Scholar Athlete Program

The best of the best, 32 Wisconsin high school seniors (16 girls and 16 boys) from Kenosha to Hurley, have turned in the top classroom and sports performances at Wisconsin’s public and nonpublic high schools to be selected as finalists for the prestigious 2012 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) and underwritten by Marshfield Clinic.
 
The 32 scholar athlete finalists were chosen from among 800 seniors nominated by 400 high schools in the state. Every year since 1984, each of the WIAA-member high schools has been invited to nominate one boy and one girl for the WIAA Scholar Athlete award. The average grade point of all Wisconsin student athletes nominated this year was 3.83, and 175 of the nominated student athletes had perfect 4.0 GPAs.

To determine the top 32 finalists, four boys and four girls are selected from each of four WIAA divisions based on both athletic and academic achievement.  Seventeen of this year’s 32 WIAA Scholar Athlete finalists have a grade point average of 4.0 to date, while the average GPA is 3.92. All 32 scholar athlete finalists earned a total of 306 letters (an average of 9 letters per athlete) during their first 3-1/2 years of high school.
 
The 2012 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award winners, as well as their families and school representatives, will be recognized at an awards ceremony Sunday, May 6 at the Jefferson Street Inn in Wausau. Each 2012 WIAA State Scholar Athlete Award recipient will receive a medallion and certificate, and will take with them a special plaque for display in their school’s trophy case.
 
A Webcast of the awards ceremony will be available at www.wiaawi.org <http://www.wiaawi.org/>  during and after the ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 6.
 
All 800 students nominated for the award by their high school athletic director will be presented with a medal at their school recognizing them as their school’s top male or female scholar athlete.
 
 
2012 Scholar Athlete Award Winners
 
 
DIVISION 1 – BOYS
Elliot Ashbeck, Marshfield—Marshfield High School
Gerrit Bruni, Baraboo—Baraboo High School
Scott VanDeLoo, Kaukauna—Kaukauna High School
John Wells, Janesville—Milton High School


DIVISION 1 – GIRLS
Sarah Poirier, Wausau—Wausau West High School
Amanda Prom, Oconomowoc—Oconomowoc High School*
Katelyn Stine, Wausau—Wausau East High School
Taylor Varsho, Chili—Marshfield High School
 
DIVISION 2 – BOYS
Luke Bjorklund, Reedsburg—Reedsburg Area High School
Mark Dessart, Seymour—Seymour High School
Levi Nayes, Bloomer—Bloomer High School
Ryan O’Donnell, McFarland—McFarland High School
 
DIVISION 2 – GIRLS
Greta Davis, Waukesha—Catholic Memorial High School*
Alison Olson, New Auburn—Bloomer High School
Tricia Serres, Platteville—Platteville High School
Anna Sudbury, Tomahawk—Tomahawk High School
 
DIVISION 3 – BOYS
William Doll, Amherst—Amherst High School
Lucas Markiewicz, Pound—Coleman High School
Kent Miehe, Darlington—Darlington High School
Dan Schoen, Neillsville—Neillsville High School
 
DIVISION 3 – GIRLS
Madeline Haupert, La Crosse—Aquinas High School
Caitlin Maki, Saxon—Hurley High School
Stefanie Siroin, Herbster—Washburn High School
Brie Tennyson, Kenosha—Kenosha Christian Life High School*
 
DIVISION 4 – BOYS
Nathaniel Behnke, Bruce—Bruce High School
Nathanial Erickson, Prentice—Prentice High School*
Cody Schwartz, Wilton—Brookwood High School
Matt Van Scyoc, Markesan—Green Lake High School*
 
DIVISION 4 – GIRLS
Jennifer Cassel, Shell Lake—Shell Lake High School
Teagen Harings, Minong—Northwood High School*
Kailee Kamps, Belmont—Belmont High School
Molly Seidel, Nashotah—University Lake School*
 
*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

The 28th Annual WIAA Scholar Athlete Ceremony took place Sunday, May 1 at the Jefferson Street Inn in Wausau, Wis. The reception and program is underwritten by Marshfield Clinic. NFHS Hall of Fame member Suzy Favor-Hamilton served as the featured speaker.

