At the 24th Annual Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Banquet, Blake Barclay and Katie Morello were named the 2018 FHSAA Ronald N. Davis Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year. In addition to these award winners, the rest of the 2018 Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team were honored at the event.
Morello and Barclay both maintained impressive 4.0 GPAs while participating in multiple sports. They each performed extensive amounts of community service and were recognized for many athletic and academic awards.
“The hardworking men and women of Florida’s dairy industry are honored to recognize the significant accomplishments of Katie and Blake,” Florida Dairy Farmers CEO Michele Cooper said. “They’ve demonstrated a work ethic and drive that is second to none and we’re proud to help them take the next step toward their amazing futures.”
Male-Scholar Athlete of the Year: Blake Barclay
Blake Barclay, Gulf Breeze – The salutatorian of Gulf Breeze High School, Barclay earned the Cross Country Academic Award for his team’s best GPA for three consecutive years. During his senior year of tennis, he was successful as the singles and doubles district champion and named team MVP. He started a charity fundraiser that has raised $90,000 for the Ronald McDonald House and was awarded Youth Volunteer of the Year for the Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida. He plans on studying economics and religion at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Female-Scholar Athlete of the Year: Katie Morello
Katie Morello, Alonso (Tampa) – Katie is finishing at the top of her class with a 4.0 unweighted GPA. She will be attending the University of Florida in Gainesville to study nutritional sciences. She was captain of both her varsity volleyball team and flag football team, leading her flag football team to victory as 2A Florida High School Flag Football State Champions. She is a National Advanced Placement Scholar, the highest achievement a student can receive from their Advanced Placement exam scores. Drum major for her high school’s marching band, Katie was named to the Hillsborough County All-State Band two years in a row.
About the Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team
Twelve male and female student-athletes from across Florida were honored for their exemplary achievements at the banquet. The recognition of the Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team is part of the organization’s ongoing mission of building leaders through teamwork, sportsmanship and citizenship. These athletes exemplify all of the values the FHSAA upholds.
The group will be awarded a total of $50,000 in scholarships. Each of the 24 Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State Team members will receive a $1,700 scholarship from the FHSAA, with Barclay and Morello receiving an additional $4,600 for a total of a $6,300 scholarship.
To be eligible for selection to the Academic All-State Team, a student-athlete must be a graduating senior, have a cumulative unweighted GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have earned a varsity letter in at least two different sports during each of his or her junior and senior years. Members were selected based on academic record, athletic participation, non-athletic activities, community service and an essay. The members distinguished themselves from 146 qualified nominees attending 700-plus FHSAA member high schools.
The FHSAA is the governing body for high school athletics in Florida, but its mission goes far beyond athletics. To the FHSAA, a student-athlete is most importantly a student first. The Academic All-State Awards Banquet embodies the organization’s commitment to recognizing student-athletes who have shown outstanding dedication not only to athletic excellence but also to academic achievement and service to the community.
2018 Florida Dairy Farmers Female Academic All-State Team
Danielle Corbin, Episcopal (Jacksonville) – Danielle Corbin plans to continue her successful academic career at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana where she will be majoring in architecture. She is a four-year, two-sport athlete in which she has advanced to the state championships in tennis and cross country. Danielle has shown her leadership skills as captain of both her tennis and cross country teams. A member of the National Art Honor Society, Danielle has won her school’s Homecoming T-shirt Design Contest multiple times. She has proven to be dedicated to her community as she organized the first Catholic Charities Used Book Drive at her school.
Reedy Davenport, Bartram Trail (St. Johns) – Graduating Summa Cum Laude, Reedy will be continuing her studies at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers where she plans to study health science. As a member of the top 3% of her class, Reedy received the Star Award from Bartram Trail High School. As a four-year basketball and softball player, she has earned All-Conference team honors in both sports. For softball, Reedy was named the St. Augustine Record Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017. Outside of athletics, she was a member of the Athletic Leadership Council and the National Honor Society.
Anne Gracy, Marathon – Anne Gracy plans to attend The University of Florida in Gainesville where she will study political science. As a two-sport athlete, Anne received the Sportsmanship of the Year awards for both soccer and cross country. She is member of Marathon High School’s marching and symphonic bands where she plays the alto saxophone. Anne has received a superior rating at Solo and Ensemble every year since her sophomore year. Anne is a Great Educational Moment (GEM) award recipient for the coordination of a school and community-wide shoe drive that was successful in collecting 500 pairs of shoes and raising funds that were donated to the local animal shelter.
Caroline Hanson, Bozeman (Panama City) – Caroline Hanson will be graduating Bozeman High School as her class valedictorian. She will move on to attend Florida State University to study international affairs. Throughout high school, Caroline has played basketball, volleyball, track, and soccer while earning various awards throughout each sport such as Coach’s Award, All County Team Player, Best GPA and many others. She has showcased her leadership skills by serving as president of her school’s student government program and class president during her sophomore and junior years of high school.
