Michigan Finalists Announced for 2023-24 MHSAA/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Awards

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Jan. 19 – The 120 finalists for the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Scholar-Athlete Awards for the 2023-24 school year, presented by Farm Bureau Insurance, have been announced.

The program, in its 35th year, has recognized student-athletes since the 1989-90 school year and again this winter will honor 32 individuals from MHSAA member schools who participate in at least one sport in which the Association sponsors a postseason tournament.

Farm Bureau Insurance underwrites the Scholar-Athlete Awards and will present a $2,000 scholarship to each recipient. Since the beginning of the program, 928 scholarships have been awarded.

Scholarships will be presented proportionately by school classification, with 12 scholarships to be awarded to Class A student-athletes, six female and six male; eight scholarships will be awarded to Class B student-athletes, four female and four male; six scholarships will be awarded to Class C student-athletes, three female and three male; and four scholarships will be awarded to Class D student-athletes, two female and two male. In addition, two scholarships will be awarded at-large to minority recipients, regardless of school size.

Every MHSAA member high school could submit as many applications as there are scholarships available in its classification and could have more than one finalist. Ann Arbor Greenhills, Birmingham Seaholm, East Grand Rapids, Manistee, and Midland Dow have three finalists this year. Seven schools have two finalists: Beal City, Britton Deerfield, Dearborn, Mason, Northville, Oxford, and Traverse City West.

Multiple-sport participation remains the norm among applicants. The average sport participation rate of the finalists is 2.88. There are 77 three-plus sport participants in the finalist’s field, and all but two of the 28 sports in which the MHSAA sponsors postseason tournaments are represented.

Of 445 schools that submitted applicants, 28 submitted the maximum allowed. This year, 1,607 applications were received. All applicants will be presented with certificates commemorating their achievements. Additional Scholar-Athlete Award information, including a complete list of scholarship nominees, can be found on the Scholar-Athlete page at https://www.mhsaa.com/about/awards/scholar-athlete-award.

The applications were judged by a 65-member committee of school coaches, counselors, faculty members, administrators, and board members from MHSAA member schools. Selection of the 32 scholarship recipients will take place in early February. Class C and D scholarship recipients will be announced on Feb. 6, Class B scholarship recipients will be announced on Feb. 13, and Class A scholarship recipients will be announced on Feb. 20. All announcements will be made on the MHSAA Website.

To be eligible for the award, students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) and previously have won a varsity letter in at least one sport in which the MHSAA sponsors a postseason tournament. Students also were asked to respond to a series of short essay questions and submit two letters of recommendation and a 500-word essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.

