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High School Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award
This annual award is intended to provide recognition to a graduating high school senior football player who exemplifies excellence as a student, an athlete and a citizen. Scholarship money from the National Football Foundation is provided to the winner as long as he is not receiving full athletic aid to attend the college of his choice. He is not required to continue his career as a football player.
Selection process: Nominations are accepted in early winter from high school coaches and/or administrators in the counties covered by this NFF chapter. Nominations are evaluated by the Scholar-Athlete Committee, which recommends at least one recipient per year. This recommendation must be ratified by the Board of Directors and the presentation should be made at the annual Honors Dinner. Other nominees will also be recognized at the Honors Dinner.
2005 Honoree: William Bowman of Lafayette Jefferson High School
2006 Honoree: Brett Courtney of West Lafayette Harrison High School
2007 Honoree: James Wodicka of West Lafayette High School
2008 Honoree: Griffin Richeson of Lafayette Central Catholic High School
2009 Honoree: *Matt Lancaster of West Lafayette High School
2010 Honoree: *Daniel Wodicka of West Lafayette High School
2011 Honoree: Alex Hegg of Seeger Memorial High School
2012 Honoree: Dayton Snyder of West Lafayette High School
2013 Honoree: #Ryan Spesard of Carroll High School
2014 Honoree: Andrew Ralph of Chesterton High School
2015 Honoree: Josh Brune of Bellmont High School
2016 Honoree: Cody Colbert of Tri-Central High School
2017 Honoree: Jack DeGroot of Winamac High School
2018 Honoree: August Schott of West Lafayette High School
2019 Honoree: Jack Kiser of Pioneer High School
2020 Honoree: # Ayden Ayres of Carroll High School
2021 Honoree: Owen Smith of Clinton Central High School
2022 Honoree: Brady Preston of Lafayette Jeff High School
2023 Honoree: Kyle Turanchick of Oak Hill High School
* Midwest Region S-A of Year; # State of Indiana S-A of Year
Kyle Turanchick of Oak Hill High School was awarded the NFF 2023 Scholar-Athlete of the Year by Matt Lancaster (left) at the National Football Foundation’s Joe Tiller Chapter Honors Brunch, Sunday, Jun. 25, 2023 in West Lafayette.
Brady Preston of Lafayette Jeff High School was named the 2022 NFF Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Jack Kiser earned NFF Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for the Joe Tiller Chapter and state of Indiana in 2019. He led Pioneer to state titles in 2017 and 2018, and became the first Class A player to win the Indiana Mr. Football Award.
August Schott, a three-sport star and class valedictorian at West Lafayette High School, was named the NFF Scholar-Athlete Athlete of the year for the Joe Tiller Chapter and state of Indiana in 2018. He also was named the Journal & Courier Student-Athlete
Jack DeGroot of Winamac High School was named the Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2017. DeGroot was named Team MVP in football, basketball and baseball, received all As throughout high school and was involved in numerous clubs and community activities
Cody Colbert from Tri-Central High School was the 2016 Scholar-Athlete of the Year recipient. Colbert graduated third in his class with a weighted GPA of 4.16 and set a school record for career rushing yards (3,916).
Andrew Ralph of Chesterton High School answers a question from emcee Nate Barrett after being named the 2014 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
West Lafayette High School graduate Dayton Snyder became the third Red Devil to win the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
