WATERTOWN — Another Olson from Watertown is going to play NCAA Division 1 golf at a South Dakota university.Watertown High School junior standout Gabi Olson announced on Thursday, April 16, 2026, that she has verbally committed to play women's golf golf for the University of South Dakota with a post on her Instragram account."Excited and honored to announce my verbal committment to continue my academic and golf career at the University of South Dakota," Olson posted. "Grateful for everyone who's supported me along the way — excited for what's ahead."This week, Olson began her fourth season as a regular for WHS girls golf team and is already a two-time top-10 finisher in the state Class AA tournament.

She tied for fifth as a freshman in 2024 and placed sixth in 2025. She tied for 28th as an eighth-grader in 2023.Olson was a key player on Watertown's 2024 state AA championship team, which captured the school's first state title since the Arrows won the 1978 and 1979 state A titles under South Dakota's old two-class system.Last summer, she won the South Dakota Golf Association/Sanford International Series Championship in July. That came three weeks after she set a South Dakota junior golf record (and possibly all-time state record) by shooting a 7-under par 28 over nine holes in a SDGA/Sanford international Series event at the Lakeview Golf Course in Mitchell.Her older brother Jake also was a standout golfer for WHS and is now competing as a sophomore for South Dakota State University men's golf team.

He was a three-time Eastern South Dakota Conference champion who is the school's only two-time state champion, winning Class AA titles in 2021 and 2023. He also was a state runner-up in 2022. They are the children of Doug and Amber Olson of Watertown.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Gabi Olson (@gabi.olson_golf)Other Known 2025-26 Area Commits/SigneesAugustana University Football — Kyson Arndt, Canby, MN (Minneota High School).Black Hills State Women's Basketball — Blake Thompson, Mobridge-Pollock.Dakota State University Baseball — Braden Danzeisen, Sioux Valley.Dakota State University Women's Track & Field — Audi Currier, De Smet.Dakota Wesleyan University Football — Kevin Owen, Milbank.Doane Univesity (Crete, NE) Women's Basketball — Jaelyn Huntimer, Arlington.Jamestown (ND) University Women's Basketball — Isabelle Freidt, Oakes (ND).Jamestown (ND) University Football — Braylen Bowsher, Milbank.Morningside University (Sioux City, IA) Football — Kaden Decker, Watertown.North Dakota State Men's Basketball — Chance Schoenfeld, Deubrook Area.North Iowa Community College (Mason City, IA) Baseball — Markus Pitkin, Watertown.Northern State University Men's Basketball — Jackson Wadsworth, Hamlin.SDGA/SANFORD INTERNATIONAL: Watertown golfers Ty Lenards, Gabi Olson win SDGA/Sanford International Series titlesNorthern State University Women's Basketball — Addison Neuendorf, Hamlin.Northern State University Football — Jesiah Baum, Aberdeen (Warner High School); Karson Borge, Jack Bertsch, Felipe Gonzalez and Joey Dallman, Aberdeen Central; James Behan, Aberdeen Roncalli (transfer); Matthew Mount, Webster; and Westyn Thorpe, Frederick Area.Northern State University Men's Wrestling — Holden Hawkins, Sisseton.Northern State University Women's Track & Field — Breckan Santjer and Catelynn Weig, Aberdeen Central and Madisyn Gellhaus, Ipswich.Northwestern College (Orange City, IA) Football — Cole Hansen, Watertown.Northwestern University (St.

Paul, MN) Volleyball — Siri Bach, Watertown.South Dakota State Women's Track & Field — Hazel Luethmers, De Smet, and Hadlee Holt, Lake Preston.South Dakota State Men's Wrestling — Gage Lohr, Watertown (junior commitment).South Dakota State Women's Basketball — Lauryn Burckhard, Aberdeen Central (junior commitment).Southwest Minnesota State Baseball — Jackson McClemans, Watertown.University of Jamestown (ND) Women's Basketball — Isabelle Freidt, Oakes (ND).University of Jamestown (ND) Football — Braylen Bowsher, Milbank.University of Sioux Falls Women's Golf — Molly Halverson, Lac qui Parle Valley (MN).University of Sioux Falls Women's Wrestling — Allison Konrad, Watertown.Valley City (ND) State Baseball — Watson Grantham, Hamlin.Valley City (ND) State Football — Micah Tostenson, Milbank.College RecruitsThis list will be updated throughout the 2025-26 school year with new signees and other recruitment details. Please email us (rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com) with information on any signings or commitments.This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: 2025-26 college recruiting update