Introducing 12 Redding-area students named 2023-24 Scholar-Athlete of the Year finalists
The Record Searchlight, Rotary Club of Redding and the Seamans Family Foundation are proud to announce the 12 finalists for the 2023-24 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The prestigious award has been a staple of the North State sporting community since 1985.
Last year’s winners were Audrey Bull of Shasta and Dillon Wayne of West Valley.
Out of a field of 53 applicants, the six male and six female finalists were chosen based on their athletic prowess, their academic success and their community involvement by a panel consisting of members of the Record Searchlight, the Rotary Club and the Seamans Family Foundation.
The male and female finalists will each receive a $1,000 scholarship while the two winners will receive $2,000.
Here are the finalists, beginning with the females in alphabetical order.
Alexes Collier - Yreka High School
A three-sport athlete her senior year, Collier competed in golf, basketball and softball. She was the Northern Athletic League MVP in golf, finishing third in the Northern Section and qualifying for state. She was an All-NAL selection in basketball and reached the 1,000-point career milestone. She’s currently competing for the 11-12 Miners on the softball diamond.
Collier carries a 4.1 weighted grade point average and plans to attend the College of the Siskiyous next year with a focus on engineering.
Active in youth sports in the area, she coached and refereed softball and flag football in Yreka. She’s on the YMCA Teen Leadership Council and built a putting green at the school for her senior project for the golf team to practice as the nearest course is 30 miles away.
Aria del Rosario-Sabet - Shasta High School
The student body president, del Rosario-Sabet has competed in tennis and track and field all four years at Shasta. She’s the No. 1 tennis player for the Wolves and all-league in both singles and doubles. She was the Windermere Cup Finalist and Sun Oaks Club champion. In track, she has medaled in three of four events in the ongoing season.
Planning on attending UCLA and studying statistics and data science, del Rosario-Sabet carries a 4.74 weighted GPA.
Her community and school involvement includes Key Club, Philosophy Club, Model UN, Link Crew, National Honors Society, Peer Court and YES Virtual Exchange Program.
More: Do you know these two Shasta Family YMCA Athletes of the Week?
Peyton Estes - Fall River High School
The Bulldog has played volleyball and softball all four years at Fall River. She helped the volleyball team win a Northern Section Division VI title and Northern California Regional title the past two seasons. An all-league pick, she had 848 digs this season.
She has a 4.02 weighted GPA and plans to attend Feather River College and study kinesiology.
A Little League softball coach and umpire, Estes also has refereed junior high volleyball matches. She’s active in the school booster club and has helped on various other sporting projects in the Intermountain community.
Joriana Gibbens-Egolf - Shasta High School
A three-sport athlete in her senior year, Gibbens-Egolf excelled in the swimming pool, the basketball court and on the track. She helped the Wolves girls finish third at the Masters swim meet, placing in numerous events. On the hardwood, she was an all-league nod for the 15-12 Wolves, averaging 10.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. She’s currently competing for the Shasta track and field team.
Top-ranked in the school with a 4.8 weighted GPA, she’s deciding between UC Santa Cruz and Miami of Ohio with a focus on studying international development and global studies.
Gibbens-Egolf has been a member of the school’s Model UN while also serving in Key Club and belonging to the National Honors Society. She and her family help organize Thanksgiving food baskets through their church and she planned fundraisers, including one for people affected by the Lahaina fire on Maui.
Renaissance Johnson - Weed High School
She’s played basketball and softball all four years, volleyball three seasons and one season of soccer during the covid year. This season, Johnson helped the Cougars to a Northern Section Division VI title as well as a Northern California Division VI regional championship. An All-Northern Section selection, she averaged a team-high 14.2 points and 12.1 rebounds for the 29-5 Cougars.
Planning on attending Cal Poly Humboldt and studying zoology/wildlife biology, she has a 4.13 weighted GPA.
Link Crew, Jazz choir, Peer Counseling Club and Associated Students are among her school activities. She’s also volunteered during local Easter egg hunts as well as participated in youth sporting camps.
