By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
A pair of seniors from both Otsego and Plainwell have been recognized for their accomplishments in the classroom and in athletics as part of the Wolverine Conference Scholar Athlete program.
This year’s honorees from Otsego are Rebekah Stachura and Carter Shattuck, while Plainwell’s selections are Hiro Nguyen and Gwen Todd.
At Otsego, Stachura competed in cross country and track and field during her high school career, while Shattuck was a three-sport athlete in soccer, bowling and track and field.
“The Wolverine Scholar Athlete Award honors seniors who have participated in multiple varsity sports and have earned high honors academically,” Otsego athletic director John Kubiak said. “Both student-athletes have a high GPA and outstanding test scores.”
Kubiak also pointed to their impact beyond the numbers.
“They are high-character kids, great teammates and will compete in any role that you give them,” he said.
At Plainwell, Nguyen participated in cross country, swimming and track and field, while Todd competed in cross country, basketball and track and field.
“Hiro and Gwen were selected due to their high achievement in the classroom and during standardized testing,” Plainwell athletic director Melissa Preston said. “Ultimately, they are fantastic individuals and supportive teammates.”
Preston said both student-athletes have successfully balanced the demands of multiple sports with their academic responsibilities.
“They’ve worked hard to balance multiple sports along with the demands of the classroom,” she said.
Each year, the Wolverine Conference Scholar Athlete Award honors two seniors from each member school.
The award highlights seniors who have distinguished themselves not only through their performance in competition, but also through their commitment to academics and their role as leaders within their school communities.
“The Wolverine Scholar Athlete Award honors seniors who have participated in multiple varsity sports and have earned high honors academically,” Kubiak said.
