Lowry High School's Beau Billingsley has been named one of the 2015 NIAA Top 10 Student/Athletes of the Year for northern Nevada.
The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is the governing body of high school athletics in the Silver State and the award is given in partnership with the Southern Nevada Toyota Dealers, Lifetouch Photography, Las Vegas Review-Journal and Reno Gazette-Journal.
Billingsley earned nine varsity letters in three Division I-A sports in football, wrestling and track and field. He became the third wrestler in Lowry High School in history to win four individual championships. Billingsley was also part of the Buckaroos' football team that advanced to the Division I-A state semifinals in 2012 and 2013. He earned academic all-state honors on three different occasions.
Billingsley finished 14th out of 205 in his class. He will attend the Air Force Academy and continue his wrestling career.
Other winners in northern Nevada included Kai Benedict of McQueen, Jack Clouthier (Incline), Stephen Osborne (Bishop Manogue), Corey Reid (Carson), Kelsey Beattie (Wooster), Abigail Bolt (Galena), Tara Gallant (North Tahoe), Baleigh McCuskey (North Valleys) and Ali Tedford (Churchill County).
The Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year award is given to not just the top high school athletes in the Silver State but rather to those student-athletes who exemplify total school and community involvement. Special consideration in the selection process was afforded to student-athletes who participated in multiple sports, other school groups and/or student government activities, and community service projects while maintaining a high academic status within their school.
"This is an outstanding event which recognizes student-athletes who exemplify what high school activities and athletics are all about," said Donnie Nelson, assistant director for the NIAA. "While the requirements sound restrictive, we know these student-athletes exist as evident by the group of individuals we have with us tonight. It is our goal through the Top Ten program to find and honor these superb individuals."
Each school is requested to submit applications for male and female student-athletes. All candidates must be seniors.
The general categories include scholastic achievement (class rank, grade point averages, number of semesters on the honor roll, number of honors/AP classes taken, and ACT and SAT scores), overall sports participation (number of varsity sports, number of varsity letters, and individual and team athletic achievements), other contributions (school and church activities, and community service accomplishments), an essay and letters of recommendation.
The Top Ten Student-Athletes of the Year in both northern Nevada and southern Nevada, as selected by a panel of judges, are then honored with a formal dinner banquet.
Winners receive commemorative awards from the NIAA and its sponsors. The awards include a $500 scholarship courtesy of the Southern Nevada Toyota Dealers, a souvenir portrait and dinner for eight courtesy of Lifetouch Photography, a Top 10 souvenir newspaper edition courtesy of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Reno Gazette-Journal, and a NIAA Courtesy Card.
The northern Nevada banquet is scheduled to be held April 29, at 6 p.m., at the Peppermill Resort in Reno.
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