Thirty-two seniors, 16 girls and 16 boys, who are equally outstanding in sports and in the classrooms at Wisconsin’s public and nonpublic high schools, were selected as finalists for the prestigious 2011 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association and underwritten by Marshfield Clinic.

The 32 scholar athlete finalists were chosen from among a record 758 seniors nominated by 399 high schools in the state. Every year since 1984, each of the WIAA-member high schools has been invited to nominate one boy and one girl for the WIAA Scholar Athlete award. The average grade point of all Wisconsin student athletes nominated this year was 3.84, and 180 of the nominated student athletes had perfect 4.0 GPAs.

To determine the top 32 finalists, four boys and four girls are selected from each of four WIAA divisions based on both athletic and academic achievement. Sixteen of this year’s 32 WIAA Scholar Athlete finalists have a grade point average of 4.0 to date, while the average GPA is 3.90. All 32 scholar athlete finalists earned a total of 315 letters (an average of 9 letters per athlete) during their first 3-1/2 years of high school.

Each 2011 WIAA Scholar Athlete received a medallion, certificate and a special plaque for display in their school’s trophy case. Featured speaker was Stevens Point native and three-time U.S. Olympian track athlete Suzy Favor Hamilton. Hamilton, the female collegiate athlete with the most wins ever at the University of Wisconsin, holds seven US National Championships, nine NCAA titles and was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Decade for the 1990s.

All 758 students nominated for the award by their high school athletic director will be presented with a medal at their school recognizing them as their school’s top male or female scholar athlete.

The 2011 list of scholar athlete finalists features these items of interest:

Of the 399 high schools submitting nominations this year, eight had WIAA Scholar Athlete finalists for the first time.
Clinton High School has its first WIAA Scholar Athlete—Daniel Banh.
Hailey L. Brown is the first WIAA Scholar Athlete from Royall High School.
Freedom High School’s first WIAA Scholar Athlete is Katie Gonnering.
Aquinas High School produced its first WIAA Scholar Athlete—Sloan Kessler.
Bay Port High School has its first WIAA Scholar Athlete—James Killian.
Corey Tallier is the first WIAA Scholar Athlete from Gilman High School.
Bonduel High School’s first WIAA Scholar Athlete is Ben Tauchen.
Anika Whiting is the first WIAA Scholar Athlete from Ashland High School.
Brady Nelson is the seventh WIAA Scholar Athlete from Mauston High School.
Anthony “TJ” Huizenga is the sixth WIAA Scholar Athlete from Randolph High School.

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

Download official 2010 Scholar Athlete press release (PDF)

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

Download official 2009 Scholar Athlete press release (PDF)

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

Download official 2008 Scholar Athlete press release (PDF)

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Thirty-two senior students attending Wisconsin public and nonpublic high schools have been named winners of the 2007 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA). That brings to 700 the number of young men and women honored since the program was launched in 1984 to honor scholastic and athletic excellence.This year's 16 boys and 16 girls will be recognized at award ceremonies on Sunday, May 6, in Wausau. Featured speaker was Jeff Sauer, who retired in 2002 after a 31-year career as a college hockey coach at Colorado College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies, which will host the awards ceremony at the Westwood Conference Center in Wausau.Every year, each of the WIAA-member high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 669 nominations for the 2007 statewide award from 370 schools.The 2007 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are:

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Thirty-two senior students attending Wisconsin public and independent high schools have been named winners of the 2006 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. That brings the number of young men and women honored for academic and athletic excellence since the program was launched in 1984 to 668. This year's 16 boys and 16 girls were recognized at award ceremonies Sunday, May 7th, in Wausau. Featured speaker was Jack Bennett, former head men's basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. During his nine seasons, he became UWSP's all-time winningest coach with a 200-56 record and led the Pointers to two national championships and five Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies, which will host the awards ceremony at the Westwood Center in Wausau. Every year, each of the WIAA-member high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 601 nominations for the 2006 statewide award from 338 schools.

