For Annie Kunz and Spencer Wenck, it was about commitment, and if it meant less time hanging out with friends or wasting time, so be it.
Both seniors got what they wanted out of high school.
Kunz and Wenck were named student-athletes of the year by The Denver Post, The Denver Athletic Club and 9News on Thursday night.
Kunz, a three-sporter at Class 4A Wheat Ridge, competed in volleyball in the fall and is set to wrap up her dual spring career of soccer and track and field. She’ll compete in the latter two at Texas A&M and take with her a 3.89 grade-point average. Kunz has helped the two-time defending champion Farmers to Saturday’s soccer semifinals; she won the high jump and triple jump Thursday and will finish at Jefferson County Stadium today and Saturday.
She’s busy and loves it.
Said Kunz: “Academics have always been important to me and athletics are something I’ve done my whole life. Working hard has been worth it.”
A multiple All-American in soccer, Kunz also is a state champion and school record-holder in track (jumps, hurdles and relays).
Wenck, of 4A Palmer Ridge, won a cross country championship in the fall and is set to challenge in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters today and Saturday in Lakewood. He was first in his class of 238 (4.0 GPA) and will attend MIT.
“This goes hand in hand,” he said of balancing academics and athletics. “You just have to be dedicated. Sometimes you have to sacrifice things you don’t want to . . . but it’s very affective.”
The DAC will make donations to charity in the winners’ names in a program that began in 1996-97.
Conor Casey, who starred at South High School before landing with the Rapids — he’s the team’s all-time goal scorer — was The DAC’s Colorado athlete of the year.
Joe Sakic, the former Avalanche captain and two-time Stanley Cup winner, was honored for career achievement. Thompson Lane (Kidz athlete), Emily Kelly (youth female), Peter Dikeou (youth male), Robin Jackson (female), Henry Fischer (male), Maralyn Moore (master female), Brian Hart (master male) and Ellen Hart (legends inductee) rounded out the honors.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
