Virgin Valley High graduate Ethan Woods was one of 20 Nevada student-athletes who were awarded scholarships provided by The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) and One Nevada Credit Union as part of its annual NIAA / One Nevada Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year awards program.
Woods is attending college at the University of St. Mary’s in Kansas and is a member of the wrestling team.
The student-athletes of the year awards are presented to those who excelled in sports, maintained a high academic status and volunteered in their community at levels beyond those of their peers. The annual northern Nevada and southern Nevada awards banquets were canceled again in 2021 due to COVID-19, but the winners still will be presented with a $1,000 scholarship check, a commemorative program and a special gift to help them as they further their education.
“The spirit of the Silver State is embodied in high school athletics and activities,” said Bart Thompson, retired Executive Director of the NIAA. “The Top Ten winners we honored this year achieved and maintained an exceptionally high level of excellence in all aspects of their lives. These will be our future leaders. They were dealt a horrible blow during the conclusion of their high school career. Yet, they rose up, persevered and moved forward at an outstanding level. They will continue to make a positive difference in our communities.”
“We’re proud to celebrate these student-athletes for their outstanding achievements,” said Paul Parrish, One Nevada President and CEO. “It’s profoundly unfortunate that many student-athletes missed out on their sports seasons during the pandemic. Still, we’re inspired by their perseverance to get back in the game, and their commitment to being outstanding students while giving back to their communities. That’s why we’re so pleased to award each of them a college scholarship and special gift in support of their education journey.”
2021 NIAA / One Nevada Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year
Southern Nevada Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year
Ethan Woods Virgin Valley High School Mesquite
Martin Blake Canyon Springs High School Las Vegas
Fernando Carmona, Jr. Las Vegas High School Las Vegas
Kathryn Daffer Pahrump Valley High School Pahrump
Donovan Davis Mojave High School Las Vegas
Cheryl Edenfield Sunrise Mountain High School Las Vegas
Makayla Gent Pahrump Valley High School Pahrump
Preston Humes Moapa Valley High School Overton
Nakala Nadeau Del Sol Academy Las Vegas
Paige Sinicki Coronado High School Henderson
Northern Nevada Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year
Karen Beglin Carson High School Carson City
Karli Burns Fernley High School Fernley
Dylan Cleary Incline High School Incline Village
Jeremy Heaton Carson High School Carson City
Kili Lehmkuhl North Tahoe High School Tahoe City, Calif.
Kendra Lusk Spring Creek High School Spring Creek
Carson Miller Reed High School Sparks
Evelyne Reyes Sparks High School Sparks
Avery Strasdin Churchill County High School Fallon
Carlos Torres Carson High School Carson
For more information about the NIAA/One Nevada Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year awards program, please visit: https://www.niaa.com/awards/Top_Ten/photos/2021_NIAA-One_Nevada_Top_10_-_FINAL_PROGRAM.pdf.
ABOUT THE NEVADA INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION
The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) is a private, non-profit organization (501c3) originally formed by the secondary schools in Nevada. In essence, the NIAA is the governing body of high school athletics and activities in the Silver State as recognized by the Nevada state legislature. It is important to note, however, that the NIAA does not receive state funding. The NIAA’s three revenue streams are corporate partnerships, event ticket sales and member school’s dues.
ABOUT ONE NEVADA CREDIT UNION
With more than $1 billion in assets, One Nevada Credit Union is one of the largest locally owned, federally insured credit unions in the state. It is also one of the strongest, well-capitalized financial institutions in the country. One Nevada specializes in serving Nevadan’s personal financial needs. One Nevada serves 78,000 members, has 15 branches, and offers 46,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the Allpoint Network. Membership is open to all residents of Washoe, Clark, and Nye counties. One Nevada is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency. For more information, visit www.onenevada.org.
2021_NIAA-One_Nevada_Top_10_-_FINAL_PROGRAM
