Pioneers’ Whyte earns WPIAL’s James Collins Scholar-Athlete Award
West Greene’s Colin Whyte received a pleasant surprise on Wednesday when the WPIAL announced the recipients of the 35th annual James Collins Scholar-Athlete Award.
Twenty candidates (10 male, 10 female) were selected from a group of 151 nominees. Each winner was awarded a $1,000 scholarship, which the soon-to-be Kent State student was glad to receive.
“I was definitely surprised to hear I had been selected,” Whyte said. “Having won the scholarship will help with college.”
Whyte, who will wrestle for the Golden Flash while continuing his academic career, had to complete an application process for the scholarship.
“There was an application process, but our athletic director (Bill Simms) helped me with it,” Whyte said. “I had to complete an essay and list my accomplishments. Bill is a good AD and he has the best interests of the kids at West Greene.”
Whyte earned eight varsity letters between football and wrestling while competing for the Pioneers. He was a multi-year captain for the wrestling team and a senior captain in football.
Whyte was one of the top 285-pound wrestlers in the state, as he won two WPIAL Class 2A championships and finished his career as a two-time state medalist after placing fourth as a junior and third as a senior. The three-time state qualifier broke the school record for wins at West Greene with 164.
Whyte was no slouch in football, as he earned two All-State selections and set a school record for tackles in a single game with 24. He was honored as a recipient of the Jerome Bettis Leadership Award and a four-time All-Conference selection.
In addition to his athletic accolades, Whyte has academic success in sporting a 4.08 GPA. He is ranked first in his class of 46 students, and was recognized with the Challenge Program Academic Excellence and STEM awards. Whyte is a member of the National Honor Society, where he serves as vice president, and is the president of the Science Club.
Whyte is a member of the FFA. He earned his Keystone Degree and participated in the P-20 COALs Research Symposium. He is a volunteer coach for youth wrestling, Little League assistant and participant in the Adopt-A-Highway program. Whyte completed the AP Capstone program with top scores in AP Seminar and AP Research.
“I am glad to see all the hard work has paid off,” Whyte said. “I am just training to prepare for my college wrestling career. I am very excited to know that I will graduate soon, and I had great experiences in high school, but I am ready to go to college and my next chapter in life.”
California’s Morgan Ross and Southmoreland’s Megan Mehall also received scholarships. Ross, who sports 4.0 GPA, played volleyball and is finishing her senior year in track & field for the Lady Trojans. Mehall, who has a 4.38 GPA, is one of the top middle-distance runners in the WPIAL for the Lady Scotties. She also was captain of the soccer team at Southmoreland.
Mehall will attend West Virginia University and Ross has chosen Washington & Jefferson College.
The James Collins Scholar-Athlete Award has provided $779,000 to its recipients since 1992.