The 2006 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are:

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. -- Thirty-two senior students attending public and nonpublic high school members of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association have been named winners of the 2005 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award. That brings the number of young men and women honored since the program was launched in 1984 to honor scholastic and athletic excellence to 636. The 16 boys and 16 girls honored were recognized at award ceremonies on Sunday, May 1, in Wausau. Featured speaker at the event was Terri Schumacher, head girl's basketball coach at Oshkosh West High School. Her teams won the Division 1 State Girl's Basketball Championships in 2002 and 2003. She is also president of the Wisconsin High School Basketball Coaches Association, the first female to hold that post. The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies, which will host the awards ceremony at the Westwood Conference Center in Wausau. Every year, each of the 506 WIAA-member high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 630 nominations for the 2005 statewide award from 342 schools. The 2005 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are: Each nominee submitted a 250-word-maximum response to the question, "How has athletic participation contributed to your development and how do you think it will impact on your future?"

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. -- Thirty-two senior students attending Wisconsin public and private high schools have been named winners of the 2004 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA). That brings to 604 the number of young men and women honored since the program was launched in 1984 to honor scholastic and athletic excellence. This year's 16 boys and 16 girls will be recognized at award ceremonies on Sunday, May 2, in Wausau. Featured speaker at the event will be Casey FitzRandolph, a Verona High School graduate who won a gold medal in speedskating at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT. He is the current U.S. National long track sprint champion and the current American record holder in the 500 meters and the 1,000 meters. The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies, which will host the awards ceremony at the Westwood Conference Center in Wausau. Every year, each of the WIAA-member high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 679 nominations for the 2004 statewide award from 370 schools. Both the number of nominees and the number of schools submitting them are the highest recorded since the program began. The 2004 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are:

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

All of the other 647 students nominated will be presented with a medal at their school recognizing the achievement of each as their school's top male or female scholar athlete. This year's list of winners turned up these items of interest:

* Of the 370 high schools submitting nominations this year, seven had statewide WIAA Scholar Athletes for the first time.
* Ten of this year's 32 Scholar Athletes had a grade point average of 4.0. Another 12 compiled a GPA between 3.7 and 3.99.
* One of the 2004 WIAA Scholar Athletes had already earned 14 varsity letters in athletic competition in their first seven semesters of high school; seven had earned 11 letters and another five had earned 10 letters. No winner earned fewer than 7 letters.
* Milton High School has produced a statewide winner for the seventh time. This year's Scholar Athlete from that school is Emily Watson of Milton. Previous winners were Katon Bethay in 2002; Jaqueline Wagner, 2001; Kristi Roherty, 1999; Mark Knauer, 1997; Kathie Kruizenga, 1993; and Brenda Dieck, 1990.
* Menomonie High School's Daniel Swanson of Menomonie is the 5th WIAA Scholar Athlete from that school. Previous honorees were Grant Peissig, 2003; Ryan Thomas, 1997; Adam Roach, 1994; and Chris Schrantz, 1993.
* Pewaukee High School has its fifth WIAA Scholar Athlete. She is Jennifer Stoll of Pewaukee. Previous winners from the school were Jessica Keber, 2002; Bryan Bremberger, 2001; Burress McCombe, 1994; and Stacey Stoll (no relation), 1990.
* Tomahawk High School had a winner for the fifth time. This year's WIAA Scholar Athlete is Josh Chelf of Irma. Previous school winners were Zachary Hagar, 2003; Erin Potts, 1997; Beth Baus, 1996; and Peter Steinhafel, 1990.
* Wauwatosa East High School's Justin Drabowicz is that school's fifth WIAA Scholar Athlete. Previously earning statewide recognition were Dan Felkner, 1998; Karolyn Wanat, 1995; Laura Kletti, 1988; and Bret Larget, 1985.
* Washburn High School is another school that has produced five WIAA Scholar Athletes. This year, Anna Lindsey earned that distinction. Previous winners were Quinn Vandenberg, 1997; Reid Fischer, 1991; and Michael Nachtstein and Mary Rapps, both of whom were named Scholar Athletes in 1984, the year the program was launched.

