News Release – Ohio High School Athletic Association
Executive Director Doug Ute
For Immediate Release – September 3, 2026
OHSAA Awards $198,000 in Scholarships, Sends More Than $1M to Schools
District Athletic Boards select Scholar-Athlete scholarship recipients; OHSAA sends $1,250 to each high school
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association and its six District Athletic Boards have awarded $198,000 to recent high school graduates as part of the OHSAA’s Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Program.
In addition, the OHSAA has sent $1,250 to each member high school, a grand total of $1,020,000, to assist with items needed by each school’s athletic department. The money comes from the OHSAA’s Athletic Enrichment Fund, which was established in 2023 for the purpose of providing a financial contribution to each member high school’s athletic department to assist with costs of equipment, uniforms, game transportation, officials and improving student sportsmanship and adult fan behavior.
This past summer, a total of 198 graduating seniors were selected by their respective District Athletic Boards to receive a $1,000 award. Over the past three years, the OHSAA has distributed $598,000 to graduating seniors through its college scholarship program. The $200,000 awarded in both 2024 and 2025 marked the highest totals in the 32-year history of the program.
“These scholar-athletes represent the very best of education-based athletics,” said OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute. “Our District Athletic Boards, Board of Directors and OHSAA staff collectively share a great deal of pride in the college scholarship program. We congratulate each of the recipients on all their accomplishments and wish them well as they work toward their educational and career goals.”
Scholar-Athlete Selection Process
Scholar-athlete recipients are selected based on a point system which rewards students for: grade-point averages, class rank, community service activities, varsity letters earned, and individual and team athletic honors. The number of scholarship recipients from each district is based upon the number of schools within the district. The recipients were selected by special committees within each of the OHSAA’s six athletic districts. Individuals who receive athletic scholarships from NCAA Division I or II institutions or appointees to military academies are not eligible for an award.
2026 OHSAA Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Recipients
Central District (28)
Brian Ankamah, Gahanna Columbus Academy
Mary Aurigemma, Marion Pleasant
Kinsley Berger, Amanda-Clearcreek
Ellie Buterbaugh, Worthington Kilbourne
Paige Chen, Lewis Center Olentangy
Ben Davis, Worthington Kilbourne
Wyatt Denney, Cardington-Lincoln
Zakariya Djafi, Wellington School
Victoria Dizon, Columbus School for Girls
Landon Doan, Sunbury Big Walnut
Dominic Dunkle, GahannaColumbus Academy
Sam Gabrielli, Columbus St. Francis DeSales
John Hangen, Columbus Bishop Watterson
Shion Jamshidimehr, Worthington Kilbourne
Lucas King, Columbus Hamilton Township
Antonio Kish, Powell Olentangy Liberty
Kaleigh Lockard, Delaware Olentangy Berlin
Lyla Magnussen, Dublin Scioto
Bodie Martin, Amanda-Clearcreek
Alexa Morris, Sunbury Big Walnut
Caroline Morris, Gahanna Columbus Academy
Mmesoma Nwoke, Gahanna Columbus Academy
Elle O'Brien, Powell Olentangy Liberty
Carson Proper, Danville
Meredith Pyle, Newark
Eli Snyder, Caledonia River Valley
Oliviah Wilkerson, Worthington Kilbourne
Alexis Wooten, Columbus Hamilton Township
East District (17)
Katherine Kaster, Millersburg West Holmes
Dillon King, Sugarcreek Garaway
Bailee Beall, Steubenville
Alanna Williams, Martins Ferry
Jakhi Lucious-Muntz, Steubenville
Owen Ball, Malvern
Ethan Stritz, Sarahsville Shenandoah
Alyssa Crum, Sarahsville Shenandoah
Mary Rohde, Steubenville Catholic Central
Kyle Porter, Zanesville West Muskingum
Sam McLean, St. Clairsville
Debra Allen, Zanesville West Muskingum
Lakyn Call, Martins Ferry
Owen Edwards, New Concord John Glenn
Garrett Carpenter, Cambridge
Isabella Nuzzolillo, Carrollton
Olivia McKeever, St. Clairsville
Northeast District (53)
Hadell Abuqbitta, Parma Valley Forge
Andrew Badertscher, Kidron Central Christian
Blake Baskin, Gates Mills Gilmour Academy
Blasey Biser, Columbiana Crestview
Brooke Bowlby, Rittman
Mia Carney, Rocky River
Kayla Cellura, Twinsburg
Ryan Czenszak, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit
Bayler Devins, Berea-Midpark
Leah DiFranco, Grafton Midview
Taylor Dye, Twinsburg
