Lawrence Named National High School Scholar-Athlete

Nebraska freshman linebacker Blake Lawrence was selected as a National High School Scholar-Athlete by the National Football Foundation Monday for the outstanding athletic and academic achievements he displayed during high school. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lawrence is one of five current college freshmen selected in 2007, including Ryan Coffey (Louisville), Kellen Kiilsgaard (Stanford), Matthew Stotler (Columbia) and Barton Dear, who is not playing at the collegiate level.

 

First bestowed in 1991, the NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Award has become one of the most competitive and sought after high school honors in the country. Criteria for the award include but are not limited to academic achievement, athletic accolades and community involvement.

"With the National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards, the NFF annually strives to honor the absolute finest from the gridiron at the high school level," NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell said. "The accomplishments of this year's five nominees make us all proud, and their contributions both on and off the field set the standard for their peers to follow.”

 

Lawrence came to Nebraska after an award-winning prep career at ShawneeMissionWestHigh School in Shawnee Mission, Kan., where he was named the Gatorade Kansas High School Player of the Year. Lawrence was a dominant two-way player, starting at quarterback as a senior, while also continuing as a defensive stalwart, where he had 60 tackles, a pair of sacks and three interceptions. His performance led Shawnee Mission West to the state Class 6A title game, while individually he earned all-state and All-Metro honors from the Kansas City Star. 

 

Lawrence was also one of the top scholars at his school, maintaining better than a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average. He graduated in the top 10 percent of his class of more than 500 students and was a National Honor Society Member. He claimed a Kansas University State Scholar Award and was listed in Who's Who Among American High School Students. Lawrence is currently majoring in marketing and advertising at Nebraska.

Passionate about helping others, Lawrence found time to give back to his school and his community. He served on his school's Student Council Executive Board and was chairman of the local blood drive. Selected by his peers and administrators, he participated in the UniTown's Cultural Awareness and Diversity program and worked as a Leadership 20/20 Member and Peer Presenter. Lawrence also volunteered as a basketball coach and referee with Special Olympics and as an event assistant for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City.

Lawrence and the other four scholar-athletes will be honored during the NFF's Annual Awards Luncheon, presented by Sprinturf, on Tuesday, December 4, 2007, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.