Douglas E. Chickering, executive director of the WIAA, said the Scholar Athlete Award program was launched in 1984 to demonstrate the positive impact of interscholastic athletic activities. "Self discipline, time management and teamwork are just a few of the benefits that these young men and women talk about when reflecting upon the impact high school athletics has had on their lives. Many point out that the athletic experience has helped make them more well-rounded individuals."

To qualify for the WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, a nominee must have earned at least four varsity letters through the first half of his/her senior year and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. This year's nominees in four WIAA categories included 168 from 91 schools in Division 1; 182 from 99 schools in Division 2; 191 from 99 schools in Division 3; and 138 from 81 schools in Division 4. The divisions are those used by the WIAA for basketball and volleyball tournament participation. At the May 2nd awards ceremony, at which the winners' parents and coaches will also be guests, each 2004 WIAA Scholar Athlete will receive a medallion and certificate, and will take with them a special plaque for display in their school's trophy case.

Thirty-two senior students attending Wisconsin public and private high schools have been named winners of the 2003 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by WIAA. This year's 16 boys and 16 girls were recognized at award ceremonies on May 4 in Wausau. The featured speaker at the event was Harvey H. Alston, an author and educator who, during his teaching career, was head football coach at Columbus East High School in Ohio. The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies, which will host the awards ceremony at its Westwood Conference Center in Wausau. Every year, each of the WIAA-member high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 664 nominations for the 2003 statewide award from 356 schools — the largest number of schools to submit nominations since the program began. Douglas Chickering, executive director of the WIAA, said the Scholar Athlete Award program was conceived to demonstrate the positive impact of interscholastic athletic activities. "Self discipline, time management and teamwork are just a few of the benefits that these young men and women talk about when reflecting upon the impact high school athletics has had on their lives," he said. " Many point out that the athletic experience has helped make them more well-rounded individuals." To qualify for the WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, a nominee must have earned at least four varsity letters through the first half of his/her senior year and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. This year's nominees in four WIAA categories included 160 from 82 schools in Division 1; 180 from 93 schools in Division 2; 193 from 105 schools in Division 3; and 131 from 76 schools in Division 4. The divisions are those used by the WIAA for basketball and volleyball tournament participation. The 2003 selections bring the number of young men and women honored since the program was launched in 1984 to honor scholastic and athletic excellence to 572. The 2003 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are:

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

All of the other students nominated will be presented with a medal at their school recognizing the achievement of each as their school's top male or female scholar athlete. This year's list of winners turned up these items of interest:

