Jackson seniors sign NLIs with OVC schools

Jackson High School celebrated two seniors signing their national letter of intent to become college athletes at two Ohio Valley Conference institutions Thursday, Nov. 21.

Ava Walters will continue her swimming career at Little Rock, while Ian Lambert will play golf at UT Martin. Both seniors were Semoball Awards finalists last year.

It was always Walters' dream to swim collegiately in Division I, and Little Rock was the only school at that level to recruit her. Even then, she feels she didn't make her only choice but the best choice.

"I just knew that was home the moment I got there," Walters said. "The whole team atmosphere and coaching, it was just amazing at Little Rock, and that's what made me ultimately pick there."

Walters has been a mainstay in the Class 2 state championships throughout her high school career, including winning three all-state medals in the 100-yard backstroke.

And she plans to make it back for a fourth straight season.

"I'm trying to make all-state again this year in the 100-yard backstroke and just improve my time," Walters said.

Swimming is a big part of the Walters family. Her father, Brad Walters, is the head coach of the Notre Dame boys swim team and recently finished a fall season in which the Bulldogs placed seventh overall in Class 1. Her older brother, Brayden Walters, was an assistant on the Jackson boys swim team and a school record holder from his athletic days with the Indians.

"It's really important to us because we've all grown up around it," Walters said.

Brayden Walters is entering his first season as head coach of the girls swim team, led by his sister.

"It's just really exciting to share that really big moment for us," she said. "Just having my big brother as a coach means a lot to me just because he's always there, having my back on the swim deck and at home."

Lambert is joining a UT Martin squad that finished third in the OVC Tournament last season. He was recruited by multiple Division I schools, but chose the Skyhawks because Martin, Tennessee, "felt like home".

"I really like the coach a lot, and they had great practice facilities for the golf team down there and it's just not that far from home," Lambert said.

Lambert is the 2024 Missouri Golf Association Male Junior Golfer of the Year after winning the Missouri Junior Amateur Championship with rounds of 66-69 for a 135 (-9). He is ranked 732nd nationally in the Junior Golf Scoreboard standings.

"Ian has had a stellar summer and really elevated his level of play," UT Martin head coach Austin Swafford told utmsports.com. "I believe his best golf is still ahead of him — he has a demeanor on the course that is one of the strengths of his game. He comes highly recommended from multiple people who know him well and I am excited for him to join our program."

Lambert tied for 18th and led the Indians to a sixth-place finish at the Class 6 championships last year, their highest finish since winning the 2019 state title. He finished in the top 20 at state two years in a row and was a state qualifier as a freshman as well.

With his future now set, Lambert can now focus on leading Jackson to an even better finish at the state championships in 2025.

"Our team's looking pretty strong this year," Lambert said, "and we're pretty excited."