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NILES — A trio of individuals from the Leader Publications coverage area have been named finalists for the 2023-24 Michigan High School Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Award it was announced Monday.

In Class A, Niles season Ethan Chambliss has been named a finalists, while in Class C, Buchanan senior Hannah Herman is a finalist. In Class D, Marcellus’ Nathan Mihills is also a finalist.

There were numerous finalists from throughout southwest Michigan, including from St. Joseph, Lakeshore, New Buffalo and Lawrence.

The Scholar-Athlete Award, now in its 35th year and sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance, will award 32 $2,000 scholarships to individuals from MHSAA member schools who have participated in at least one sport that the state sponsors a postseason tournament in.

In its 35 years, Farm Bureau has awarded 928 scholarships.

Each year, MHSAA member schools submit applications for the Scholar-Athlete Award. Each school may submit the maximum number of scholarships available in each class. This year, 27 of the 445 member schools submitted applications allowed.

Scholarships will be presented proportionately by school classification, with 12 scholarships to be awarded to Class A student-athletes, six female and six male; eight scholarships will be awarded to Class B student-athletes, four female and four male; six scholarships will be awarded to Class C student-athletes, three female and three male; and four scholarships will be awarded to Class D student-athletes, two female and two male. In addition, two scholarships will be awarded at-large to minority recipients, regardless of school size.

Applications continue to show that multi-sport athletes are still the norm. According to the MHSAA, the average sports participation for the applicants is 2.88. There are a total of 77 three-sport participants among the finalists.

To be eligible for the award, students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) and previously have won a varsity letter in at least one sport in which the MHSAA sponsors a postseason tournament. Students also were asked to respond to a series of short essay questions and submit two letters of recommendation and a 500-word essay on the importance of sportsmanship in educational athletics.

The applications were judged by a 65-member committee of school coaches, counselors, faculty members, administrators, and board members from MHSAA member schools. Selection of the 32 scholarship recipients will take place in early February. Class C and D scholarship recipients will be announced Feb. 6, Class B scholarship recipients will be announced Feb. 13, and Class A scholarship recipients will be announced Feb. 20. All announcements will be made on the MHSAA website.