Six chosen as finalists for LaRosa’s high school sports award | News

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - Six outstanding area female high school athletes have been named as finalists for Greater Cincinnati’s premier prep sports’ award for the 2010-2011 school year.

This year’s class marks the 25th Anniversary of the LaRosa’s High School MVP of the Year program. With this year’s Six Female and Six Male MVP candidates, LaRosa’s has honored 242 high school athletes over this 25-year period. There have been 51 Athletes awarded the “MVP of the Year” (26 Females, 25 Males).

Of the 51 MVPs honored, 17 have gone on to be inducted in to the LaRosa’s Hall of Fame (21 are still not eligible). Of the 242 athletes honored, 20 have gone on to play professionally, six have won Olympic medals and nine have won NCAA championships.

This year’s male and female winners of the LaRosa’s “High School MVP of the Year” Award will be announced at the annual Buddy LaRosa’s Sports Hall of Fame Banquet Sunday, June 26, in ceremonies at the CET studios in Cincinnati. Inaugurated in 1986, the LaRosa’s Male and Female MVPs of the Year awards are the oldest on-going awards given annually in Greater Cincinnati to honor outstanding high school athletic achievement. The athletes were nominated by area high schools, fans and coaches.

The six finalists for the LaRosa’s High School 2010-2011 Female MVP of the Year Award are:

Anna Carrington, Senior, Track, Campbell County High School
      10-time Kentucky state track championships; will run at Belmont University.

Erika Leonard, Senior, Softball, Mercy High School
      2-time WSA softball Sportswoman of the Year; will play at Florida State

Kori Moster, Senior, Volleyball, Ursuline Academy
      Volleyball All-American; will play at Michigan State

Lauren Tibbs, Senior, Basketball-Volleyball, Scott High School
     McDonald’s All-American basketball nominee; will play at Marquette University.

Ellen Williamson, Senior, Swimming, Notre Dame Academy
     8-time Kentucky state swimming champ; will swim at the University of Virginia.

Emily Wright, Senior, Golf, Mason High School
     History-making Ohio state golf champ; will play at Wake Forest University.

Here’s a closer look at each nominated athlete:

Anna Carrington
Campbell County High School

Campbell County’s talented running star Anna Carrigan earned 10 Kentucky state track championships with individual, relay and team titles, setting 6 school records along the way. She earned two of those state titles this year, in the 400 (for the third time in her career) and as a member of the state-winning 1,600 relay team (for the 4th time in her career). When, in her junior year, she led her team to the Kentucky Class 3A track over all team championship, it was the first team title in school history. Her junior year, Anna won state titles in the 400 run, 800 relay and 1,600 relay. She was named NKY Track Athlete of the Year (Enquirer) for the 2nd time, the NKAC Div. I Track Athlete of the Year and 1st team all-state for the third time. Anna also played 3 years of soccer and 1 year of swimming for the Camels. A super student (5.26 GPA), she is an academic all-state performer and is active in community service. Anna will run next year at Belmont University in Nashville.

Erika Leonard
Mercy High School

Setting numerous school softball records in her great prep career, Mercy’s star catcher Erika Leonard helped lead this year’s GGCL Scarlet champs to its best record ever (22-3) and a regional semifinal finish. Erika was a four-year varsity starter and a four-year first team all-conference and all-city performer. A 4-time GGCL Scarlet batting champ (including hitting a robust .559 this season), Erika twice was named the Women’s Sports Association’s Softball Sportswoman of the Year and her junior year was named Cincinnati Div. II Softball Player of the Year. She was also named 2nd team All-Ohio and recognized as an Ohio state scholar athlete. In 2008, Erika was selected to play in the Club USA Tournament in Hawaii and she finished 1st in the national high school Home Run Derby. In the summer, Erika plays for the Florida Gold Coast Hurricanes, one of the best programs in the country. A good student who gives much of her time to community service, Erika will play fast-pitch next season at Florida State University.

Kori Moster
Ursuline Academy

Ursuline volleyball star Kori Moster did not experience much losing in her great prep career. The libero helped lead her team to a three-year record of 84-2, winning the Ohio state championship her junior year. During one stretch, Kori and her Lions won 56 straight matches. Team captain Kori has been named as a high school volleyball All-American by four different organizations, and was selected to play in the AVCA/Under Armour All-American game held in Kansas City. This past season, Kori earned numerous honors, including being named 1st team all-Ohio, Cincinnati Div. I Player of the Year, SWO District Player of the Year, GGCL Player of the Year and Women’s Sports Association’s Volleyball Sportswoman of the Year. The holder of several school records, Kori will continue her stellar play next season at Michigan State University.

Lauren Tibbs
Scott High School

Scott High School’s Lauren Tibbs is a McDonalds basketball All-American nominee who holds 16 school basketball records, including career points scored (2,752), career rebounds (1,403) and career blocks (346). This past season, she once again led Northern Kentucky in scoring (23.8 ppg.) and rebounding (11.2 rpg.) and was named Northern Kentucky and Regional Player of the Year as well as 1st team all-state. She was also winner of Northern Kentucky’s prestigious Loyce Meadows Award, was named the Women’s Sports Association’s Basketball Sportswoman of the Year, and was invited to play in the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Game, the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star Game and the Midwest Regional All-Star game. Lauren is also an outstanding all-star volleyball player, named the 9th Region Player of the Year this past season. She holds the school record in blocks (327.) A member of Student Council and National Honor Society, Lauren will continue her basketball career at Marquette University.

Ellen Williamson
Notre Dame Academy

Notre Dame Academy’s swimming All-American Ellen Williamson is one of the top high school swimmers in the nation. Ellen won 8 Kentucky state swimming championships in her superb career. Four of the state titles came this past season when she won state swimming championships in the 100 butterfly, 200 Individual Medley, 200 medley relay, 400 freestyle relay – setting state record times in each event.  Overall, she set nine Kentucky state records in her career. A five-time Olympic Trials Qualifier, Ellen finished in the Top Eight in five different events at the USA Junior National championships in March. She is currently ranked No. 10 in the United States for the Class of 2011 by CollegeSwimming.com. Ellen has won numerous honors, including this year being named the state tournament MVP and 1st team all-state for the fourth time. She was also named Sportswoman of the Year by the area’s Women’s Sport Association, Region 4 Swimmer of the Year, and Conference Swimmer of the Year for the fourth time. In addition, Ellen is an academic All-American, member of National Honor Society and will swim next year at the University of Virginia.

Emily Wright
Mason High School

This senior golf All-American for Mason High School is part of Cincinnati golfing history on several fronts. Emily this past fall helped her Mason Comets’ team to a third straight Ohio state championship, a feat never before accomplished by a girls’ golf team in the state tournament. She was the tournament’s individualist medalist, becoming the first female golfer from Cincinnati to win medalist honors in the Ohio tournament’s 18-year history. Emily also made local golfing history in the summer of 2009 when, at age 16, she won the Cincinnati Metropolitan Women’s Amateur Championship, becoming the youngest champion in the tournament’s 95-year history. For her outstanding play, Emily has earned numerous honors, including for the second time being named the Women’s Sports Association’s Sportswoman Golfer of the Year. Three times Emily has been named Cincinnati Div. I Golfer of the Year and Southwest Ohio District Golfer of the Year. Twice she has been named 1st team all-state. A 4.0 student on the Dean’s List all four years of high school, Emily in the fall will play golf on full scholarship at Wake Forest University.

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