• Of the 356 high schools submitting nominations this year, seven had statewide WIAA Scholar Athletes for the first time.
• Twelve of this year's 32 Scholar Athletes had a grade point average of 4.0. Another 15 had between 3.7 and 3.9.
• Two of the 2003 WIAA Scholar Athletes had already earned 13 varsity letters in athletic competition in their first seven semesters of high school; one had earned 12; five had earned 11 letters and another seven had earned 10 letters.
• Emily Ramsey of Waukesha West High School is the second member of her family to be named a WIAA Scholar Athlete. Her sister, Serena, received the honor in 2001. Serena is now finishing her sophomore year at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she's a member of both the track and cross-country teams.
• Mayville High School has produced a statewide winner for the seventh time. This year's Scholar Athlete from that school is Michael Toellner of Mayville. Previous winners were Kristin Brockhaus in 1999; Andrew Basler, 1997; Kristen Bonnett, 1996; Colin Gassner, 1995; Erin Ellington, 1994; and Bradley Steinbach, 1993.
• Pecatonica High School has its sixth WIAA Scholar Athlete. He is Kendall Syse of Blanchardville. Previous winners from the school were Jance Marty and Angela Anderson, both in 1996; Kristine Lee, 1994; Craig Anderson, 1993; and Milton Hendrickson, 1992.
• Florence High School had a winner for the fifth time. This year's WIAA Scholar Athlete is Dustin Robinson. Previous school winners were Jaclynn Kriegl, 1998; Thomas Dooley, 1993; Neil Wahlstrom, 1992; and Joseph Kriegl, 1990.
• Hurley High School's Kristin Zinsmaster is that school's fifth WIAA Scholar Athlete. Previously earning statewide recognition were Kayla Anderson and Kyle Elsemore, both in 2002; Danielle Ladwig, 2001; and Joseph Sargent, 1996.
• David Quinlan is the first WIAA Scholar Athlete from Appleton North High School.
• Fennimore High School produced its first WIAA Scholar Athlete — Jennifer Olson.
• Mukwonago High School's first WIAA Scholar Athlete is Katy Searing.
• Newman High School, Wausau, has a WIAA Scholar Athlete for the first time. She is Dana Schultz.
• Racine St. Catherine High School produced a WIAA Scholar Athlete for the first time. She is Elizabeth Angel. more..
• Reedsburg High School has produced its first WIAA Scholar Athlete. She is Amanda Reimer.
• Sheboygan County Christian High School's first statewide winner is David Sneller.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Thirty-two senior students attending Wisconsin public and private high schools have been named winners of the 2002 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA). That brings to 540 the number of young men and women honored since the program was launched in 1984 to honor scholastic and athletic excellence. This year's 16 boys and 16 girls will be recognized at award ceremonies on Sunday, May 5th, in Wausau. Featured speaker at the event will be Sandy Botham, women's basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Botham is a native of Madison and graduate of Madison West High School, where she played basketball, volleyball and softball. Botham has been named "Coach of the Year" twice in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. She played collegiately at Notre Dame, where she earned all-conference honors four times. She ranks sixth in career scoring (1,460) at Notre Dame; sixth in rebounding (773) and fourth in field goal percentage (.588). She was a graduate assistant at the school while completing her master's degree in the science of administration. The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies, which will host the awards ceremony at its Westwood Conference Center in Wausau. Every year, each of the WIAA-member high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 639 nominations for the 2002 award from 346 schools. The 2002 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are:

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

All of the other students nominated will be presented with a medal at their school recognizing the achievement of each as their school's top male or female scholar athlete. This year's list of winners turned up these items of interest:

• Of the 346 high schools submitting nominations this year, seven had statewide WIAA Scholar Athletes for the first time.
• Thirteen of this year's 32 Scholar Athletes had a grade point average of 4.0. Twelve had 3.8 or better.
• One of the 2002 WIAA Scholar Athletes had already earned fourteen varsity letters in athletic competition in their first seven semesters of high school; two had earned 13; nine had earned 11 letters and another nine had earned 10 letters.
• Two high schools had both their boy and girl nominee emerge as WIAA Scholar Athletes. From Clayton High School, both Malinda Allee and Joshua Langham earned statewide honors. The two nominees from Hurley High School – Kayla Anderson and Kyle Elsemore – also emerged from the judging as state winners. Both schools have produced four WIAA Scholar Athletes in the 19-year history of the program. Previous Clayton High School winners were James Fall in 1984 and Kristopher Langham in 1999. Joseph Sargent in 1996 and Danielle Ladwig in 2001 were previous winners from Hurley High school.
• Joshua Langham of Clayton High School is the second member of his family to be named a WIAA Scholar Athlete. His brother, Kristopher, received the honor in 1999. Kristopher is now majoring in Computer Science at Winona State University.
• Edgar High School has produced a statewide winner for the sixth year in a row. This year's Scholar Athlete is Ashley Lienhardt of Edgar. Previous winners were Jordan Sinz last year; Tyler Berg in 2000; Jeremy Graveen in 1999; Patrick Engleright in 1998; and Chad Guenther in 1997.
• Milton High School has its sixth WIAA Scholar Athlete. He is Katon Bethay. Previous winners from the school were Jacqueline Wagner, 2001; Kristi Roherty, 1999; Mark Knauer, 1997; Kathie Kruizenga, 1993; and Brenda Dieck, 1990.
• Deerfield High School also produced its sixth Scholar Athlete. This year's winner, Michael Sracic, follows in the footsteps of Talitha Jo Kleinhans, 1985; Molika Nike Veng, 1987; Kela Fry, 1989; Andre Mikkelsen, 1991; and Karl Fry, 1992.
• Mauston High School had a winner for the fifth time. This year's WIAA Scholar Athlete is Randall Gyllin. Previous school winners were Jane Wilcox, 1998; Andria Lewandowski, 1998; Michael Robinson of Elroy, 1992; and Jill Overlein, 1984, which was the first year of the program. Randolph High School's Michelle Biel is the school's fifth WIAA Scholar Athlete. Previously earning statewide r ecognition were Laura Grieger, 2001; Amy Wiersma, 1995; Tonia Vanderploeg, 1989; and Kathryn Sue Christian, 1985.
• Ryan Klein of Wisconsin Rapids is the first WIAA Scholar Athlete from Assumption High School in that city.
• Frederic High School produced its first WIAA Scholar Athlete – Roscoe Sopiwnik
• Gilmanton High School's first WIAA Scholar Athlete is Rachel Becker.
• Green Bay Southwest High School has a WIAA Scholar Athlete for the first time. She is Bridget Peot. Past winners from other schools in that city include Ben Kolstad in 1996 from Green Bay East; James Van Ess in 1985 and Stephanie Mathu in 1993 from Preble; and Lynne Pliner in 1985 from West.
• Lodi High School produced a WIAA Scholar Athlete for the first time. He is Kelby Mack.
• Milwaukee Pius High School has produced its first WIAA Scholar Athlete. She is Lisa Krolikowski of Hales Corners.
• Prairie du Chien High School's first statewide winner is Mathew Peterson.

