Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman/Mat-Su Sea Hawkers Student-Athlete of the Year Award

2011 nominees

Shellina Irwin, Colony High

Irwin earned a 3.3 grade point average while excelling in a pair of varsity sports at Colony High. Irwin captained the Knights volleyball squad, earned All-Northern Lights Conference honors and helped Colony advance to the state tournament. In the spring, Irwin earned Region III track and field titles in the shot put and discus. Irwin was also a state champion in the discus and a state runner-up in the shot put.

Greg Michaelson, Colony High

Michaelson earned a 4.1 GPA, which included work in advanced placement courses. He was a member of the varsity football and basketball teams, and held a starting position in football.

Amber Acton, Houston High

Acton earned a 3.6 GPA while competing in multiple varsity sports. She was the varsity captain of both the Houston girls basketball and volleyball teams. Acton was also a member of the National Honor Society and a student government president. She also participated in choir and was a member of the Teens Against Tobacco Use group.

Garrett Elder, Houston High

Elder earned a 4.0 GPA and was Houston’s class of 2011 valedictorian. He was a varsity athlete in cross-country running, wrestling and track and field, and a member of National Honor Society.

Kendal Venzke, Palmer High

Venzke, an International Baccalaureate student, earned a 4.0 GPA. Venzke was a varsity athlete in volleyball, girls basketball and girls soccer, and earned first-team All-Northern Lights Conference honors in all three sports. She was also named a UA scholar and Suma Cum Laude.

Tim Rockey, Palmer High

Rockey, who earned a 3.3 GPA, participated in cross-country running and baseball. In baseball, Rockey was second in the conference in RBI and was named first-team All-Southcentral Conference. In addition to sports, Rockey served the student body president and the student advisory board president. He was also a regular contributor to the Frontiersman sports and schools pages, and was a broadcaster for Radio Free Palmer.

Cori Schleich, Wasilla High School

Schleich earned a 4.1 GPA while taking advanced placement courses. She was a varsity athlete on a pair of state championship teams, the cross-country and track and field squads. Schleich was also a member of the National Honor Society and active in student government at Wasilla.

Paul Sliwa, Wasilla High School

Sliwa earned a 3.3 GPA, and was a varsity athlete in football and soccer. Sliwa was the placekicker for the football team, and was named the Northern Lights Conference Player of the Year as a member of the boys’ soccer squad. Sliwa also helped his team win the NLC title and advance to the state tournament.

** To be eligible, nominees must be senior athletes who maintain at least a 3.3 grade point average while lettering in at least one varsity sport. Preference is given to student-athletes who participate in multiple varsity sports and academic extracurricular activities. The 2011 award is in recognition of work done during the 2010-11 school year. Activities directors from the four major high schools in the core area of the Mat-Su Valley nominated a male and female senior student-athlete. A small group of voters chose the winners.

Past winners:

2010:

Rachel Kennedy, Wasilla High School

Dunedin Strickland, Palmer High School

2009:

Allie Grazulis, Colony High School

Collin Murphy, Colony High School

2008:

Geneva Ratcliff, Palmer High School

Adam Friese, Wasilla High School