FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2002


2002 FHSAA Academic All-State Team features eight valedictorians, 18 three-sport athletes

GAINESVILLE – The Florida High School Activities Association is pleased to announce the 2002 FHSAA Academic All-State Team, which features eight valedictorians and 18 three-sport athletes – including four four-sport athletes. Benjamin School of North Palm Beach also becomes the second school in as many years to have both nominees make the FHSAA Academic All-State Team.

Twenty-four student-athletes – 12 boys and 12 girls – were chosen from the more than 200 qualified nominees from the Association’s 570 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 3.5 or better, and must have earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during his or her junior and senior years.

Each honoree will receive a $500 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 Eighth Annual FHSAA Academic All-State Awards Banquet to be held Friday, June 14 in Tampa. The Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the most prestigious honors conferred on a student-athlete by the Association, will receive an additional $2,500 each, as well as a trophy.

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

Girls

• Rebecca Adnot, Gainesville – Rebecca is the daughter of Mike & Marsha Adnot. She has a 3.72 grade point average and is ranked 27th in a senior class of 420 students. Rebecca earned varsity letters in cross country, track & field and weightlifting her junior and senior years. She plans to attend Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. and will study communications.

• Courtney Caplin, St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park) – Courtney is the daughter of Dr. Stuart and Brooke Caplin. She has a 3.96 grade point average. Courtney earned varsity letters in swimming & diving, soccer and track & field her junior and senior years. She will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and plans to major in chemistry.

• Lindsey Leigh Carter, Wewahitchka – Lindsey is the daughter of Roy Lee and Veronica Carter. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 55 students. Lindsey earned varsity letters in basketball and track & field her junior and senior years, as well as volleyball her junior year. She plans to attend the University of Central Florida in Orlando and will study physical therapy.

• Carolynn Chin, Dixie Hollins (St. Petersburg) – Carolynn is the daughter of John Chin and Sandra Pepicello. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 388 students. Carolynn earned varsity letters in softball and volleyball her junior and senior years, as well as flag football her senior year. She will attend either Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga. or Colorado University in Boulder, Colo. and plans to study architecture.

• Kimberly Dawn Conaway, Osceola (Seminole) – Kimberly is the daughter of Michael and Carol Conaway. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 182 students. Kimberly earned varsity letters in soccer, swimming & diving and track & field her junior and senior years. She will attend either the University of Florida in Gainesville or Florida State University in Tallahassee and plans to study elementary education.

• Bridget Kathleen French, Fort Lauderdale – Bridget is the daughter of Rob and Kathleen French. She has a 3.84 grade point average and is ranked fifth in a senior class of 371 students. Bridget earned varsity letters in soccer, softball and volleyball her junior and senior years. She plans to attend the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. and study journalism.

• Jennifer Ann Hogg, Paxton – Jennifer is the daughter of Doug and Shawneen Hogg. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 35 students. Jennifer earned varsity letters in basketball, softball and track & field her junior and senior years. She will attend Troy State University in Troy, Ala. and will study sports medicine.

• Amber Noelle Ivins, Benjamin (North Palm Beach) – Amber is the daughter of John and Judy Ivins. She has a 3.74 grade point average. Amber earned varsity letters in basketball, volleyball and track & field her junior and senior years. She plans to attend Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and study applied science.

• Aimee Joann Kalb, Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) – Aimee is the daughter of Robert and Annette Kalb. She has a 3.98 grade point average and is ranked third in a senior class of 455 students. Aimee earned varsity letters in soccer, softball and volleyball her junior and senior years. She will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and plans to study physical therapy and sports medicine.

• Kelli Beth Richards, Umatilla – Kelli is the daughter of Tom and Kathy Richards. She has a 3.96 grade point average and ranks fifth in a senior class of 151 students. Kelli earned varsity letters in basketball, cross country, softball and volleyball her junior and senior years. She plans to attend Mercer University in Macon, Ga. and study pre-medicine or engineering.