Two other high schools besides Clayton and Hurley recorded their fourth winners of statewide WIAA Scholar Athlete honors. Those schools and their 2002 and prior winners are:

• Marshfield High School – Ross Needham, Tamra Myers, 1992; Suzi Bloedel, 1988; and Bart Isaacson, 1987.
• Pewaukee High School – Jessica Keber, Bryan Bremberger, 2001; Burress McCombe, 1994; and Stacey Stoll, 1990.

Douglas E. Chickering, executive director of the WIAA, said the Scholar Athlete Award program was launched in 1984 to demonstrate the positive impact of interscholastic athletic activities. "Self discipline, time management and teamwork are just a few of the benefits that these young men and women talk about when reflecting upon the impact high school athletics has had on their lives. Many point out that the athletic experience has helped make them more well-rounded individuals."

To qualify for the WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, a nominee must have earned at least four varsity letters through the first half of his/her senior year and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. This year's nominees in four WIAA categories included 161 from 86 schools in Division 1; 170 from 89 schools in Division 2; 179 from 97 schools in Division 3; and 129 from 74 schools in Division 4. The divisions are those used by the WIAA for basketball and volleyball tournament participation. At the May 5th awards ceremony, at which the winners' parents and coaches will also be guests, each 2002 WIAA Scholar Athlete will receive a medallion and certificate, and will take with them a special plaque for display in their school's trophy case.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. - Thirty-two senior students attending Wisconsin high schools have been named winners of the 2001 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA). This year's 16 boys and 16 girls will be recognized at award ceremonies at the Westwood Conference Center in Wausau Sunday, May 6, in Wausau, Wis. Featured speaker at the event will be Robert Jeter, assistant basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jeter had been on the staff of Bo Ryan at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and recently moved with Ryan when he was named coach at the Big Ten school. Jeter played for Ryan at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and was also on his coaching staff there. Jeter still holds UW-Platteville's career records in field goal percentage (60.1) and consecutive starts (89). He is the son of Bob Jeter, who played with the Green Bay Packers from 1963 to 1970. The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies. Since the programs inception in 1984, 510 young men and women honored for their scholastic and athletic excellence. This year, for the first time, students attending private high schools that joined WIAA were eligible for the honor. Every year, each of the WIAA-member high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 618 nominations for the 2001 award from 333 schools. Each nominee submitted a 250-word-maximum response to the question, "How has athletic participation contributed to your development and how do you think it will impact on your future?" The 2001 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are:

