Six scholar-athletes from Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School class of 2025 recently committed to continue their sports at the collegiate level, bringing the total signed athletes in the JPII class of 2025 to eleven. On February 5, 2025, the JPII high school community, parents, and guests gathered for an athletic signing ceremony to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of the six athletes as their coaches detailed how each scholar-athlete lived out the JPII mission through their strength of mind, body, character, and spirit. 

Thomas Arender will continue his running career in both cross country and track at Princeton University in the fall. Arender currently holds all the distance running records at JPII, including the cross-country school record, the 800-meter, 1600-meter, 3200-meter records in track, team record for the distance medley relay, and team record for the 4x400 meter relay. Arender earned First Team All-Sumner County honors in ’22, ’23, and ’24 for cross country, and last year, he was recognized as the Sumner County’s Distance Runner of the Year and Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Arender’s individual achievements include earning fifth place in the 1600-meter race at the 2024 TSSAA State Track and Field Championships and finishing thirteenth at the 2024 TSSAA Cross Country State Championships. 

Caleb Hallock will play football for Kentucky Wesleyan College. A three-sport athlete for all four years of high school, Hallock has made impressive contributions to the JPII athletics program through football, wrestling, and track. As a football player, he was a two-year starter at corner who was often matched against the opponent’s best receiver and was known to be a playmaker in the return game. Hallock earned Second Team All-Sumner County honors in wrestling and was a three-time state individual qualifier. He qualified for the Wrestling State Tournament last year, and he has over 100 career wrestling wins for JPII.  As a two-time team captain, Hallock helped lead the wrestling team to secure first place in the TSSAA West Regional Dual Tournament and third place in the TSSAA State Dual Tournament. Hallock was also named a 2025 JPII Golden Tate Scholar.

Claire Mewbourne will swim for University of Evansville in the fall. As a four-year state qualifier, Mewbourne has served as team captain of the Knights swim team for the last two years, embodying a strong spirit of leadership and dedication. Mewbourne’s accomplishments extend to the national stage as an NCSA Junior National qualifier and a national team member for Excel Aquatics over the last two years. 

John Schaefer signed to continue his soccer career at Belmont Abbey University. 
 As a four-year soccer player, Schaefer has been a vital member of the JPII soccer team and a varsity-starter for three years. Schaefer has captained the team for the past two seasons, consistently demonstrating leadership, sportsmanship, and a strong work ethic. His performance on the field has earned him numerous accolades, including All-Region and All-Sumner County recognitions. 

Sam Spicer will play football for Ball State University. As a three-year starter, Spicer was the anchor of an offensive line that paved the way for JPII’s all-time single-season leading rusher. Spicer has earned an All-Region and All-County Football Team selection and was chosen as a Tennessee East-West All-Star. Spicer is also a three-sport athlete, making significant contributions in wrestling and lacrosse. As a one-year heavyweight wrestler, Spicer played a significant part in the team's placing first in the TSSAA West Regional Dual Championship Tournament and third in the TSSAA State Dual Tournament. 

Preston Turner will play football for Kentucky Wesleyan College. Turner was a two-year starter as safety for the Knights, and he led JPII’s secondary in tackles this past season. Turner was named an All-Region Honorable Mention selection. During his football career, he totaled 93 tackles, one sack, two fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles, including a game-saving forced fumble in JPII’s first home game of the season. Turner was also a four-year member of the baseball team, finishing his junior year season as a starting infielder with four 2Bs and eight SBs.

Interim JPII Athletic Director David Uyl stated, "Any time a high school athlete commits to play collegiately is cause for celebration. Today, we are proud to honor six of our senior athletes here at JPII. They have shown that dedication and hard work truly pay off by taking their God-given gifts, combined with a strong work ethic, and earning the opportunity to compete at the next level. We wish them and their families all the best as they continue to not only excel athletically, but more importantly, to be wonderful people as they embark on their next stage of life."