Two Manteca-area seniors are among the 48 student-athletes to earn a piece of the $30,000 worth of scholarships from the Sac-Joaquin Section.
Sierra High distance runner Candice Lao and Ripon Christian basketball/baseball standout Daniel Hannink will be awarded $500 apiece. The A. Dale Lacky/CSEA Scholarship recognizes the top male and female student-athletes in the section.
The Clarke Coover Scholarship Award, the biggest prize worth $1,500 for each of the winners, goes to Christine Wiley (El Camino) and Jarrod Willis (Hilmar). In addition, four male and four female student-athletes each earn $1,000 scholarships, with Central Catholic quarterback Hunter Petlansky being among them.
All scholarship winners will be honored at the SJS Breakfast Awards Ceremony next Tuesday at Hutchins Street Square in Lodi. The program starts at 9 a.m.
Lao is a fourth-year track athlete for Sierra and ran cross country for three. This past fall, she was named the cross country team’s MVP after leading the Timberwolves to an outright Valley Oak League championship.
Lao’s busy schedule includes time with the marching, concern, symphonic and county honor bands. She’s also involved with the Interact Club, Relay for Life and Link Crew and serves as a volunteer for the Habitat for Humanity and St. Anthony’s Harvest Festivals.
Lao boasts the highest GPA of 4.21 in her class of 301 students. While undecided on college, she will pursue a career as a medical doctor.
Hannink helped Ripon Christian’s boys basketball team capture two straight Trans-Valley League titles and made the all-league team his senior year after averaging 9.2 points per game. He’s currently on the school’s Southern League-contending baseball team and previously played soccer for one year.
Hannink is a member of the Robotics Club, Hot Shots Club and Calvinist Cadet Corp and won the Cadet Green Star and Black Star. In 2014 he participated in the Young Eagles Aerospace Summer Camp. Hannink also volunteers at the Redwood Center in Modesto and Love Modesto.
Hannink has a 4.25 GPA and plans on majoring in mechanical engineering.