GAINESVILLE – The Florida High School Athletic Association is pleased to announce the 2011 FHSAA Academic All-State Team, which features eight valedictorians and 13 three-sport athletes, including five four-sport athletes.
This year, 24 student-athletes are being honored from the more than 185 qualified nominees from the Association’s 674 member high schools. To be eligible for selection to the team, a student must be a graduating senior, must have a cumulative unweighted grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and must have earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during each of his or her junior and senior years.
Each honoree will receive a $1,000 award, as well as a commemorative medallion, from the FHSAA for being selected to the team. From among the 24 recipients, two Scholar-Athletes of the Year, one boy and one girl, will be announced at the 17th Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Awards Banquet to be held Monday, June 13 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 17th Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Team are:
Girls
* Sarah Burbank, Bishop Moore (Orlando) – Sarah is the daughter of Gail and Joe Burbank. She has a 4.0 grade point average. Sarah earned three varsity letters in basketball, and also lettered twice in track & field. She plans to attend either the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., or the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., and study biology with a minor in business.
* Rebecca Chandler, Bolles (Jacksonville) – Rebecca is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Howard Chandler, Jr. She has a 3.83 grade point average. Rebecca earned varsity letters in cross country, soccer and track & field all four years in high school. She plans on attending Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn, but is undecided on a major.
* Gabrielle D’Angelo, Coral Springs – Gabrielle is the daughter of Bridget D’Angelo. She has a 3.92 grade point average and ranks sixth in a senior class of 589 students. Gabrielle earned varsity letters in cross country and soccer all four years of high school, and earned two letters in track & field. She plans to attend Princeton University in New Jersey and study pre-medicine.
* Lindsey Hahn, Holy Names (Tampa) – Lindsey is the daughter of Michael and Andrea Hahn. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 76 students. Lindsey earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field all four years of high school, as well as three letters in basketball. She plans to attend the Georgia Tech in Atlanta and study engineering.
* Ashley Hatcher, Miami Country Day – Ashley is the daughter of Silvia Hatcher. She has a 4.0 grade point average. Ashley earned varsity letters in swimming & diving and water polo all four years of high school. She plans to attend the Princeton University in New Jersey and is undecided on a major.
* Kaitlin Jackson, Aucilla Christian (Monticello) – Kaitlin is the daughter of David and Cathy Jackson. She has a 3.98 grade point average and is the valedictorian of a class of 26 students. Kaitlin earned varsity letters in basketball and softball in the 10th-12th grades, and one letter in tennis as a freshman. She plans to attend the University of North Florida in Jacksonville and study communications/advertising.
* Cori McPherson, Timber Creek (Orlando) – Cori is the daughter of Scott and Jo Ellen McPherson. She has a 3.97 grade point average. Cori earned varsity letters in water polo and swimming & diving all four years of high school. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and study journalism and political science for pre-law.
* Stacey Mielke, Estero – Stacey is the daughter of Jim and Kathy Mielke. She has a 3.9 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 347 students. Stacey earned four varsity letters in volleyball and tennis. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, and study business and sports management.
* Stephanie Reynolds, Chiles (Tallahassee) – Stephanie is the daughter of Glenn and Maria Reynolds. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 464 students. Stephanie earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field all four years of high school. She plans to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Boston), California Institute of Technology (Pasadena), or Stanford (Palo Alto, Calif.), and study engineering.
* Mariel Rickert, Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) – Mariel is the daughter of Lawrence and Joanne Rickert. She has a 3.93 grade point average and ranks sixth in a senior class of 157 students. Mariel earned varsity letters in tennis all four years of high school, and also earned two letters in golf and cross country and one in basketball as a freshman. She plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, and plans to study pre-medicine.
* Elizabeth Shields, Alonso (Tampa) – Elizabeth is the daughter of David and Susan Shields. She has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 551 students. Elizabeth earned varsity letters in flag football all four years of high school, as well as three letters in volleyball. She plans to attend the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and study pre-medicine.
