HOT SPRINGS – Four Hot Springs student-athletes signed official letters of intent to compete at the next level during a ceremony held in front of their peers inside Case Auditorium last Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Sitting with their friends and families at tables decorated in their soon-to-benew school colors were Hot Springs Bison seniors Riyahn Heinert, Owen White and Jaydon Koffler, along with Hot Springs homeschool senior Emma Niles.
After first being presented to the audience of fellow students by Activities Director Mike Deming, each senior was then further introduced by either a coach, or parent, which was the case for Niles, who will be headed to Northern State University in Aberdeen to swim. Her mom Malisa Niles said their family moved to Hot Springs in 2017 and that Emma then later joined the Fall River Swim Team in 2018 and quickly proved to be a strong competitor.
Niles credited Emma’s success in the pool to her strong work ethic and the guidance of her swim coach Allison Ritterbush. During the 2025-26 season, Emma qualified to compete in 10 events at this past weekend’s South Dakota Short Course State ‘A’ Swimming Championships in Mitchell, but due to the rules of the competition, could only compete in six. She would go on to place in all six events, including the 100 Free (3rd), 100 IM (7th), 50 Free (4th), 100 Fly (5th), 50 Fly (6th) and 200 Free (7th).
Northern State University is an NCAA Division II athletics program which competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, along with other colleges like Augustana, Minnesota State (Mankato) and the University of Sioux Falls. Niles plans to major in Advanced Criminal Justice while attending school and being a member of the Wolves’ Women’s Swimming and Diving Teams.
Heinert, who will play volleyball at Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, Iowa, was introduced by her longtime coach Tanna White. She said Heinert began as a setter on her team as a freshman and served in that role for three season, before transitioning to the libero/ defensive specialist position her senior year, where she flourished as a Team Captain and racked up an impressive 634 digs on the season. This year, she was also named Black Hills All-Conference, Best of the Black Hills, as well as Academic All-State.
Iowa Lakes Community College, located east of Sioux Falls in the Okoboji Great Lakes region, is a two-year institution which competes in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Heinert plans to study Early Childhood Education while competing as a member of the Lakers Women’s Volleyball Team.
After introducing Heinert as a member of her volleyball team, Coach Tanna White then transitioned over to the role of a parent and she took a seat next to her son Owen, who will be headed to nearby Chadron State College to play football next year.
Hot Springs head coach Ben Kramer introduced Owen as an important part of the 2023 State Championship Team and described the 6-foot, 1-inch, 220-pounder as a mainstay on both the offensive and defensive lines for the past four seasons. This past season, White made 50 tackles (12 solo, 38 assisted), including nine tackles for loss (2 sacks) along with one safety. For his career, he has 118 tackles (28 solo, 90 assisted), 19 tackles for loss (8 sacks) as well as an interception return for a touchdown.
Next year, White will join a Chadron State College Eagle program which finished as the 2025 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Champions with an 8-4 record. They then qualified to compete in the NCAA Division II football playoffs where they lost 17-21 to sixth-ranked Pittsburgh State. White, who expects to play on the defensive line for CSC, said he is planning to study Finance while in Chadron.
Koffler, a three-sport athlete who also played football and is currently the leading scorer on the Hot Springs Bison boys basketball team, will soon be transitioning from the hardwood to the diamond as he prepares to become a member of the Waldorf University Warriors baseball team in Forest City, Iowa. Koffler was introduced by his American Legion and High School Baseball Coach Brandon Peterson, who described him as an impressive leader on his baseball teams while playing both shortstop and pitcher.
Waldorf University is an NAIA school which competed in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) along with other colleges like Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell and Mount Marty in Yankton. Koffler said he plans to major in Physical Education while attending Waldorf.