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

All of the other students nominated will be presented with a certificate at their school recognizing the achievement of each as their school's top male or female scholar athlete. This year's list of winners turned up these items of interest:

• Of the 333 high schools submitting nominations this year, eight had statewide WIAA Scholar Athletes for the first time.
• Six of this year's 32 Scholar Athletes had a grade point average of 4.0. Nineteen had 3.8 or better.
• Two of the 2001 WIAA Scholar Athletes had already earned thirteen varsity letters in athletic competition in their first seven semesters of high school; six had earned 11 letters and eleven had earned 10 letters.
• Waukesha West High School not only had a winner for the first time but, in fact, produced two winners ­ Serena Ramsey and William Walkowicz.
• Both nominees from Flambeau High School ­ James Leonhard and Alyssa Verdegan ­ were named statewide WIAA Scholar Athletes. James lives in Tony; Alyssa is from Glen Flora. The school has produced two previous winners: Laura Verdegan (Alyssa Verdegan's cousin), 2000 and Danielle Izdepski, 1992.
• Edgar High School has produced a statewide winner for the fifth year in a row. This year's Scholar Athlete is Jordan Sinz of Edgar. Previous winners were Tyler Berg last year; Jeremy Graveen in 1999; Patrick Engleright in 1998; and Chad Guenther in 1997.
• Park Falls High School produced its seventh winner ­ Jonathan Pritzl. Other WIAA Scholar Athletes from that school were Christian Marsh and Leslie Patterson, both in 2000; Jodi Pritzl (the sister of this year's winner, who is now in her first year of medical school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, after completing pre-med studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire), 1996; Daniel McGinnity, 1991; Patrick Herbst, 1988; and Robert Herbst, 1985.
• Milton High School has its fifth WIAA Scholar Athlete. She is Jaqueline Wagner. Previous winners from the school were Kristi Roherty, 1999; Mark Knauer, 1997; Kathie Kruizenga, 1993; and Brenda Dieck, 1990.
• Necedah High School had a winner for the fourth time, and its first since 1994. This year's WIAA Scholar Athlete is Ryan Seebruck. Previous school winners were Kristoffer Saylor, 1994; Loretta Baritsky, 1985; and Joelle Smelcer, 1984.
• Randolph High School's Laura Grieger is the school's fourth WIAA Scholar Athlete. Previously earning statewide recognition were Amy Wiersma, 1995; Tonia Vanderploeg, 1989; and Kathryn Sue Christian, 1985.
• Andrew Haugan of Madison is the first winner from Abundant Life Christian High School. The Madison school is the first private school to produce a WIAA Scholar Athlete.
• Barneveld High School produced its first WIAA Scholar Athlete ­ Shannon Clerkin.
• Cashton High School's first WIAA Scholar Athlete is Shelly Brueggen.
• Iola-Scandinavia High School has a WIAA Scholar Athlete for the first time. She is Rebecca Remington.
• Milwaukee Hamilton High School produced a WIAA Scholar Athlete for the first time. He is Jeffrey Mennicke.
• Oconto Falls High School has produced its first WIAA Scholar Athlete. She is Trina Hobyan.
• Richland Center High School's first statewide winner is Karen Fruit.

Thirty-two senior students attending Wisconsin's public high schools have been named winners of the 1999 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association . That brings to 446 the number of young men and women honored since the program was launched in 1984 to honor scholastic and athletic excellence. The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies, which hosts the awards ceremony at its Westwood Training and Conference Center in Wausau. Every year, each of the 489 WIAA-member public high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 598 nominations received for the 1999 award from 319 schools. All of the other students nominated will be presented with a certificate at their school recognizing the achievement of each as the school's top male or female student athlete. This year's list of winners turned up these items of interest:

• Of the 319 high schools submitting nominations statewide, 11 had WIAA Scholar Athletes for the first time.
• Twelve of the 32 Scholar Athletes have a grade point average of 4.0, and 10 more have at least a 3.9.
• Five of the Scholar Athletes have already earned 11 varsity letters in athletic competition, six have earned 10 letters, nine have earned eight letters and three have earned seven letters.
• Both Park Falls High School nominees, Christian Marsh and Leslie Patterson, were named Scholar Athletes. The school produced four other winners as well.
• Edgar High School produced a Scholar Athlete for the fourth consecutive year with the naming of Tyler Berg. Three other high schools have also had four winners, but not consecutively. They are Fall Creek, Hudson and Middleton.

