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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 15, 1998

Contact: John Johnson or Mike Clifford (517.332.5046 or www.mhsaa.com)

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Jan. 15-- It has become an annual occurrence -- a new record set by the number of students applying for the Michigan High School Athletic Association's Scholar-Athlete Award. The program, which has been recognizing student-athletes since the 1989-90 school year, honors 24 individuals, one in each sport in which the Association sponsors a post-season tournament.

Farm Bureau Insurance underwrites the Scholar-Athlete Award, and presents a $1,000 scholarship in each sport.

This year, the number of applicants rose again. A record 2,785 applications were received from 501 schools, surpassing last year's total of 2,636 applications. In addition to the record number of applicants, the number of schools participating exceeded last year's record of 497. In the six years in which scholarships have been awarded in all MHSAA sports, the number of applicants has more than doubled.

An additional 997 student-athletes will be recognized for having met the eligibility criteria for the award, even though they were not a scholarship nominee from their school. All will be presented with certificates commemorating their achievement. This year's figure tops last year's record of 654.

Every MHSAA member high school is allowed to select one student-athlete to represent it in each sport, and an individual may be nominated in more than one sport. East Lansing led the way in participation this year with 22 scholarship nominees. Okemos and Plymouth Canton each had 19 applicants; Grosse Pointe South had 18; Allen Park and Ann Arbor Huron each had 17; Ann Arbor Pioneer, St. Johns and Sturgis each had 16; and Detroit Country Day, Dexter, Hillsdale, Stevensville-Lakeshore and Troy each had 15 applicants.

To be eligible for the award, students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale), and have previously won a varsity letter in the sport in which they are applying. Students were also asked to shown involvement in other school and community activities, submit two letters of recommendation and a 500-word essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.

The applications will be judged by a 59-member committee of school coaches, counselors, faculty members, administrators and board members from MHSAA member schools. Finalists in all sports will be announced by January 30. Fall sports scholarship recipients will be announced on February 13; winter sports recipients on February on February 20; and spring sports winners will be announced on February 27.

To honor the 24 Scholar-Athlete Award recipients, a ceremony will take place during halftime of the Class C Boys Basketball Finals at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing on March 28.

MEDIA ADVISORY -- For a complete list of scholarship nominees and additional qualifiers for the Scholar-Athlete Award click one of the following options below.

Click here for an html file of Scholarship Applicants
Click here for a PDF file of Scholarship Applicants
Click here for an html file of Additional Qualifiers
Click here for an PDF file of Additional Qualifiers

Please scan these lists for the names of student-athletes from your area.