2012 FHSAA Academic All-State Team announced

Press release via the FHSAA

GAINESVILLE– A total of 24 accomplished student-athletes were named to the 2012 FHSAA Academic All-State Team, featuring eight valedictorians, two salutatorians, 11 three-sport athletes, eight four-sport athletes, and one five-sport athlete.

To be eligible for selection to the team, a student must be a graduating senior, have a cumulative unweighted grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during each of his or her junior and senior years. The candidates were selected based on academic record, athletic participation, non-athletic activities, community service and the essay submitted to the FHSAA office. This year, 12 boys and 12 girls are being honored from the more than 200 qualified nominees from the Association’s 695 member high schools.

Each honoree will receive a $1,000 award, as well as a commemorative medallion, from the FHSAA for being selected to the team. From the 24 recipients, two Scholar-Athletes of the Year—one boy and one girl—will be announced at the 18th Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Awards Banquet to be held Monday, June 11, at the Best Western Gateway Grand in Gainesville. The Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the most prestigious honors conferred on an active student-athlete by the Association, will receive an additional $3,000 each, as well as a trophy.

The members of the 18th Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Team are:

Girls

• Lily Williams, Chiles (Tallahassee)– Lily is the daughter of Sarah and Christopher Williams. She has a 3.9 grade point average. Lily earned four varsity letters in cross country and track and field, and lettered once in swimming. She plans to attend Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. and study biology.

• Katherine Stone, Fort Walton Beach– Katherine is the daughter of Cyndi Stone. She has a 4.0 grade point average ranking number one in her senior class of 415 students. Katherine earned varsity letters in soccer, swimming and diving and track and field all four years in high school. She plans on attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to study materials engineering.

• Catherine Walsh, Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville)– Catherine is the daughter of Jan and Lou Walsh. She has a 3.98 grade point average and ranks third in a senior class of 326 students. Catherine earned three varsity letters in basketball and two varsity letters in volleyball. She plans to attend University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., and study business administration.

• Shelby Davidson, Cocoa Beach– Shelby is the daughter of Deborah and Stephen Davidson. She has a 3.87 grade point average. Shelby earned three varsity letters in cross country and track and field along with one varsity letter in softball. She plans to attend the University of Florida and study interior design and architecture.

• Caroline Coleman, Boone (Orlando)– Caroline is the daughter of John and Linda Coleman. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 621 students. Caroline earned three varsity letters in tennis and cross country and two varsity letters in track and field.  She plans to attend the University of Georgia in Athens and study pre-medicine.

• Andrea Esinhart, Chamberlain (Tampa)– Andrea is the daughter of James and Deborah Esinhart. She has a 3.71 grade point average.  Andrea earned four varsity letters in soccer and track and field as well as two varsity letters in golf and cross country. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and study nursing.

• Devin McDermott, Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton)– Devin is the daughter of Robert and Sherri Lyn McDermott. She has a 3.96 grade point average and ranks sixth in a senior class of 388. Devin earned four varsity letters in cross country and track as well as two varsity letters in soccer. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and study broadcast journalism.

• Christa Bergquist, Evangelical Christian (Fort Myers)– Christa is the daughter of Bill and Bonnie Bergquist. She has a 4.0 grade point average.  Christa earned varsity letters in basketball and track and field all four years of high school along with three varsity letters in volleyball and two varsity letters in swimming. She plans to attend Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., and study biochemistry and English.

• Kali Nordquist, Ida Baker (Cape Coral)– Kali is the daughter of Ted and Jane Nordquist. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 430 students. Kali earned varsity letters in volleyball and track and field all four years of high school. She plans to attend the Polytechnic Institute of New York University and study chemical engineering.

• Rachel Gilbert, Pine School (Hobe Sound)– Rachel is the daughter of Russ and Kate Gilbert. She has a 3.99 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 38 students. Rachel earned varsity letters in cross country, soccer, and lacrosse all four years of high school, and one varsity letter in basketball. She plans to attend either Tulane University in New Orleans, La. or Rice University in Houston, Texas and plans to study biochemistry or neuroscience.