2023-24 Scholar-Athlete Award Finalists

GIRLS CLASS A

Yan Yee Adler, Ann Arbor Pioneer

Bella Adams, Battle Creek Lakeview

Katherine Slazinski, Birmingham Seaholm

Aya Moughni, Dearborn

Sam M. Peot, East Grand Rapids

Julia Holt, Farmington Hills Mercy

Tori Briggs, Fowlerville

Arianna Pate, Gibraltar Carlson

Cameron Herman, Hartland

Brooke Pedersen, Holland West Ottawa

Ella Chatfield, Jenison

Meghan Ford, Mason

Lauren VanSumeren, Midland Dow

Addison Raffle, Northville

Ella Boyd, Oxford

Abigail DeGraw, Rochester Hills Stoney Creek

Anna Lassan, South Lyon East

Lily Sackrider, St. Johns

Cecilia Ruchti, St. Joseph

Addison Booher, Traverse City Central

Ava King, Traverse City West

London Williams, Trenton

Sarah Fromm, Utica

Ryah Dewey, Walled Lake Western

BOYS CLASS A

Viraj Nautiyal, Birmingham Seaholm

Dylan Shoresh, Birmingham Seaholm

Charles Howell, Cadillac

Erik Giedeman, Dearborn

Joseph Stachelek, Detroit U-D Jesuit

Charlie Lentz, East Grand Rapids

Charlie Seufert, East Grand Rapids

Chris Piwowarczyk, Fenton

TJ Silvernale, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern

Jack Ryan, Grosse Pointe South

Jaden Reji, Livonia Churchill

Connor Curtis, Livonia Stevenson

Austin Martel, Mason

Jonathan Song, Midland Dow

Logan Yu, Midland Dow

Jaxson Whitaker, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer

Kyle Brown, Northville

Sean Wilson, Oxford

Anirudh Krishnan, Plymouth

Abrar Hossen, Portage Central

Andrew Miller, Saline

Jack Carlisle, Stevensville Lakeshore

Willem Howard Anthony DeGood, Traverse City West

Vansh Jvalit Baxi, Troy Athens

GIRLS CLASS B

Elaine Gordon, Adrian

Navya Ashok, Ann Arbor Greenhills

Anika Bery, Ann Arbor Greenhills

Hannah Herman, Buchanan

Gwenyth L. Geiger, Caro

Reese Herioux, Gladstone

Julie Ashbaugh, Grant

Grace deWaalMalefyt, Hudsonville Unity Christian

Megan Marta, Ishpeming Westwood

Addison Rutter, Kingsford

Libby McCarthy, Manistee

Cecilia Postma, Manistee

Malena Johnson, Marshall

Katelyn Baney, Paw Paw

Malia Thelen, Portland

Isabella DeWildt, Sault Ste. Marie

BOYS CLASS B

Angelo Ciarelli, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard

Lucas Nor, Ann Arbor Greenhills

Austin Hinkley, Big Rapids

Logan Cripps, Brooklyn Columbia Central

Jackson Dell, Chelsea

William E. Ribby, Eaton Rapids

Logan Lipka, Frankenmuth

Charles Lindemann, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Ben Sytsma, Grand Rapids Christian

Stephen Petersen, Hillsdale

Michael Stout, Howard City Tri County

Anthony Mariotti Goatley, Madison Heights Lamphere

Braydon Sorenson, Manistee

Ethan Chambliss, Niles

Aiden Roulo, St. Clair

Oliver Brown, Williamston

GIRLS CLASS C

Mikaela Ann Boyle, Bad Axe

Kylie Ott, Bridgman

Allison Bowles, Clinton

Jaida Schulte, Elk Rapids

Lauren Borsenik, Hemlock

Mariah Thompson, Houghton Lake

Lola Korpi, Ishpeming

Alexis Ewing, Jonesville

Adilyn Anne Ruggles, Marlette

Sara Dammann, New Lothrop

Brooke Spitzley, Pewamo-Westphalia

Claire Neumann, Saginaw Valley Lutheran

BOYS CLASS C

Carter Upper, Alcona

Payton Butkovich, Beal City

Jamisen Latham, Beal City

Tristan B. Harbaugh, Gobles

Niko Burgoon, Iron Mountain

Kannon Duffing, Manchester

Brad H. McNeill, Montrose

Jack Lantz, New Buffalo

Ryin Ruddy, Ottawa Lake Whiteford

Benjamin March, St. Louis

Julian Ahluwalia, Traverse City St. Francis

Landen Muska, Vassar

GIRLS CLASS D

Makenzee Grimm, Battle Creek St. Philip

Alivia Salenbien, Britton Deerfield

Alayna Salenbien, Britton Deerfield

Caroline Beggs, Clarkston Everest Collegiate

Rachel Case, Kimball New Life Christian

Mallory Lowe, Leland

Bonnie Kiger, Marion

Hazel Hysell, St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic

BOYS CLASS D

Samuel Wallace Lutz, Adrian Lenawee Christian

Jürgen Griswold, Ellsworth

Christian Besonen, Ewen-Trout Creek

Trenton Taratuta, Hillman

Ridley Fast, Hillsdale Academy

Ben McCaw, Lawrence

Nathan Mihills, Marcellus

Clayton Shoup, Mason County Easter