On Thursday afternoon, one of the local soccer athletes from Mitchell high school signed to play at the next level. Mitchell Kernel girls soccer junior Taryn Thomas had her signing at the Christen Athletic Center to play college soccer with the Dakota Wesleyan Tigers.

Thomas is a standout player for the Kernels and made the decision to commit prior to her senior season.

“I chose to play soccer at DWU because it’s close to home and I like what Coach Hakari has done with the program,” Taryn said. “What excites me most about getting to play for the Tigers is that I have the opportunity to play at a higher level and continue to grow as a player.”

Her parents Jennifer and Trent Thomas were in attendance for their daughter’s big day.

“Dakota Wesleyan was a great choice for Taryn because she was looking for a smaller school that was close to home,” Jennifer said. “We are excited she is staying close to home because we should be able to attend almost all of her games. She has been playing soccer since she was probably 4-5 years old so she has spent lots of time on the field over the years. We’ve traveled all over the Midwest participating in showcases and tournaments with her club team as well as playing for Mitchell High School soccer. We look forward to watching her play as a Tiger.”

Taryn will have on more full season of Kernel soccer before getting to join DWU in the Fall of 2027. She’ll look to build on an already strong career at the high school level with Mitchell.