Two former Powell Pioneers from the 2023 and 2024 state championship teams, Brock Johnson and Cade Queen, are moving on from their respective colleges to the NCAA Division I level this upcoming season.

Both pitchers moving on was not a huge surprise at first for Pioneers manager Jason Borders, who didn’t realize how big of a deal it was until the state tournament in Gillette.

“It didn’t dawn on me until the coaches started talking to me about it at state,” Borders said. “I just think of them as my guys. It didn’t dawn on me until the coaches started talking about how great it must be for our program.”

Johnson heads east after playing two years at Central Arizona College, joining the University of South Carolina in the SEC.

At Central Arizona, he posted an 8-2 record in 10 starts this past season, appearing in 16 total games and was named to the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference All-Conference Team.

He pitched 85 innings for the Vaqueros, giving up 28 earned runs for an ERA of 2.96, recording 91 strikeouts and giving up 35 walks.

Johnson originally committed to Coastal Carolina University but flipped his commitment in June after coach Kevin Schnall left the Chanticleers to become the head coach of the Gamecocks.

Queen moves further west to Oregon State University in the PAC-12 after playing two years at Montana State University-Billings, who was a redshirt freshman for the Yellowjackets this past season.

Queen earned the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year this past season, as he appeared on the mound with a 4-2 record with a 4.31 ERA in 11 total appearances, recording 62 strikeouts as well as 32 walks in 54-1/3 innings.

He also added three home runs in just 41 plate appearances, as well as eight RBIs on 10 hits, but Queen is expected to only be in the pitching rotation for the Beavers.

Borders said the accomplishments show what Wyoming can produce as the Pioneers continue to send athletes to the next level across the country.

“It’s so good for the state of Wyoming to have two kids from the same town [go Division I],” Borders said. “It says a lot about the program and what we’re trying to build. We have a lot of guys playing college baseball. I’m pretty happy with where the program is, sending so many kids to school.”