Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Although the term does not find its way into newspapers very often, student athlete is what high school sports is all about.

Throughout the fall, student athletes have gotten recognition for being top athletes, but they hardly ever receive the recognition for being top students.

But as the fall sports season comes to a close with all-state and all-conference honors being given, another important list is being produced: Academic All-State and Team Academic Champion nominations.

This year, Steamboat Springs has three teams qualifying for CHSAA's Team Academic Champions nominations for the fall season.

The Sailors' cheerleaders led the way as the team with the highest combined grade point average. The team of 13 students had a combined GPA of 3.47.

The volleyball team, which was Class 4A Western Slope Co-Champions, followed with a GPA of 3.47 and the girls cross country team, which took second at the regional tournament, also qualified for the honor with a GPA of 3.38.

Volleyball coach Wendy Hall said academics is an important part of her volleyball program and she makes her players sign a contract at the beginning of the season where they agree to work hard in the classroom.

Out of the 247 students who participated in fall sports at Steamboat this season, 17 were honored as Academic All-State nominees and 17 were honorable mention nominees.

To being considered as an academic All-State nominee, student-athletes had to have a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher, be a junior and a letter-winner for the 2001 fall season. To be considered as an academic honorable mention nominee, students had to have a cumulative GPA of between 3.30 and 3.59, be a junior and a letter winner for the 2001 fall season.

With five nominees each, the cheerleading, volleyball and boys soccer teams tied for the most student-athlete nominees.

Three of the Sailors' fall athletes have been able to participate in athletics and keep perfect grades. Football player Daniel Brenner, soccer player Rodney Beall and dance team member Marissa Bucci were Academic All-State nominees with GPA's of 4.0.

Academic All-State Nominees are: Joseph Cutler (Tennis), Matthew Ramsey (Tennis), Rodney Beall (Soccer), Michael Holland (Soccer), Zachary Klohr (Soccer), Kyle Nelson (Soccer), Ian Ramsay (Soccer), Emily Hines (Cross Country), Tess Hottenroth (Cross Country), Jennifer Stanford (Cross Country), Lia Utu (Cross Country), Daniel Brenner (Football), Lauren Baumann (Cheerleading), Mackenzie Little (Cheerleading), Lindsey Peterson (Cheerleading), Rebecca Gray (Volleyball) and Marissa Bucci (Dance).

Academic Honorable Mention Nominees are: Carter Allen (Tennis), Daniel Martin (Tennis), David Hidalgo (Golf), Ryan Marsden (Golf), Cody Sherrill (Golf), Benjamin MacCarthy (Cross Country), Nathan Proper (Cross Country), Edward VanBaak (Cross Country), Wayne Cluster (Football), Cooper Howard (Football), Anne Fetcher (Cheerleading), Sarah Leonard (Cheerleading), Katie Carter (Volleyball), Abby Fritz (Volleyball), Allison Griffing (Volleyball), Bayli Stillwell (Volleyball) and Katie Noble (Dance).