PrepZone: 2019 Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete finalists announced

Naples

The names of 13 finalists for the 30th annual Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Award were released Tuesday night.

The winner will be announced at the banquet on Thursday, May 23, at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort. The banquet begins at 7 p.m. A cocktail reception precedes the banquet.

Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. will be the keynote speaker. He follows two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange, a part-time Naples resident.

Gulf Coast's Paula Gomes won last year's Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete award. Tuesday, the 13 finalists for 2019 were announced, with the winner being revealed during a banquet at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort on Thursday, May 23. The Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Foundation will give $5,000 to each of its finalists. The winner receives a $10,000 scholarship.

More:Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. to speak at Winged Foot banquet in Naples

More:Gulf Coast's Paula Gomes wins 2018 Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Award

The Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Foundation will give $5,000 to each of its finalists. The winner receives a $10,000 scholarship — $2,500 a year for four years; the other finalists receive one-time stipends.

Graduating seniors from Collier County high schools were eligible for the award, which was created in 1990 by the Collier Athletic Club.

This year's Winged Foot finalists, in alphabetical order, are:

Anthony Alvarez, Lely

Mia Gallegos, Immokalee

Teagan Havemeier, Marco Island Academy

Jensen Jones, St. John Neumann

Tobey McDonough, Gulf Coast

Logan Nikolich, Seacrest Country Day

Mo Palmer, Palmetto Ridge

Gerald Roger, Golden Gate

Jayden Rolle, Barron Collier

Jett Su, Naples

Natalie Thompson, Everglades City

Nicholas Tompkins, First Baptist Academy

Parker Weiss, Community School of Naples

Each candidate was required to complete an extensive application process in order to be considered by their respective schools. Each school then determined its representative.

On Tuesday, the Winged Foot Selection Committee met and conducted informal interviews with each candidate. The committee then made its final decision, which will not be announced until the banquet.

Paula Gomes of Gulf Coast was the 2018 recipient.

Ticket prices are $275 for individual tickets, $2,000 for table sponsorships (seating for eight), and $3,600 for school sponsorship (seating for eight for school's use, and eight for students).

Major sponsors of the banquet include Barron Collier Jr. Foundation Inc., Iberiabank, Grant Fridkin Pearson, PA, Dr. Charles Karpas, Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, The Lutgert Companies and Gallagher Lutgert Insurance.

For additional information regarding banquet reservations or sponsorships, contact Brooke A. Hornbeck at 239-280-3270 or send an email to Brooke_Hornbeck@ajg.com.

Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Award banquet

When: Thursday, May 23

Where: Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort

Info: brooke_hornbeck@ajg.com