19th annual scholar athletes: The best and the brightest
By Mick McCabe
Detroit Free Press
June 12, 2011
High school life requires choices.
Whom do you pick for friends? How much time do you devote to studying? What extracurricular activities do you become involved with? Which sport do you play? Can you fit in more than one sport? Do you want to be known as an athlete or as a student?
Today, for the 19th year, we would like to introduce you to more than 400 youngsters who decided they could be students and athletes. We also profile 10 of the state’s brightest and best students who were superb athletes.
Use this link to search our database for a complete list of the top student-athletes in the state.
Ten student-athletes were singled out because they truly put the student in student-athlete. Each is an outstanding student who shuddered at the thought of bringing home a report card containing a single B and did so well on the American College Test (ACT) each had his or her pick of colleges.
At the same time, all 10 competed in two or more sports and earned all-state honors in at least one.
Six of the 10 had grade-point averages above 4.0, and two were within two points of a perfect ACT.
The 10 competed in a variety of sports from football to basketball to golf to volleyball to soccer to baseball.
They also found time to participate in other school activities such as band, student council, the ecology club, National Honor Society and show choir, which means we even have our first Gleek.
In April, the Free Press asked each Michigan high school to send us its top scholar athlete.
More than 430 schools responded, offering some extraordinary high school seniors who have struck a perfect balance between high academic and athletic achievement.
Here are our profiles of special honorees selected by Free Press sports writer Mick McCabe and assistant sports editor Terrance Collins.
Marissa Gutherie
High School: Kensington Woods
GPA: 3.55
Parent(s): Kim Gutherie
Academic Achievements: Honor Roll, Kensington Woods Scholar Athlete Award, Top 10 Graduate.
Athletic Achievements: Two-year team captain, team most valuable player soccer.
College: Washtenaw Community College