• Taylor Cogsil, Benjamin School (Palm Beach Gardens)– Taylor is the daughter of Thomas and Nancy Cogsil. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 104 students. Taylor earned three varsity letters in cross country, soccer and track and field along with one varsity letter in swimming and diving. She plans to attend Yale University in New Haven, Conn. and study pre-medicine.

•Marina Wiatt, Marathon – Marina is the daughter of William and Katrina Wiatt. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 58. Marina earned varsity letters in soccer and tennis all four years of high school as well as three varsity letters in cross country. She plans to attend the Duke University in Durham, N.C. where she will study biomedical engineering.

Boys

• Marshall Myrick, Freeport– Marshall is the son of Mike and Patsy Myrick. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 73 students. Marshall earned varsity letters three letters in basketball and baseball, and two in football, golf, and cross country. He plans to attend the University of Auburn in Ala. and study pre-veterinary.

• James Davis, Eastside (Gainesville) – James is the son of John and Susan Davis. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 350 students. James earned varsity letters in soccer, cross country and track and field all four years of high school.  He plans to attend Georgetown University in Washington DC and study pre-medicine.

• Apurv Suman, Oak Hall (Gainesville)– Apurv is the son of Amitabh Suman and Mamta Singh. He has a 4.0 grade point average. Apurv earned varsity letters three letters in tennis, football, and weightlifting all four years of high school, and one varsity letter in track.  He plans to attend Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., and study computer science and economics.

• Samuel Jones, Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) – Samuel is the son of Adam and Anne Jones. He has a 3.96 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 18 students. Samuel earned three varsity letters in basketball, cross country, and track and field all four years of high school as well as one varsity letter in soccer. He plans to attend University of Alabama and study mathematics and electrical engineering.

• Alexander Carames, St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine)– Alexander is the son of Ernest and Maria Carames. He has a 3.98 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 55. Alexander earned varsity letters in track and field all four years of high school, as well as three varsity letters in football and two varsity letters in basketball. He plans to attend Columbia University in New York and study economics.

• Stephen Gibbs, Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs)– Stephen is the son of Eric and Lauren Gibbs. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks fifth in a senior class of 632 students. Stephen earned varsity two letters in basketball, football, volleyball and track and field. He plans to attend University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., and study biomedical engineering.

• Neil MacInnes, Chamberlain (Tampa)– Neil is the son of Michail and Alisa MacInnes. He has a 3.98 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 434. Neil earned four varsity letters in soccer, three varsity letters in track and field, and two letters in football. He plans to attend University of Florida in Gainesville and study mechanical engineering and later pursue an MBA.

• James Briggs, St. Petersburg Catholic– James is the son of James and Martha Briggs. He has a 3.98 grade point average. James earned four varsity letters in track and field, three varsity letters in football, and two varsity letters in soccer. He plans to attend the Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga., and will study engineering.

• Nicholas Rougraff, Barron Collier (Naples)– Nicholas is the son of Paul and Barbara Rougraff. He has a 3.98 grade point average and ranks third in a senior class of 417 students. Nicholas earned four varsity letters in swimming and diving along with two varsity letters in soccer and track and field. He is undecided regarding where he will attend college but is interested in studying pre-medicine.

• Mark Mutz, Lakeland Christian– Mark is the son of Bill and Pam Mutz. He has a 3.9 grade point average and ranks tenth in a senior class of 72 students. Mark earned varsity letters in track and field and cross country all four years of high school. He plans to attend University of Florida in Gainesville and study accounting.

• Denzel Paige, North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek)– Denzel is the son of Croswell and Julet Paige. He has a 3.75 grade point average. Denzel earned varsity letters in football and track and field all four years of high school and three letters in basketball. He plans to attend Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., and study economics while playing football.

• Alex Brody, Miami Country Day– Alex is the son of Robert and Yvonne Brody and Corinne and Hal Prewitt. He has a 4.0 grade point average. Alex earned varsity letters in swimming and baseball all four years of high school. He plans to attend University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa., and is undecided as to what he will study in college.

About the FHSAA
The Florida High School Athletic Association is the governing body for interscholastic athletic competition in Florida. It has a membership of more than 790 middle, junior and senior high schools.

Contact: 
Quinten Ershock
Marketing Specialist, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 190
QErshock@fhsaa.org