Senior Named Recipient of the WPIAL James Collins Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Award
Senior Zoe Luther was one of 20 scholar-athletes who received a James Collins Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Award from the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL).
Sewickley Academy’s Athletic Director Win Palmer nominated Zoe. “Zoe has been an inspiration in the classrooms, hallways, and sports teams. When faced with a major challenge at the beginning of her senior year – the merger of the girls and boys varsity golf teams – through Zoe’s amazing leadership, competitive golf play, and willingness to adopt new strategies to help our golf team learn to become “one,” this became a team that symbolized the new culture and habits that are possible in 2020. Capturing a State Championship by one stroke is an achievement that attests to the dynamic spirit of our WPIAL Scholar-Athlete,” Mr. Palmer said.
Zoe was aware that Coach Palmer nominated her for this award several months ago and completed the application process at that time. He was the one who notified her that she was one of this year’s award recipients. “I am grateful that Sewickley Academy provides a culture in which excelling in both athletics and academics is normalized and encouraged. I know that Western Pennsylvania has such a competitive field of athletes and students, so it is wonderful to see that scholar-athletes are recognized in our area for their efforts on and off the fields,” Zoe said.
As a senior, Zoe reflected on her time at the Academy. “My athletic career at Sewickley was certainly filled with uncertainty (from multiple coaching staff changes to merging programs to a canceled season), so this award is the perfect closure to my time in the athletic department. I am humbled by the honor, and I offer my sincere congratulations to all of the other recipients this year!”
The award, given out annually to 20 scholar-athletes who are nominated by their school administrators, was announced via a video conference call the WPIAL Associate Executive Director Amy Scheuneman and Board President Scott Seltzer had with local athletic directors and principals on Wednesday, April 15. Awardees will each receive a $1,000 scholarship.
Zoe will be attending Vanderbilt University in the fall, where she plans to play golf on the club team.
Congratulations, Zoe! Go Panthers!
