Albany High varsity teams earn scholar-athlete kudos

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 9, 2012) -- Four out of the five spring varsity teams at Albany High School have received scholar-athlete recognition from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association.

The award is given to teams with a composite grade-point average of 90 or higher. Boys' teams named are track and tennis. Girls' teams named are track and softball.

NYSPHSAA designates a predetermined number of athletes from each team who have their GPAs used to calculate the team average. The students whose averages are used to determine the team GPA will receive a lapel pin and certificate from the state.

A list of the teams follows, starting with the highest team average:

Boys' track -- GPA 95.228 (Jason Starr, coach)

Brendan Bequette

Lawan Cancer

Jacques Chaumont

Seamus Daniels

John Dimase

Matthew Gaffuri

Philo Germano

Aaron Gialanella

William Laccetti

Butoto Ndabarishe

Eric Ren

Isaac Young

Girls' track -- GPA 93.628 (Rickardo Smith, coach)

Anne Bell

Ryah Bernhardt

Elana Cohen

Mollie Kather

Arielle King

Hannah Moran

I'leika Murphy

Emily Patnaude

Alexa Pettit

Anna Stoneman

Grace Thomson

Uzoeshi Blessing

Girls' softball -- GPA 92.479 (Zach Tacelli, coach)

Emily Andrews

Mackenzie Honikel

Schuyler Honikel

Alexis Hughes

Jesse LeFrancois

Courtney Miller

Julie Miller

Michaela Pickett

Hannah Sheehan

Gina Torres

Micah Valentine

Boys' tennis -- GPA 92.364 (Marianne Leung, coach)

Hilly Adler

Michael Allinger

Zachary Benson

Andrew Clark

Jonathan Hillengas

Brendan Kelley

Gabriel Malerba

Imran Muthuvappa

Tyler Stempsey

The mission of the City School District of Albany is to educate and nurture all students to be responsible citizens, critical thinkers and lifelong learners to successfully compete in the global community by providing an academically rigorous and safe environment in partnership with parents, students and the community. The district serves about 8,700 students in 15 elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood schools, the district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students, including four themed academies at Albany High School.