Sixteen senior girls and 16 senior boys from Waunakee to Washburn have been selected as finalists to receive the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (WIAA) prestigious 2020 WIAA Statewide Scholar Athlete Award underwritten by Marshfield Children’s Hospital. More than 1,100 Scholar Athlete finalists have been recognized since the program began in 1984.
#PointerNation’s Isaac Lindsey has been named a recipient, becoming only the third Pointer ever to be recognized, joining Sydney Staver in 2017 and Ryan McGuire in 2010.
Isaac has earned 11 varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball. He has earned All-Conference First Team honors in football three years, basketball three years, and baseball two years. He was named the Team MVP in football-offense two years and basketball two years.
To determine the top 32 finalists, four boys and four girls were selected (based on both athletic and academic achievement) from each of four WIAA divisions. “These extraordinary student athletes excel in both academics and athletics,” said Tom Shafranski, Assistant Director of the WIAA. “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 an amazing 3.94. All 32 scholar athlete finalists have already earned a total of 313 varsity letters during their first 3-1/2 years of high school. That’s an average of 10 letters per athlete.”
The 2020 WIAA Scholar Athlete Finalists will be recognized in a video to be posted May 15 on the WIAA website (www.wiaawi.org) and broadcast statewide by Fox Sports on several dates to be announced. The video includes a special message from Alec Ingold, Las Vegas Raiders full back and former member of the Wisconsin Badger football team. Ingold, who graduated from Bay Port High School in Green Bay, was named a WIAA Scholar Athlete Finalist in 2015. Each 2020 WIAA Scholar Athlete Finalist will receive a medallion, a certificate, and a special plaque for display in their school’s trophy case.
Student athletes nominated for the award by their high school athletic directors, but not selected as one of the 32 statewide finalists, will be recognized locally by the school administration.
Isaac’s essay:
I have always been proud of the fact that high school athletes achieve greater academic success than their non-athlete peers. The number of hours required to be a successful 3-sport athlete can seem pretty overwhelming at times, and I’m sure there are people who avoid participating in sports so they can focus on their classes. What those people are missing out on though, is a very important life lesson: time management. In this age of smartphones and internet access, many adults have a hard time finding a balance between work and their home life. I believe that managing the hours in my day between practices, games, weight lifting, and homework has helped to prepare me for what I will face when I begin my work career. I will be more prepared to find a healthy balance, and I believe that will lead to a better quality of life. Another important lesson that I have learned in high school is the importance of being competitive. There are many segments of our society that require people to be competitive in order to achieve the level of success they are looking for. I believe that being a student athlete has prepared me to compete in those environments and has shown me how to handle the wins and losses that are often experienced there. Without experiencing the highs and lows of winning and losing in high school, I’m not sure if I would be prepared to handle those swings in life.
2020 Scholar Athlete Finalists
DIVISION 1 – BOYS
Devon Davey, Elkhorn, Elkhorn Area High School
Alec Martzhahl, Appleton, Kimberly High School
Marc Sippel, Wausau, Wausau West High School
Alex Vance, Oconomowoc, Oconomowoc High School
DIVISION 1 – GIRLS
Anne Dotzler, Waunakee, Waunakee High School
Brittany Helm, Muskego, Muskego High School
Maya Novack, Milwaukee, Cedarburg High School
Jadin O’Brien, Milwaukee, Divine Savior Holy Angels High School*
DIVISION 2 – BOYS
Luke Fox, Waukesha, Catholic Memorial High School
Tommy Larson, Elkhorn, East Troy High School
Zach Slevin, La Crosse, La Crosse Logan High School*
Charlie Stuhl, Ellsworth, Ellsworth High School
DIVISION 2 – GIRLS
Laura Beghin, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Dells High School
Izzy Carroll, Platteville, Platteville High School
Katelyn Kitzinger, Marinette, Marinette High School*
Linzy Sendelbach, Cochrane, Arcadia High School
DIVISION 3 – BOYS
Caden Chier, Berlin, Lourdes Academy
Zachary DeGroot, Onalaska, Aquinas High School
Isaac Lindsey, Mineral Point, Mineral Point High School
Max Schwabe, Stratford, Stratford High School
DIVISION 3 – GIRLS
Kayla Bahr, Onalaska, Aquinas High School
Marissa Ellenbecker, Edgar, Edgar High School
Kameri Meredith, Elk Mound, Colfax High School
Skylar White, Mount Hope, River Ridge High School*
DIVISION 4 – BOYS
Logan Lillehaug, Frederic, Frederic High School
Matthew Marcinske, Birchwood, Birchwood High School
Charles Motiff, Washburn, Washburn High School
Jacob Reichmann, Wauzeka, Wauzeka-Steuben High School
DIVISION 4 – GIRLS
Aubrey Schoeneman, Mercer, Mercer High School
Lauren Shields, Wausau, Newman Catholic High School
Lauren Steien, Taylor, Blair-Taylor High School
Kortnie Volk, Three Lakes, Three Lakes High School
*indicates that the student is that school’s first statewide winner.