Nine area high school seniors from participating schools were named Minneapolis Athena Awards winners for the 2023-24 school year, including: Andover’s Morgan Miller, Anoka’s Kaelyn Nelson, Blaine’s Hannah Claussen, Columbia Heights’ Thanh Truc Mai, Coon Rapids’ Casey Beck, Fridley’s Sophia Jensen, St. Francis’ Josie Lupinek, Spring Lake Park’s Brianna Nusbaum, and Totino-Grace’s Caylin Cantwell.
The Athena Award is given to “one senior female athlete from each participating school who has distinguished herself in special individual athletic achievement or superior achievements in one or more sports.”
Recipients will be recognized at a banquet May 3.
Andover’s Morgan Miller
Athletic awards: Volleyball: three letters, three conference awards. Basketball: four letters, two-time captain, three conference awards, one state award.
Athletic/school highlights: 10 school records for Andover girls basketball; won Section 7AAAA championship and got to go to state; nominated for McDonald’s All-American for basketball.
Unique facts/favorite memory: My superstition for every sports game is I have to get Starbucks for every game; I didn’t start playing volleyball until high school; and one of my favorite sports memories is playing for the MN Fury for AAU (spring basketball) and playing against top players in the country.
School/community: helping coaching with Andover Girls Basketball Youth Program.
Scholastic achievements: five-time Spotlight on Scholarship Award, and three-time Gold Academic Team.
Future: Basketball scholarship at Clemson University in South Carolina, majoring in Exercise Science.
Anoka’s Kaelyn Nelson
Athletic awards: Cross-country: six letters, three-time captain, five-time MVP, six conference awards and six section awards. Nordic skiing: six letters, two-time captain, three conference awards and one section award. Track and field: three letters, captain, three conference awards and one section award.
Athletic/school highlights: School record in cross-country 5K; conference champion in cross-country in 2021; and 11th place in Class AAA state 3,200.
Unique facts: Something unique about me is that I always wear the same hair ribbon and hair style every time I race.
School/community: National Honors Society; Premiere (select SSA choir group); 7th Avenue (select caroling choir group) and volunteering in community.
Scholastic achievements: National Honors Society member; three-time academic letterwinner; and ranked No. 2 out of 538 in class.
Future: I am attending Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D., where I will run cross-country and track, and major in Biology and/or exercise science.
Blaine’s Hannah Claussen
Athletic awards: Track and field: captain, team MVP, six conference awards, six section awards, three state awards. Soccer: team MVP, conference award, two section awards.
Athletic/school highlights: State first place 4x200 relay; state first place 4x400 relay; undefeated conference champs in 2022 soccer season.
Unique fact: Every time after I get done with my race on the track, I would wobble my way back to our camp and eat a Cutie orange. I did this after every single one of my races. Oranges became my best friend during the track season.
School/community: student council, sophomore/junior year; volunteering at Feed My Starving Children; and Elementary Carnival volunteering.
Future: Still undecided, but planning on committing to track and field, while majoring in fashion studies or communications.
Columbia Heights’ Thanh Truc Mai
Athletic awards: Lacrosse: three letters, three-time captain, two-time MVP, two conference awards. Tennis: two letters, captain.
Athletic/school highlights: (Lacrosse) MVP midfield, MVP defense, two-time Tri-Metro honorable mention. (Tennis) Hardest Worker Award.
Favorite memory: My favorite memory is the lacrosse trip to Duluth. It was super fun hanging out with my teammates. We went hiking and went to a trampoline park. I liked spending all that time with my teammates just hanging out.
School/community: Student Council; Pep Band; Technology Intern at Columbia Heights High School Technology Office; Volunteer at SACA Food Shelf & Thrift Store.
Scholastic achievements: National Honors Society; LEDA Cohort 19 Scholar.
Future: Majoring in Computer Science.
Coon Rapids’ Casey Beck
Athletic awards: Basketball: four letters, two-time captain. Lacrosse: letter. Tennis: two letters.
Athletic/school highlights: School record in rebounding in basketball; Rookie of the Year in basketball; Most Improved Award in lacrosse.
