(Thursday, December 22; Sioux Center, Iowa) Elijah Dougherty, a senior at Le Mars High School (Iowa), has announced his intention to attend Dordt and join the Defender football program.  

Dougherty is a 6-0, 200 pound, running back and linebacker and he ran for 1,933 yards during his career and caught passes for 134 yards and scored a total of 17 touchdowns.  Dougherty also had 96 tackles with an interception during his career and was a first team all-district pick on defense in 2022 and a second team all-district honoree at running back in 2021.  He also earned honorable mention honors from the district in 2020.  

"I want to attend Dordt because I like the Christ-centered approach that the university takes to education," said Dougherty.  

Elijah is the son of Andy and Christie Dougherty of Le Mars, Iowa. He plans to study criminal justice. 

Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive Christian college rooted in the Reformed tradition. The Defender athletic program is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) and the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA).

U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review all list Dordt on their best colleges lists. Dordt is home to approximately 1,500 students.