To qualify for the WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, a nominee must have earned at least four varsity letters through the first half of his/her senior year and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. This year's nominees in four WIAA categories included 140 from 75 schools in Division 1; 140 from 73 schools in Division 2; 163 from 87 schools in Division 3; and 138 from 76 schools in Division 4. The divisions are those used by the WIAA for basketball and volleyball tournament participation. Each 2000 WIAA Scholar Athlete receives a medallion, certificate and a special plaque for display in their school's trophy case. The 2000 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are:

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.

Thirty-two senior students attending Wisconsin's public high schools have been named winners of the 1999 WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, presented by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association . That brings to 446 the number of young men and women honored since the program was launched in 1984 to honor scholastic and athletic excellence. The WIAA Scholar Athlete Award program has been underwritten since its inception by Wausau Insurance Companies, which hosts the awards ceremony at its Westwood Training and Conference Center in Wausau. Every year, each of the 428 WIAA-member public high schools in the state is invited to nominate one boy and one girl for Scholar Athlete honors. There were 581 nominations received for the 1999 award from 311 schools. All of the other students nominated will be presented with a certificate at their school recognizing the achievement of each as the school's top male or female student athlete. This year's list of winners turned up these items of interest:

• Eleven of this year's 32 Scholar Athletes had a grade point average of 4.0. Nine had 3.9 or better; the other 12 achieved a cumulative GPA between 3.6 or 3.8.
• Luke Hagel, a 1999 WIAA Scholar Athlete from Random Lake High School, has already earned 13 varsity letters in athletic competition in his first seven semesters of high school, and expects to earn 15 by the time he graduates. One has earned 12 letters through seven semesters; six have earned 11 letters; 11 have earned 10 letters; 5 earned 9 letters; 6 earned 8 letters.
• Of the 311 high schools submitting nominations this year, eight had WIAA Scholar Athlete Award winners for the first time.
• Breehan Kelley is the second WIAA Scholar Athlete from Three Lakes High School. Her brother, Eli, was a Scholar Athlete in 1995. He is now attending Yale University.
• Kristin Brockhaus is the sixth winner from Mayville High School. Past WIAA Scholar Athletes from that school are Andrew Basler, 1997; Kristen Bonnett, 1996; Colin Gassner, 1995; Erin Ellington, 1994; and Bradley Steinbach, 1993.
• Trent Thielke is the 5th Scholar Athlete from Phillips High School. Previous honorees were Nicholas Gabay, 1998; Kevin Bushman, 1993; Necole Heath, 1989; and Tamara Thomas, 1984.
• Denmark High School and Milton High School each produced their 4th Scholar Athletes.
• Preceding this year's Denmark High School winner, Ryan Warpinski, were Matt Vandenbush, 1993; Joelle Kane, 1992; and Scott Hussong, 1988;
• Milton High School winners in addition to 1999 WIAA Scholar Athlete Kristi Roherty were Mark Knauer, 1997; Kathie Kruizenga, 1993; and Brenda Dieck, 1990.

To qualify for the WIAA Scholar Athlete Award, a nominee must have earned at least four varsity letters through the first half of his/her senior year and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. This year's nominees in four WIAA categories included 140 from 75 schools in Division 1; 140 from 73 schools in Division 2; 163 from 87 schools in Division 3; and 138 from 76 schools in Division 4. The divisions are those used by the WIAA for basketball and volleyball tournament participation. Each 1999 WIAA Scholar Athlete will receive a medallion and certificate, and a special plaque for display in their school's trophy case. The 1999 winners, the communities in which they live, and their high schools are:

*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.