college update: local athletes conclude college seasons
Bartlesville’s Brenden Asher finished a stellar freshmen year at Oral Roberts University. Also pictured is mom Jen Butler and step father Brent Butler.
Courtesy photo
By Mike Tupa
May 27, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Following are summaries of how some former area high school stars have fared this spring in college competition.
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What a difference a season makes.
Brenden Asher started off the 2025 college baseball season as a rookie freshman pitcher destined to take a few lumps.
He’s nearing the exit as a fully-fledged fluid flinger.
During a recent do-or-done showdown against Omaha University, the Bartlesville High graduate snapped off a complete-game three-hit gem to elevated Oral Roberts to an 8-1 victory.
The win kept ORU in the hunt for the Summit League postseason tournament championship.
Asher (6-0, 175) turned in perhaps his top effort of the season, including his first complete game.
He improved to 3-2 while needing 116 pitches to tame Omaha. He gave up just one walk and struck out six. Omaha’s run was earned.
Other highlights for ORU included one homer each by Will Edmunson, Jack Schark and Martell Davis. Schark drove in three runs.
Wailele Kane-Yates added two doubles and a RBI.
ORU also beat North Dakota State, 3-1, in the next game but lost the league championship game to North Dakota State, 4-2.
Bartlesville baseball fans should have an opportunity to see Asher pitch this summer as a member of the Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians team.
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Former Oklahoma Union softball player Chesnie Hewitt finished up her college career at Southwestern Oklahoma State.
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Chesnie Hewitt (Oklahoma Union)
Southwestern Oklahoma State softball
Hewitt wrapped up her college career with a blockbuster season for Southwestern Oklahoma State.
She started all 47 games and led the team in batting (.379), runs scored (29), hits (61), doubles (13), triples (six), homers (eight), RBI (33), slugging percentage (.683), on-base percentage (.413) and stolen bases (nine, tied).
SWOSU finished at 22-25
During her high school days, Hewitt helped lead Oklahoma Union to the state softball tournament. She then excelled on the junior college diamond at Carl Albert and finished up at SWOSU.
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Dewey High School’s Braden Garrison finished sixth in the CUSA Track & Field Championship for Kennesaw State.
Courtesy photo
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Braden Garrison (Dewey)
Kennesaw State track
Garrison wrapped up his season by finishing sixth in the shot put (53-5) in the CUSA Track & Field Championship.
He recorded two third-place finishes in the shot put in May competitions, at the Emory Qualifier and the East Coast Relays.
Back in March he unleashed his career best in the college shot put (55-2) in the Don McGarey Invitational.
Garrison scored points at both the indoor and outdoor Conference USA Championships, helping the men's team win team titles in both seasons. The team defeated Liberty both times, ending Liberty's 27-year indoor and 17-year outdoor conference championship streaks. Garrison became a two-time Conference USA champion as a true freshman.
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Nate Collier (Oklahoma Union)
Kansas State track
Earlier this spring, Collier unleashed a shot put best of 57-2.5 feet.
A year ago he chucked the discus 190—5.
This past season, he won the Ward Haylett Invite in the discus and finished seventh in the Drake Relays.