Abygayle Rausch, Auburndale – Abygayle will continue her academics studying computer science and computer engineering at the prestigious United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. She received varsity letters in track & field, swimming, cross country, and weightlifting. Abygayle has qualified for the Florida High School Track and Field State Championships and AAU Junior Olympics for her success in discus. She’s the 2017-2018 ROTC Cadet Commanding Officer and has participated on the NJROTC Drill Team for three years. She has completed over 1,400 hours of community service through her volunteer efforts with Kids Quest, Teen Extreme and Sea Hounds.
Hannah Schneidewind, Niceville – While earning an unweighted 4.0 GPA, Hannah Schneidewind ranks second in her class of 499 students. Hannah will study mechanical engineering at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Hannah was a member of Niceville High School’s state champion cross country team and 4x800m relay team. She was recognized as a state winner for Wendy’s High School Heisman. She is a member of Humanities Club, Key Club, Outdoors Club and serves as editor of her yearbook.
Abigail Serda, South Florida HEAT – Abigail Serda, an Advanced Placement Scholar, plans to major in biomathematics and pre-medicine at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. She actively participates in Mu Alpha Theta and Mu Eta Sigma. Abigail’s high school athletic career has been a success as she made it to state finals in cross country and track & field, while also leading her teams as captain. She has earned over 300 hours of community service by working with Broward Health Medical Center, The Friendship Circle and Church by the Sea. Abigail has also served the student-athletes of Florida through her membership on the FHSAA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Anna Tovkach, Eastside (Gainesville) – Anna Tovkach is the top of her class of 297 students and earned a National Merit Scholar Finalist position. She will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York. She consistently qualified for states in track & field and cross country. As an ambassador of the International Baccalaureate Program, she served as a representative at local middle schools where she offered advice to students about high school. Anna has completed nearly 500 hours of community service by volunteering with Camp Crystal Lake, Florida Museum of Natural History, and Holy Faith Catholic Church.
Brooke Waters, Union County (Lake Butler) – Brooke will attend the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida to study nursing after finishing a successful high school career. There, she will study nursing. She is ranked third in her class out of 134 students. She was named to the 2017 First Team All-State Team for softball and 2017 Second Team All-State for volleyball. Brooke showed her leadership abilities by serving as class president for three years. She volunteers her time at local elementary schools and National Beta Club events.
Jamya Wiley, Lincoln Park (Fort Pierce) – In addition to a perfect 4.0 GPA, Jamya has made the Dean’s List every semester at Indian River State College and the Principal’s Honor Roll every quarter at Lincoln Park Academy. Throughout high school, she participated in cross country and track & field where she served as the team captain. With plans to be a biology major in college, Jamya is involved in the Medical Club which provides information and support to students who aspire to have careers in the medical field. She will attend Duke University in Durham, North Carolina in the fall on a pre-medicine track.
Erin Wright, Winter Park – An International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate and an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction, Erin Wright plans to study neuroscience and behavioral psychology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. She has served as the team captain for her water polo, weightlifting, and swim teams. She has represented her high school at the state leadership conference while being part of the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Program. She has earned over 500 hours of community service volunteering with South Street Mission, One Heart for Women and Children, Carolina Cross Connections and through service and leadership training programs.
2018 Florida Dairy Farmers Male Academic All-State Team
Ethan Fields, Oviedo – Ethan Fields ranks second in his class of over 600 students at Oviedo High School. Ethan earned varsity letters in cross country and track and field throughout his high school career. The team captain was a member of the 2017 4A Florida High School Cross State Championship team. Ethan plans to take his talents to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts where he plans to study government, politics and contemporary music while participating in the dual degree program at Berklee College of Music.
Jack Garcia, All Saints Academy (Winter Haven) – On the pre-medicine track, Jack Garcia will attend Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana this fall. He is an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction and a four-time winner at the Florida State Spanish Conference. Jack is a four-sport athlete having competed in basketball, lacrosse, football, and golf throughout high school. He has earned various awards across these sports, including MVP for football and basketball, in addition to many others. He is a member of Honor Council, Harvard Model Congress, National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. Jack gives back to his community through his volunteer efforts with Teen Court, VISTE, and Uth Mpact, where he served as treasurer for the past two years.
Alec Gordon, North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek) – Alec Gordon was accepted into the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He ran both cross country and track all four years of high school, earning the Ironman Award from North Broward Prep. He was a National Merit Commended Scholar and an AP Scholar with Honors. He represented his cross country and track & field teams through his position on the Student-Athlete Advisory Board. He has organized three extremely successful fundraisers totaling in over $75 thousand for St. Baldrick’s Foundation funding childhood cancer research.
