Pirate athletes commit to scholarships, continue sports careers and education

February 4, 2026, was National Signing Day. At 1:00, in the Pittsburg High School’s Jack Arnwine Gymnasium, five seniors signed letters of intent to play sports for college scholarships. John Huffstetler, the Pittsburg Pirates Athletic Director, when he introduced the signing athletes, emphasized that “each of them is academically at the top of their senior class, as well as being outstanding athletes. Pittsburg High School is proud of their accomplishments and expect that they will continue the same at their respective schools”.

Amari Grant will be attending Ottawa University in the fall on a football scholarship. Ottawa University (OU) is a private, Christian-affiliated liberal arts university founded in 1865 with its main campus in Ottawa, Kansas. OU is known for its Braves athletics, competing in the NAIA. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is a governing body for over 250 small athletic programs in North America offering over $3 billion in scholarships.

Ty’Rell Wilson will be attending Texas A&M University-Texarkana on a football scholarship.

TAMU-Texarkana has evolved from a small, upper-level center for transfer students into a comprehensive four-year university. In 2025, the university hired its inaugural football coach with plans to build an Eagles winning team and transition to NCAA Division II in 2027.

Alan Ramirez will be attending Texas A&M University-Texarkana on a football scholarship, as a place kicker.

The university does not currently have a functioning football team.

Inaugural head coach Joshua Eargle was hired in December 2025 to lead the startup program. He said, “Recruiting for the first team is underway as of early 2026. The team is in the process of being built with the first players, in fall 2026, playing for a redshirt/practice year. They will begin competition play with the 2027 season at the new Red River Credit Union (RRCU) Stadium, set for completion around 2027-2028.”

Kord Johnson will be attending Austin College in Sherman, Texas, on a football scholarship. Austin College is a private, four-year liberal arts and science college. The football program has a deep history, with records showing a match-up against Texas A&M as early as 1909. As a NCAA Division III institution, the “Kangaroos” compete primarily in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Sutton Donald will be attending East Texas Baptist University on a fishing scholarship. ETBU, located in Marshall, originated as the College of Marshall, chartered in 1912. It had evolved into a university in 1982 and in 1984 renamed as East Texas Baptist University as an undergraduate university with a background in liberal arts and Christian teaching. The university offers dedicated fishing scholarships for members of its competitive bass fishing team, with reported annual awards of $5,000 per angler, often combined with academic or Christian leadership scholarships. As a pioneer in offering collegiate fishing scholarships, ETBU focuses on attracting top high school anglers to their competitive club team. The program is supported through a partnership with Skeeter Boats.

Each athlete expressed their anticipation regarding their attendance at their respective institutions. Parents and family members conveyed their pride in their sons, and fellow students offered their congratulations.