ALTON - Last week, soon-to-be Marquette Catholic High School graduates Hayden Sherman and Aiden O'Keefe both signed to continue their academic and athletic careers in college.

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They both signed up to go to McKendree University, Sherman for baseball, and O'Keefe for golf.

McKendree is a Division II private university in Lebanon, Illinois, a short 45-minute drive from Alton.

For their achievement, both are Tucker's Automotive Repair and Tire Athletes of the Month for the Explorers.

Hayden Sherman

This will be Sherman's third time as a Riverbender.com AOTM, and he's earned all three by being a three-sport athlete. One year he played four different sports.

He's played both baseball and bowling all four years, hockey three years, and cross-country one.

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Baseball is what he chose to stick with and it's where he had his favorite memory. He recalled hitting his first homer his junior season against Breese, saying "it was a great feeling."

Sherman is also a great student earning High Honor Roll as a sophomore and Honor Roll his junior and senior years.

At McKendree, he plans on going into business/marketing.

Aiden O'Keefe

For O'Keefe, this will also be his third time as a Riverbender.com AOTM because he's been a staple to the Marquette golf team all four years.

He was also a two-time STL Post-Dispatch Player to Watch and holds Marquette's 9-hole record.

He chose McKendree because of its completive golf team and because it's close to home. He plans to go into accounting.

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