BISD athletes ink college commitments

May 15, 2025

By Clay Whittington

The Belton Journal

For a majority of their careers, 23 local athletes have represented Belton ISD. Soon, however, their talents will be spread across the country.

Belton and Lake Belton each conducted collegiate signing ceremonies last week with multiple standouts making their commitments official and taking the first steps toward longtime dreams of performing at the next level.

While every signature was a milestone moment, only one propelled an athlete into an NCAA Division I program.

After competing at the varsity level all four years of high school, Lady Tigers distance runner Olivia Brilhart committed to the University of Houston for both track and cross country.

In cross country, she qualified for state every year, placing 17th overall as a sophomore, and she capped off her senior year by advancing to the state track meet for the first time, finishing fifth in the 3200-meter run.

Additionally, she reached the regional meet all four years in the 1600.

She was joined by multiple friendly faces at the school’s joint ceremony inside the field house.

Along with Brillhart, seven more Belton athletes inked their letters of intent in a variety of events.

Tigers pitcher Jacob Quigley (Southwestern University), soccer player Lennin Malvaiz (Southwestern Adventist University), track standout Miguel Manners (Hendrix College, AR.), linebacker Damien Tiumalu (Colorado State University Pueblo), softball player Hailey Schutz (Northern Oklahoma College), and cheerleader Briley Campbell (Abilene Christian University) also participated.

Quigley, who also plays first base, posted a 6-1 record on the mound this season with 62 strikeouts, while Malvaiz is coming off his first selection to the all-district first team. Additionally, Manners helped all three of the Tigers’ relay teams advance to the area meet this year, Tiumalu was part of two playoff teams, Schutz is a former all-district outfielder of the year, and Campbell was captain of her squad.

Lake Belton also held a joint ceremony for its collection of 15 athletes, and some will remain together at the next level.

Broncos football players Tate Lisenbe, Tommy Stephens, Joey Read and Jeremiah Battreall each committed to Mary Hardin-Baylor, while teammate Josh Mallard is bound for Abilene Christian University.

The quintet combined to help Lake Belton advance to the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Furthermore, baseball players Ely Vaughn and Andrew Ramos both signed with Nelson University, while four teammates are headed elsewhere.

Rohde Smith will play at East Texas Baptist University, Kellen Scarbough is going to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Brandon Holley signed with Richland Junior College.

Together, the group earned the district championship as seniors.

Rounding out Lake Belton’s 15 athletes was:

Broncos golfer Nicholas Brooks (Central Methodist University, MO.), Lady Broncos basketball player Natalie Maldonado (Colorado College), Lady Broncos soccer player Olivia Sibley (University of Chester in the United Kingdom), and Broncos soccer player Benjamin Asuncion Crabb (Centenary College of Louisiana).

All four helped their teams reach the postseason, and Asuncion Crabb now holds the distinction as the first Broncos soccer player to commit to a college program.

Maldonado departs after accounting for 522 points, 287 rebounds, 148 assists and 147 steals during her four-year career. Brooks was fourth at this year’s district tournament, and Sibley helped the Lady Broncos play defending state champion Midlothian to a 1-0 halftime deficit in the postseason’s opening round.