Favorite memory: My favorite sports memory was winning our first game my junior year after losing 34 games straight.
School/community: Link Crew, Involved with ASL, Volunteer for NHS.
Scholastic achievements: National Honors Society Letter Winner two times; Academic Letter four times; Spotlight on Scholarship for every sport all 4 years.
Future: Playing basketball at Saint Mary’s University and my major is undecided.
Fridley’s Sophia Jensen
Athletic awards: Soccer: six letters, two-time captain, four MVPs, four years All-Conference, one honorable mention. Basketball: three letters, two-time captain, two-time conference honorable mention. Football: letter, MVP, All-District Honorable Mention.
Athletic/school highlights: Six-year starter and letterwinner in soccer, as well as all-time appearance leader with 99 matches played. Two-time captain for soccer and basketball.
Favorite memory: My favorite memories of high school athletics are all of the team dinners we had for basketball and soccer.
School/community: Student Council; Coaching 4th Grade Basketball; Minnesota Honor Society; Link Crew.
Scholastic achievements: Minnesota Honor Society; All-Conference Academic; three Academic Letters; Full International Baccalaureate Candidate.
Future: Basketball at St. Olaf College, majoring in Biology.
St. Francis’ Josie Lupinek
Athletic awards: Tennis: four letters, two-time captain, MVP, five conference awards, section award. Basketball: three letters, captain, MVP, two conference awards.
Athletic/school highlights: Tennis Doubles Team of the Year (2022 and 2023); all-conference in basketball and tennis; all-time school record for three-pointers in a single season (2023-24) with 85 three-pointers; Girls Basketball Offensive Player of the Year (2023-24).
Favorite memory/unique fact: My favorite sports memory was winning Doubles Team of the Year back-to-back (2022 and 2023). One unique thing about me is that I am superstitious and the same person has to do my hair before each game.
School/community: National Honors Society; Yearbook Staff.
Scholastic achievements: National Honors Society; Academic All-State 2023, 2024; Academic All-Conference 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.
Future: Playing basketball at Hamline University and majoring in Business.
Spring Lake Park’s Brianna Nusbaum
Athletic awards: Volleyball: two letters, MVP, two conference awards. Basketball: four letters, captain, two conference awards. Softball: four letters, two-time captain, MVP, conference award.
Athletic/school highlights: School record for most steals in a single basketball game of 10 steals; second highest school record for most steals in a single season of 111 steals; getting all-conference in all three of my high school sports.
Unique facts: I went through a five-year period where I always wore a headband when playing my sports.
School/community: Helping at youth sport camps; helping at Learning Ventures, which is a kids program at Spring Lake Park elementary schools.
Scholastic achievements: National Honors Society; Academic All-State 2023 volleyball; two-time academic letterwinner.
Future: Going to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota to play basketball and softball and major in Biology/Pre-Medical Imaging.
Totino-Grace’s Caylin Cantwell
Athletic awards: Soccer: four letters, captain, MVP, three conference awards, three state awards. Golf (prior to 2024): three letters, two-time captain, three conference awards, three state awards. Club hockey, Minnesota IceCougars AAA U19 Tier 1: three years, senior year captain; play in-state and out-of-state teams, 55 games per season (Sept.-March).
Athletic/school highlights: 2023 Girls Soccer State All-Tournament Team; Qualifying for the golf state tournament every participating season (2021-2023); Saving four penalty kicks to win in a shootout to go to the section final against Hill-Murray (2021).
Unique facts: I have kept a record of every win, loss and tie in all three of my sports since eighth grade. I have also kept a record of every shot I faced (as a goalie) and who all scored during games/matches.
School/community: Campus Ministry (TG); SOAR Leadership Group (TG); Salem youth group service mission trips (Summers); Healing Haiti Advocate (2014-present).
Scholastic achievements: National Honors Society; Golf Academic All-State three times; Soccer Academic All-State four times; Kathleen Murphy Scholars Program.
Future: Attend St. Catherine University to play golf and major in exercise science/pre-PA with intentions of pursuing physician assistant school post graduate; Received the presidential academic scholarship from St. Kate’s.
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