Diangelo Fisk, Alliance
Cameron Gerlica, Chardon
Andrew Gillie, Mineral Ridge
Abby Henderson, Hudson
Nathan Henderson, Hudson
Graden Kucharson, Chagrin Falls Kenston
Ben Lebay, Peninsula Woodridge
Corbin Lehman, Dalton
Phoebe Lehman, Dalton
Lillian Lyons, Canal Fulton Northwest
Caleb Mackay, Hubbard
Tyler McWilliams, Kinsman Badger
Allyson Morgan, Jeromesville Hillsdale
Kene Obi, Gates Mills Hawken
Hannah Pace, Canton GlenOak
Lucianna Paolillo, Ashtabula Edgewood
Warner Parks, Massillon Jackson
Jessica Pendleton, Avon
Cassidy Perry, New Franklin Manchester
Owen Pesek, Mentor Lake Catholic
Eugene Phillips, Warren John F. Kennedy
Tristan Roach, Stow Munroe Falls
Gabby Rodriguez, Elyria Catholic
Austin Rowe, Leavittsburg LaBrae
Karlie Sampson, Salem
Avery Schriner, Bay Village Bay
Keira Schulz, Mentor Lake Catholic
Saumya Sheth, Warren John F. Kennedy
Cierra Shiley, McDonald
Jacey Simms, Solon
Luke Snyder, Rittman
Saralyn Stjernholm, Kidron Central Christian
Daniel Tiller, Burton Berkshire
Raegan Timmons, Chagrin Falls Kenston
Jesse Trevathan, Jeromesville Hillsdale
Lucas Vucetic, Chardon
Kalyssa Werner, Cortland Lakeview
Madeline Kate Wolf, Creston Norwayne
Addison Wolford, Loudonville
Serena Wu, Solon
Drew Zajack, McDonald
Lauren Ziemianski, Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit
Northwest District (40)
Josey Arnold, Bryan
Reese Bedingfield, Willard
Traden Booker, Toledo Rogers
Kamryn Bowman, Van Buren
John Bremyer, Tiffin Columbian
Aubrey Burkholder, Bluffton
Ayden Cavinee, Arlington
Jack Colatruglio, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon
Rachel Fries, Monroeville
Annie Hemmelgarn, Minster
Reid Irwin, Findlay Liberty-Benton
Logan Kerner, Kalida
Keira Knapke, Coldwater
Zachary Lammers, Leipsic
Camryn Lantz, Attica Seneca East
Grant Leopold, Ottawa-Glandorf
Jack Leppelmeier, Pettisville
Mason Ludwig, Wapakoneta
Claire McDaniel, Findlay Liberty-Benton
Kellen McDonnell, Milan
Bella McGuire, Wauseon
Natalie Mitchel, Sandusky Perkins
Brady Mitchey, Toledo St. Francis de Sales
MaKenna Nelson, Pemberville Eastwood
Edward Obringer, Coldwater
Nicholas Parks, Attica Seneca East
Caleb Pausch, Collins Western Reserve
Naomi Richer, Pettisville
Logan Ritzler, Tiffin Calvert
Brynn Rodriguez, West Unity Hilltop
Gracin Romero, McComb
Joseph Schaeffer, Huron
Claire Schoenberger, Tiffin Calvert
Grady Schroeder, McComb
Makenzie Shock, Continental
Wyatt Siefke, Port Clinton
Carter Stuckey, Wauseon
Bradey Triplett, St. Marys
Dylan Walerius, Sylvania Southview
Talon Walton, Sandusky Perkins
Southeast District (18)
Chloe Dick, New Lexington
Hunter Barnard, South Webster
Eliza Beck-Aden, The Plains Athens
Andre Chandler, Racine Southern
Beau Hesler, Seaman North Adams
Elijah Brown, Wheelersburg
Ella Chapman, The Plains Athens
Ryan Seimetz, Jackson
Beckett Camden, Gallipolis Gallia Academy
Aidyn Danison, Chillicothe Unioto
Madison Blakeman, Circleville
Ethan Edwards, Reedsville Eastern High School
Annamarie Montle, Stewart Federal Hocking
Sydney Carpenter, Jackson
Kiersten Rose, Racine Southern
Rilee Quickle, Leesburg Fairfield
Vivian Grimes, Winchester Eastern
Noah Leachman, Racine Southern
Southwest District (42)
Brody Adams, Springfield Catholic Central
Kaylee Billet, South Charleston Southeastern
Blake Bixler, Anna
Marcus Briscoe, Versailles
Ava Butcher, Jackson Center
Savannah Clawson, Tipp City Tippecanoe
Drew Duvall, Beavercreek
Kaeleigh Flora, Bellefontaine
Amanda Gehring, Cincinnati Oak Hills
Kylie Gentis, Casstown Miami East
Callie Goubeaux, Russia
Kiera Gregory, Williamsburg
Cassie Heath, Sidney Fairlawn
Quinn Heis, Cincinnati Mariemont
Madison Heitkamp, Fort Recovery
Ava Heitmeyer, Monroe
Carson Heuker, Botkins
Braydon Isaacs, Franklin
Dakohta Kenworthy, Covington
Khalia Lawrence, Casstown Miami East
Cameron Lindsey, Dayton Oakwood
Andrew Lott, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Brevin Louden, West Liberty-Salem
Meghan McClellan, Milford
Riley Meador, Dayton Oakwood
Isabella Meyer, Fort Loramie
Sophia Molina, Cincinnati Ursuline Academy
Sallie Montgomery, Camden Preble Shawnee
Carter Moss, Bethel-Tate
Kosisochukwu Odumodu, Trotwood-Madison
Trent Owens, Hamilton Badin
Vanca Pandey, Cincinnati Country Day
Evan Pentecost, Brookville
Lauren Prenger, Versailles
Ava Reed, Anna
Lucas Rocha, Waynesville
Summer Rohlfs, Loveland
Brady Schmidt, Clermont Northeastern
Chet Snyder, Troy
Rachel Walker, Cincinnati Deer Park
Kennedi Washington, Dayton Miami Valley School
Noah Zeman, Troy Christian
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