Also a two-time All-Conference selection for Polk State, guard Ty Owens was Tennessee Tech University's leading assist man this past season. As a junior, Owens averaged a team-best 3.7 assists per contest and tied or led the Golden Eagles in assists in 22 of their 31 games.

SOCCER

Lohrane Boaventura, Sara Estrada and Ella Sebree were all contributors for Polk State during a magical 2022 season that culminated in the Region 8 regular season and tournament titles and the first NJCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years. This past season, the trio helped their current schools accomplish big things.

For Columbia International University, an NAIA program in South Carolina, this past season, Boaventura set a program record with 11 goals to go with seven assists. Boaventura was recognized as a first-team All-Appalachian Athletic Conference selection and the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) South Region Player of the Year. She was also named an NCCAA second-team All-American as the Rams finished 13-6-1.

After stops at Polk State and Glenville State University, Sara Estrada wrapped up her career by earning third-team All-River States Conference in 2025 for the University of Rio Grande in Ohio. She finished the year with three goals, including two match-winners, as the RedStorm finished 8-6-5.

A Lakeland native, Sebree finished her collegiate career close to home at Southeastern University, an NAIA program. Sebree was named to the Sun Conference All-Tournament team after helping the Fire top Keiser University for the conference crown. In 10 matches this season, Sebree allowed just seven goals as Southeastern finished 13-3-3 and reached the national NAIA Tournament.

At the University of Maine at Augusta, defender Kuhle "Bubbles" Madlokazi earned All-Yankee Small College Conference honors this past season. A member of Head Coach Dee Shivraman's first Polk State team in 2023, Madlokazi finished with two assists and started 14 matches for the Moose in 2025.

SOFTBALL

As sophomores at Polk State in 2025, pitcher Donnea "Dee" Allen and outfielder Karyna Lewis helped the Eagles put together their best season in more than a decade. In 2026, both helped their new schools reach new heights.

At Savannah State University, an NCAA Division II program in Georgia, Allen helped the Tigers set a single-season program record with 27 wins. Allen earned second-team All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors after finishing 17-8 with a 3.43 ERA and one save in 27 games. Allen led Savannah State in wins, innings pitched (161), strikeouts (176), ERA and opponents' batting average (.221).

At the NAIA level, Lewis helped New College of Florida have its best season ever as the Mighty Banyans also set a program record for wins, finishing 32-16. Lewis earned second-team All-Sun Conference honors after hitting a team-best .385 with 17 RBIs. Lewis led New College with 47 hits, 40 runs scored and 20 stolen bases.

VOLLEYBALL

Lewis, however, wasn't the only former Polk State athlete to make noise in the Sun Conference or at New College of Florida.

Setter Maria Luiza Barreis helped New College of Florida finish 20-5 and reach the Sun Conference Championship for the first time. In the process, Luiza Barreis was named first-team All-Sun, Sun Conference Libero of the Year and an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Southeast Region honorable mention selection. Barreis led the Sun Conference by averaging 5.89 digs per set while setting a New College record with 735 career digs.

For Keiser University, libero Faith Marquis was named first-team All-Sun Conference for the second year in a row and an AVCA Southeast Region honorable mention selection. A member of Polk State in 2023, Marquis led Keiser by averaging 5.3 digs per set.

At the NCAA Division I level, former Polk State All-Conference performer A'lanae Margaritha was recognized as a second-team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Margaritha started all 31 games for the Trojans and set a program record with a .321 hitting percentage. Margaritha also led the team in service aces per set (0.26) while averaging 2.1 kills and 0.82 blocks per set as Little Rock put together a winning season.

One state north in Missouri, outside hitter Martina Gonzato earned second-team All-Heart of America Athletic Conference for Central Methodist University, an NAIA program, for the second year in a row. A player for Polk State in 2023, Gonzato helped her current group of Eagles finish 23-8 in 2025. Gonzato played in all 31 matches and averaged 2.69 kills per set.

Although she didn't play during the indoor season, Andrea Da Silva was recognized as a first-team All-Atlantic Sun performer for the University of North Florida's beach volleyball program. The Ospreys finished as Atlantic Sun runners-up and nationally ranked No. 19 in the final AVCA Poll with a 21-14 record. Da Silva finished 16-9 in duals this season.