(Saturday; March 2; Sioux Center, Iowa) Skylar Whalen,  a senior at Mead High School (Colorado), has announced her intention to attend Dordt University and join the Defender softball program.  

Whalen plays outfield and first base and bats .300 and has competed for the Colorado Divas 18U program. 

"I chose to attend Dordt University because I want to be surrounded by Christians in my college years. The Dordt softball team has been very successful the last couple of years. I look forward to playing with these kind of hard working young ladies. Dordt's community and academics also provide ample opportunities for my professional goals of becoming a wildlife veterinarian and for getting into the mission field," said Whalen.  

Skylar is the daughter of Lisa and Travis Whalen of Firestone, Colorado. She plans to study veterinary science and missions. 

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.