Courtesy Susan Lawson Cummings
February 4, 2026
Congratulations to Jaylie Starkey, who committed to the University of Central Missouri, and Brandon Hammett, who committed to Missouri Southern State University! Both athletes will be continuing their athletic careers in Cross Country and Track next year. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and excited to share more of their stories below.
University of Central Missouri | Cross Country & Track and Field
Today Butler Bear Senior, Jaylie Starkey, celebrated signing her Letter of Intent to continue her athletic career in both Cross Country and Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field for the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO.
Following her freshman year of spring track and field, she was asked to become a part of the cross country team in the fall, and from this her love of distance running began. At her first XC meet, Jaylie finished with a time of 27:18 for a 5K run. Since that first race, through pure hard work and determination, Jaylie achieved her high school personal best this year with a time of 21:25.21. With this, she also broke the Butler High School 5K record previously held by Ryenne Gepford.
During Spring Track and Field, Jaylie has competed as both a sprinter and a distance runner in the open 200, 400, 800, 1600, and 3200, as well as been a part of the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, and 4x800 relay teams. This past spring, Jaylie qualified for sectionals in both the open 800 and 1600.
Jaylie’s goal is to PR three or more times in each of her individual events throughout the season and to qualify for state in the open 800, 1600, and 3200, planning on medaling in at least two of the three. She stated doing so will end her high school athletic career as one to remember. She knows she will only achieve this by being a stronger and more disciplined runner.
Jaylie excels in the classroom also. She currently holds a 3.7 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society. Jaylie is also a member of Butler Pop Chorus under the direction of Allison Oats. Upon high school graduation, Jaylie will have earned her Certified Nursing Assistant license from the NRTC program and will be continuing her course of study in the nursing program with the goal of becoming a registered nurse.
Jaylie is the 18-year-old daughter of Andrea Wood-Baxter and granddaughter of Jerry and Kathy Wood, all of Butler, and Margaret Ellen of Louisiana. Jaylie will be the second member of her family to continue their athletic career at the college level. Her uncle, Michael Wood, Butler Class of 1999, had much success as a member of the then CMSU golf team.
Jaylie stated her proudest moment thus far as a Butler Bear was during a spring T&F meet. She stated she just wasn’t feeling confident that day, and she took a moment to pray and ask God for the courage and the strength to do her best. She ended up achieving a PR in two events that day.
She stated what excites her the most about being able to compete in college is facing next-level competitors, thus giving her even more motivation to improve and strengthen not only her running skills but develop stronger traits of self-discipline by becoming both mentally and physically stronger as an athlete and a person.
Jaylie stated she is so thankful for Coach Brownrigg, Coach Courter, her mother, her sister Sophie, her grandparents, teammates, and many others who have not only supported her but pushed her to always give 100% plus a little more. Also for those who taught her that winning is so much more than just medals and ribbons; being a winner is being able to say and believe in your heart with no hesitation that you gave it your all.
Missouri Southern State University | Cross Country & Track
Brandon started his Freshman Cross-country season with two goals, to break the school record and make it to the state meet. He accomplished both, breaking the previous record held by Carter Trumbore in the very first race of the season.
He would go on to break his own record countless times, taking the record from 18:50 to 15:52, improving the record by nearly three minutes. Brandon was also the first athlete in program history to win a cross-country race, the first to win a district championship, and the first to win a medal at the state meet by finishing in second place his Sophomore and Junior year. He would go on to win one more state medal his Senior year finishing fourth.
Brandon was named All Conference four times, All District four times, and All State three times.
Bradon is also a stand out athlete on the track. He is the school record holder in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:00.49, the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:28, and the 3200 meter run with a time of 9:48. On the track Brandon was named All Conference seven times, All District six times, and All State three times. He has a Conference Championship and four District Championships with his Senior year still to come.
Brandon was able to achieve all of this while dual sporting with baseball where he was part of two Conference Championships. He also earned All Conference honors two times and All District once. He was also part of a District Championship in basketball his Sophomore year.
Congratulations to Brandon on an outstanding athletic career at Butler High School and for signing with Missouri Southern State University cross-country and track team, one of the top distance programs in the MIAA Conference.
Brandon would like to give a special thanks to Coach Jimmy Barnes for convincing him to join the cross-county team his eighth grade year and to Coach Richard Courter for encouraging him to give track a try his Freshman year.
Hume 35
Montrose 44
Harrisonville 61
Oak Grove 43
Girls
Hume 45
Montrose/Ballard 17
Monett 34
Nevada 56
Harrisonville 21
Oak Grove 57
Adrian 31
Skyline 56
Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton, Missouri.