• Kendall Riley, Spruce Creek (Port Orange) – Kendall is the daughter of Sugie Riley. She has a 3.98 grade point average and ranks second in a senior class of 353 students. Kendall earned varsity letters in basketball, cross country and track & field her junior and senior years. She will attend Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and plans to study pre-medicine.

• Amanda M. Schommer, Vero Beach – Amanda is the daughter of Alan and Victoria Schommer. She has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 513 students. Amanda earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field her junior and senior years. She plans to attend the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. and study international business.


Boys

• Eric Richard Beights, Lely (Naples) – Eric is the son of Stephen and Nancy Beights. He has a 3.96 grade point average and is ranked sixth in a senior class of 331 students. Eric earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field his junior and senior years. While he plans to study aerospace engineering, the colleges he is considering include: the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich.; the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.; and Princeton University in Princeton, N.J.

• Michael Jorge Bustamante, Benjamin (North Palm Beach) – Michael is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Jorge Bustamante. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 83 students. Michael earned varsity letters in cross country and soccer his junior and senior years. He plans to attend Yale University in New Haven, Conn. and will study international relations.

• John L. Dicks II, Plant City – John is the son of John and Sharon Dicks. He has a 3.87 grade point average and is ranked second in a senior class of 424 students. John earned varsity letters in swimming & diving and tennis his junior and senior years, as well as cross country his junior year. He will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and study business and marketing.

• Thomas Coleman Fouke Jr., American Heritage (Plantation) – Thomas is the son of Thomas and Linda Fouke. He has a 3.83 grade point average and is ranked ninth in a senior class of 168 students. Thomas earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field his junior years, as well as basketball his junior year and wrestling his senior year. He plans to attend Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. and study environmental engineering.

• Nathan Hotaling, Forest (Ocala) – Nathan is the son of Gene and Helene Hotaling. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked third in a senior class of 397 students. Nathan earned varsity letters in football, soccer and weightlifting his junior and senior years, as well as track & field his senior year. He plans to attend Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. and will study pre-medicine.

• Shawn D. Liesch, Osceola (Kissimmee) – Shawn is the son of Donald and Bualong Liesch. He has a 3.86 grade point average and is ranked twelfth in a senior class of 437 students. Shawn earned varsity letters in cross country, soccer and track & field his junior and senior years. He will attend Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Fla. and study computer engineering.

• Raymond Mitchell Spearrin, West Nassau (Callahan) – Mitchell is the son of Raymond and Candy Spearrin. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 175 students. Mitchell earned varsity letters in football and baseball his junior and senior years, as well as tennis his senior year. He plans to attend Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. and study engineering.

• Colin A. Strickland, Jesuit (Tampa) – Colin is the son of Steven and Cynthia Strickland. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked third in a senior class of 143 students. Colin earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field his junior and senior years. He will attend Yale University in New Haven, Conn. and study political science.

• Joseph Whittington, Dixie County (Cross City) – Joey is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Whittington. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in a senior class of 152 students. Joey earned varsity letters in baseball, football and weightlifting his junior and senior years, as well as track & field his junior year. He plans to attend Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville and study journalism.

• Nicholas Alan Wilson, Paxon (Jacksonville) – Nick is the son of Suzanne Wilson. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked third in a senior class of 234 students. Nick earned varsity letters in cross country and track & field his junior and senior years, as well as swimming & diving and soccer his senior year. He will attend either the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Ga. or the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. and study engineering.

• Justin Travis Wortley, Wesley Chapel – Justin is the son of George and Liz Wortley. He has a 3.78 grade point average and is ranked sixth in a senior class of 218 students. Justin earned varsity letters in football and baseball his junior and senior years. He will attend the University of Florida in Gainesville and study computer science.

• Bryan Yasinsac, Chiles (Tallahassee) – Bryan is the son of Alec and Linda Yasinsac. He has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked 32nd in a senior class of 267 students. Bryan earned varsity letters in basketball and swimming & diving his junior and senior years. He is considering attending Brown University in Providence, R.I. or The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. and studying biology.


Contact:
Robert Hernberger
Assistant Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 190
roberth@fhsaa.org