"From a pool of more than 724 nominated seniors across 379 Wisconsin high schools, just 32 have earned the distinction of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (WIAA) Scholar Athlete Finalist for 2026," according to the WIAA.
Sixteen senior boys and sixteen senior girls compose the 32 athletes selected for 2026, and three of those athletes are from Price County. To have one student from any town is a great feat, but two have two students from Phillips, and three total from Price County, is remarkable.
The WIAA determines the top 32 finalists based on athletic and academic achievement from each of four WIAA divisions.
“On behalf of the WIAA and our membership, it’s an honor to recognize these scholar athletes for the discipline, integrity, and commitment they’ve shown in both the classroom and competition,” said Jake Beschta, Assistant Director of the WIAA. "Their achievements reflect not only personal excellence, but also the support of their families, coaches, and schools. We are proud to celebrate students who truly embody the balance of academics and athletics, and we look forward to the positive impact they will continue to make in their communities and beyond.”
Representing Phillips in Division 3 are Leah Harper and Gavin Esterholm from Phillips High School.
Leah Harper holds a 3.9 GPA and is a 10-time letterwinner. According to the WIAA, "She received Marawood Conference first team all-conference honors three times in cross country and is a three-time team sectional cross country champion. She has lettered three times in track & field and earned all-league honors twice and MVP accolades her junior year. Harper earned a state track & field championship in the 1,600-meter relay her freshman year. In addition, she lettered three years in basketball and was a member of two conference championship squads." Leah shared, “I have learned that the key to success is balance. If I don’t find the perfect balance I either get burnt out or I fall behind. Learning to balance academics, sports, extracurricular activities and more has allowed me to become a better athlete, student, teammate, and leader. I will be able to apply each of these roles later in life and will become a better person because of them.” Leah will continue her education at UW-Stevens Point while participating in cross country and track & field.
Gavin Esterholm holds a 4.0 GPA. He is the student liaison at the school and contributes to My Price County. According to the WIAA, "he has lettered four times in cross country and three times in track. He is a four-time All-Marawood Conference first team performer in cross country and a three-time conference runner of the year. The Logger is a two-time cross country sectional champion and a four-time State cross country participant. As a senior, he placed third at the State cross country championships. He also earned all-conference honors in track & field his sophomore and junior seasons." Gavin shared, "One lesson that will stay with me is the importance of building meaningful relationships with those around you. Whether teammates or competitors, I have been able to connect with amazing people who continue to contribute significantly to my life and motivate me to keep pushing beyond my limits.” Gavin will continue his education by studying psychology at UW-Stevens Point. (The article continues after the ad; keep reading.)
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Representing Prentice in Division 4 is Heston Hueckman from Prentice High School.
According to the WIAA, "Heston ranked first in his class academically with a 4.0 GPA, and he is a nine-time letter winner. Hueckman is a three-time baseball team MVP and two-time first team all-conference selection in the sport. He helped the Buccaneers' cross country team earn back-to-back trips to State as a junior and senior and a basketball conference and sectional championship his senior season." Heston shared, “To be able to stick to something and to work hard at it until it is achieved is something that I think is sort of rare in this world. I believe that it is an extremely important skill to have, and, while I am far from perfect, I think that learning how to do this will be very helpful in the future.” Heston will study mechanical engineering at a yet to be determined educational facility.
The finalists will be recognized at an awards ceremony on Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Stevens Point. A live stream of the awards program will be available on the websites of the State Television Network stations, including WXOW-TV, WQOW-TV, WAOW-TV, WKOW-TV, WVTV and WCWF at 1:00 p.m. on May 3. A delayed telecast of the ceremony will be aired on a future date.