Ty Hands, Palm Beach Lakes (West Palm Beach) – Ty Hands maintained position as the top ranked student of his class throughout all four years of high school. He has been in the Medical Academy for four years, interning with the Walgreens Pharmacy Program and will be attending Florida State University as a pre-medicine student. He will be a walk-on to the basketball team at Florida State. Ty has been a two-sport athlete throughout all four years of high school, achieving 1000+ points in basketball and breaking the high jump record in track & field at the Panther Relay Invitational. He showed his drive for education and experience by initiating a student athletic trainer position by assisting his school’s athletic trainer at games.
Matthew Kuczajda, Winter Park – Matthew Kuczajda will attend the United State Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado where he plans to study aerospace engineering. A member of the varsity cross country and track & field team, Matthew was named to the 2017 All-Metro Cross Country Team and placed fifth in the 4x800m relay at the 2017 Florida High School Track and Field State Championships. He also received the Scholar-Athlete Award from his school. In addition to his sports achievements, Matthew was in marching and concert band for all four years, recognized as All-County Trumpet and Most Outstanding Veteran Marcher, to name just a few of his awards. Matthew served his community as well and was recognized with the Boys State Outstanding Citizen Citation.
Alejandro Michel, Freedom (Tampa) – Alejandro Michel plans to attend Florida State University in Tallahassee to major in statistics and computer science. In addition to being named salutatorian of Freedom High School, Alejandro will also graduate from high school with his Associate’s Degree from Hillsborough Community College. Participating in varsity cross country and track & field for all four years, Alejandro has earned the Most Valuable Athlete Award twice and holds the school record for the 5K. A member of Mu Alpha Theta, Alejandro placed third in the Calculus division during the Math Bowl. Outside of school, he tutors student in math and volunteers at the Florida Hospital in Tampa.
Trey Schaneville, Viera (Melbourne) – Trey Schaneville received the Distinguished Panther Academic Award from his future college, Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, where he plans to study business and sports management. Throughout his four years, Trey has lettered in basketball and football, where he has been recognized for his talents through multiple awards, such as the Viera High School winner for Wendy’s National Heisman Award. Trey is also the all-time leading scorer in both basketball and football for his school. As one of only four select students, Trey represents his school at the Cape Coast Conference Leadership Council.
Daniel Sweeney, Maclay (Tallahassee) – An upcoming pre-medicine student at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Daniel Sweeney is a National Merit Scholarship Finalist and Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction. He has earned varsity letters in soccer, track, cross country, and football throughout his high school career. He has been a part of the FACA All-State Soccer Team, the FACA All-State Soccer Academic Team and earned the Coach’s Award in both soccer and cross country. He is a four year representative for student government and two year member of the FHSAA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Elijah Suh, Rocky Bayou Christian (Niceville) – With plans to attend Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts to study pre-medicine, Elijah carries an unweighted 4.0 GPA and is an National Merit Scholarship Finalist. He earned varsity letters in cross country, soccer, and track & field. While leading his teams as captain, Elijah won the 2017 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. His leadership abilities have been recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution who have granted him with the Leadership and Academic Excellence Scholarship.
Patrick Wendell, Fletcher (Neptune Beach) – This fall, Patrick Wendell will begin studying construction management at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Patrick is a three-sport athlete participating in soccer, football and lacrosse. He was named to the 2017 and 2018 All-Conference Soccer Team and played in the 2018 4A Florida High School Soccer State Championships. Throughout high school, he was involved in the AICE Club, National Honor Society, History Honor Society, and Interact Service Club. He has made an impact on his community by volunteering with BEAM and Stop Hunger Now.
Cavan Wilson, Coral Gables – Cavan will begin his college career at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida to study engineering after graduating with an unweighted GPA of 4.0. The 2017 Sunshine State Scholar has competed in cross country, swimming, and track and field all four years of high school. Cavan is a state medalist in cross country and track and currently holds school records for the 5k and 3200m race. He’s been involved with his school’s online publication, CavsConnect, since his freshmen year where he has served as the sports editor and co-editor-in-chief. He’s also involved in National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta.
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About Florida Dairy Farmers
Florida Dairy Farmers (FDF) is Florida’s milk promotion organization, representing more than 100 dairy farming families who work every day to provide a steady supply of wholesome milk. FDF’s sponsorship of the Academic All-State Team compliments the organization’s long history of supporting Florida’s student athletes. In its 25th year of sponsoring the Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program, FDF also honors the state’s top athletes and coaches in all FHSAA sanctioned sports.
About the FHSAA
The Florida High School Athletic Association supervises and regulates interscholastic athletic programs for high school students at member public, private and charter schools. The organization also recognizes and honors academic achievement among student-athletes at almost 800 middle, junior and senior high schools statewide. Headquartered in Gainesville, it is the official governing body for interscholastic athletics in Florida.
