Mantorville senior heads to West Point

Ashlyn Bigelow, 17, of Mantorville, was considering going to the University of Minnesota until the United States Military Academy West Point contacted her.
A Kasson-Mantorville High School senior, Bigelow soon changed course and decided she would attend West Point and play basketball there. “Once West Point contacted me, it became pretty clear what I wanted to do,” Bigelow said.
Bigelow’s parents are Tony and Jenny Bigelow, and she has an older brother named Logan, 20, who attends the U of M as a sophomore.
“We’re so proud,” Tony Bigelow said of Ashlyn’s West Point future, adding that her dedication and driven nature are what propelled her to get into such a tough school. “We’re very proud because we know it’s not an easy school to get into,” he said.
To get into West Point, Bigelow completed an application, fitness test, wrote a personal statement, sent in transcripts, got four official evaluations from teachers and secured nominations from both U.S. Representative Jim Hagedorn and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.
“It’s unusual to have two,” Ashlyn Bigelow said.
Missy Traversi, West Point’s women’s basketball head coach, called Ashlyn Bigelow “the total package.” Bigelow plays point guard and guard for K-M High School.
In December, Bigelow received a letter of assurance from West Point, which basically detailed she’d be accepted as an incoming freshman. In April she was notified that she’d officially been accepted as an incoming cadet.
“I was very excited,” Bigelow said. “It’s scary but I know I’ll have plenty of support. It’s definitely scary but it’s something I’m ready for.”
Bigelow plans to graduate in 2025 and will then serve five years of active duty in the Army and two years in the Army Reserves. “I’ll get to serve my country, which is awesome,” she said. “I’ll have so many exciting experiences.”
Bigelow isn’t sure what she’ll do after serving, whether she’ll continue on and make the military her career or whether she’ll get a civilian job after her years of service.
She said she’s prepared to be challenged academically and physically. “I’m ready,” she said. “I’m doing a lot of physical training, running and strength work. And I’m preparing mentally as much as I can.”
She’ll report as a new West Point cadet in late June.
“Every day I have to stay motivated,” she said. “More than motivation, I’m determined to succeed there. I want to stay excited and positive.”
 
Photo: Ashlyn Bigelow, graduating next week from Kasson-Mantorville High School, heads to New York in June to join the Class of 2025 at the United States Military Academy at West Point.