Emily Nolan - West Valley High School
The Eagles’ three-sport athlete competed in swim, basketball and softball during her senior year. She helped West Valley to league and section titles while grabbing a second-place finish in the backstroke at the Masters. She averaged 7.6 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds for the 23-9 Eagles, who were Northern Section Division IV runners-up. The infielder has nine RBIs as West Valley is 10-7.
Planning on attending Nevada-Reno and studying animal science, Nolan has a 4.43 weighted GPA.
She’s a member of FFA and the school’s website chair, she’s active in 4-H as the co-leader in swine and leadership. She chaired the school’s blood drive and belongs to the National Honors Society.
Henry Baun - Yreka High School
The Miners’ three-sport athlete runs track and field, cross country and competes in soccer. He finished sixth in the state in cross country and broke the 5-kilometer school record in his junior year. He’s currently competing in track and field with a goal to break the 24-year-old Northern Section record in the 3,200-meter race.
He carries a 4.0 weighted GPA and plans to attend BYU, Chico State, UC Santa Barbara or UC Davis while studying nonprofit management health focused.
In addition to working at Black Bear Diner, Baun’s list of community and school activities is extensive with student government, Interact Club and youth sports clinics among them. He’s also created Club Hope, which seeks to change the school culture, promote positivity and help one person every day.
More: See which athletes made the All-Northern Section boys and girls basketball teams
Mickey Cohn - Red Bluff High School
The Spartan has competed in four sports in his four years at Red Bluff. As a senior, he played football and competed in Alpine. On the gridiron, Cohn led the Northern Section with 150 tackles from his free safety spot while earning all-league and all-section honors. He also competed in tennis and swimming in his Red Bluff career.
He carries a 4.38 weighted GPA and plans to attend Simpson University with a focus on teaching.
Cohn was named the 2023-24 Mr. Spartan and participated in his school’s Peer Court and the athletic Sports Committee. He’s also been a 4-H counselor and Kiwanis camp counselor.
Baron Grooms - University Prep
A basketball standout for the Panthers, the U-Prep captain averaged 9.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game for the NAL champions. Grooms was the league MVP and a third-team all-section nod.
He plans to study engineering (mechanical/electric) at either UC San Diego or Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, where he’s already been accepted. He carries a 4.6-weighted GPA and is top of this class at U-Prep.
He’s active in the Math and Science Club, Interact Club, Environmental Club, Latin Club, Link Crew and is a Student Section Leader. He’s worked as a basketball camp counselor, a youth basketball referee and a YMCA Power Scholars Academy counselor.
Chris Hall - Foothill High School
The three-sport standout for the Cougars excelled on the gridiron, the hardwood and at track and field. He was the team captain for the Foothill football team and an all-section choice with 79 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and four interceptions. As a junior, Hall won the long jump, triple jump, 400-relay, and 1,600-relay at the Masters track meet.
He has a 3.84 weighted GPA and will attend the University of San Diego on a football scholarship while studying physics.
He’s been a football camp coach/team leader as well as a basketball camp coach and team leader. He refereed youth basketball.
Andrew Seamans - University Prep
The two-sport athlete for the Panthers shined on the football field and pitch. He was an All-NAL honorable mention in soccer as U-Prep won the section title and was unbeaten until the state playoffs. In football, he caught 22 passes for 462 yards and three scores.
Planning on attending UC Santa Cruz, Seamans has a 4.23 weighted GPA and is leaning toward studying engineering.
He’s in the Environmental Club and participated in Math Counts. He helped the NorCal Think Pink bag stuffing, was a Salvation Army bell ringer and read to elementary students at Grant School.
Bailey Wurzer - University Prep
A three-sport athlete, he leads the Panthers football team in all-purpose yards with 687 rushing, 696 receiving and more than 200 return yardage. On the pitch, he scored 24 goals with nine assists.
He’s planning on playing football at Santa Barbara City College and carries a 4.3-weighted GPA. Wurzer’s future school plans include studying business/finance.
He’s been active in youth sports camps as well as Breast Cancer Awareness events in the North State.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Redding-area students named 2024 Scholar-Athlete of the Year finalists