* Eva Vitucci, Titusville – Eva is the daughter of Paul and Mitzi Vitucci. She has a 3.83 grade point average. Eva earned varsity letters in soccer all four years of high school, along with three letters in track & field, and two in cross country. She plans to attend the University of South Florida in Tampa where she will study molecular biology.
Boys
* Derick Adams, Mariner (Cape Coral) – Derick is the son of Anthony and Kyllye Adams. He has a 3.57 grade point average and is ranked sixth in a senior class of 338 students. Derick earned varsity letters in track & field all four years of high school, along with three letters in tennis, and two in basketball and swimming & diving. He plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, and study dentistry.
* Robert Batista, Melbourne Central Catholic – Robert is the son of Gerardo and Amina Batista. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 100 students. Robert earned varsity letters in tennis all four years of high school, and also lettered twice in soccer. He plans to attend Harvard University in Boston and study mathematics.
* Woodrow “Bo” Beauchamp IV, Chiefland – Bo is the son of Brett and Laurie Beauchamp. He has a 3.81 grade point average. Bo earned varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball in the 11th and 12th grades, and earned an additional letter in baseball as a sophomore. He plans to attend LaGrange College in LaGrange, Ga., and study business.
* Christian Lake, Mandarin Christian (Jacksonville) – Christian is the son of Michael and Cheryl Lake. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 42 students. Christian earned four varsity letters each in cross country, along with three letters in track & field, two in soccer, and one in basketball. He plans to attend Harvard University in Boston and study political science.
* Zachary Berger, Miami Country Day – Zachary is the son of Evan and Tiffany Berger. He has a 4.0 grade point average. Zachary earned varsity letters in baseball all four years of high school, as well as three letters in football. He is undecided on a college choice and a major.
* Ryan Burns, Rocky Bayou Christian (Niceville) – Ryan is the son of Kevin Burns. He has a 3.88 grade point average and ranks fourth in a senior class of 49 students. Ryan earned varsity letters in baseball and football all four years of high school, as well as three letters in basketball. He plans to attend Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Ga., and study business.
* Whitner Chase, Trinity Prep (Winter Park) – Whitner is the son of Frank and Ellie Chase. He has a 3.9 grade point average. Whitner earned four varsity letters in cross country and two in track & field. He plans to attend Davidson College in Davidson, N.C., and study biology.
* Ryan Kaufman, Indian Rocks Christian (Largo) – Ryan is the son of Charles and Maureen Kaufman. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 54 students. Ryan earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field all four years of high school, as well as two letters in basketball, and one letter in football as a senior. He plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, and will study criminology and psychology.
* Dinesh McCoy, University School of Nova Southeastern (Fort Lauderdale) – Dinesh is the son of Ronald and Rosha McCoy. He has a 3.89 grade point average. Dinesh earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field all four years of high school. He plans to attend the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill to study journalism, political science and psychology.
* Brandon Sanders, Ocoee – Brandon is the son of Donnie and Karen Sanders. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks fourth in a senior class of 539 students. Brandon earned varsity letters in lacrosse all four years of high school, as well as three letters in bowling. He plans to attend either Berry College in Rome, Ga., or Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and study biomedical engineering.
* Keith Shamrock, Mount Dora Bible – Keith is the son of Greg and Donna Shamrock. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 47 students. Keith earned varsity letters in baseball all four years of high school, two letters in golf as a freshman and sophomore, and two letters in basketball as a junior and senior. He plans to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, and study biology for pre-medicine.
* Jeremy Smith, Northside Christian (St. Petersburg) – Jeremy is the son of Dr. Alan and Johnell Smith. He has a 4.0 grade point average and ranks first in a senior class of 75 students. Jeremy earned four varsity letters in football and soccer, and one in tennis. He plans to attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., and study pre-medicine.
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 770 middle, junior and senior high schools.