Michael Osborne was chosen as the 2023 MAC Player of The Year, as well as last year’s Ohio Division VI Offensive Player of The Year. (Press Pros File Photos)
In one of the most competitive fields of recent MAC scholar-athlete applicants for the annual Press Pros sponsors’ MAC scholar-athlete awards, Coldwater’s Madison Wendel and Versailles’ Michael Osborne have been selected as this year’s recipients of the Stan Wilker Memorial Scholarship award.
If he were here, Stan Wilker would be beaming over the competitive field of Midwest Athletic Conference scholar-athletes who submitted applications for the 2024 Sponsors Scholar Athletes Scholarship award from Press Pros.
Wilker was the former athletic director at Marion Local High School, long-time coach, and one of the architects of the conference’s impeccable reputation as one of Ohio’s premier collections of outstanding student-athletes. A former Press Pros associate, Wilker passed away prematurely in 2018.
Inaugurated in 2013, in 2024 more than 75 applications for the annual award were received, making the process of consideration longer than usual. But in the end, Versailles High School’s Michael Osborne was selected as the male recipient…and Coldwater’s Madison Wendel was chosen to represent the girls.
VPP proudly sponsors the MAC Conference on Press Pros Magazine.com.
Osborne is a three-sport athlete at Versailles, in football, wrestling, and baseball, but is notably recognized for his importance in football…a member of the Tigers’ 2021 Division V state champions, and a highly awarded member of the 2023 Versailles team that finished runner-up in the Division VI title game. One of the MAC’s most dynamic players as quarterback in 2023, Osborne became conspicuous for his leadership qualities and his toughness.
In the classroom he was no less conspicuous, graduating this spring with a 3.95 GPA, and has chosen his next educational step as a student this fall at the University of Cincinnati, where he’ll study health sciences preparatory for medical school.
He has been chosen as the caption of his football and wrestling teams, and class president.
As an insight to his competitive qualities, Osborne shared in his application essay: “The habit of winning is a goal in life. I want to win in my relationship with God. I want to win in my career field. And I want to win in the classroom. I want to win in everything that I do. I have lost in tons of things, but that is why I continue to keep trying.”
To illustrate the above, in 2023-’24 Osborne was chosen as the MAC Player of The Year in football, and as Ohio’s Division VI Offensive Player of The Year.
The female recipient in 2024 is Coldwater’s Madison Wendel, a three-sport participant in volleyball, basketball, and softball…but it’s softball where Wendel has become not only a MAC standout, but one of the top high school pitchers in Ohio.
Considered by many as the best arm in area softball, Madison Wendel will attend and play at Central Michigan University (another MAC school) next year.
Her statistical resume’ in softball is impressive, including…1,061 strikeouts in her four-years at Coldwater, something in the extreme minority among high school players. In addition, she has 47 career home runs! It has helped earn her opportunity at the next level where she’ll attend Central Michigan University next year.
Wendel graduates from Coldwater High School with a GPS of 4.26 and will pursue a degree in elementary education.
From her application essay: “When I was a freshman I made it a goal to be a role model for future generations at Coldwater. I wanted to be remembered as one who remembered little girls’ names, so that when I meet them at school or on the street I can say hello. When I was a little girl the high schoolers were my role model, and now the roles have been reversed.”
Recipients’ applications are ranked by panel of independent retired teachers and guidance counselors, based on grade point average, ACT/SAT score, athletic accomplishment, and personal essay. Michael Osborne and Madison Wendel will each receive the Stan Wilker Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $3,000 to help further their academic pursuits this fall. This year’s awards will mark $115,000 dollars awarded by Press Pros in the eleven-year history of our endowments, by far the biggest of any online media platform in Ohio. Press Pros sponsors MAC scholar-athlete awards are made possible by the following area companies and contributing sponsors:
Moeller Trucking (Maria Stein), Lefeld Welding Supply (Coldwater), Midmark Corporation (Versailles), Keyhole Pizza (Newport), McSobers (Coldwater) Leugers Insurance (Maria Stein), Kremer Roofing (Versailles), The Mr. Shoppe (Coldwater), 49 Degrees (Coldwater), the St. Henry Bank, Carriage Werkes (St. Henry), Huffer Chiropractic (Osgood), Phelan Insurance (Versailles), VPP Industries (Versailles), Kaup Pharmacy (Fort Recovery), H.A. Dorsten Construction (Minster), Minster Bank, Doc’s Detailing (Maria Stein), Westrich Furniture (Delphos), Minster Dental, Knapke Kitchens and Baths (Versailles), Wilson Sports Medicine (Sidney), Logan Services (Vandalia), Pla-Mor Lanes (Coldwater), People’s Bank (Coldwater), presenting sponsor, Securcom.com (Minster), and the Bill and Dorothy Davis Foundation (Columbus).
SecurCom proudly sponsors the Midwest Athletic Conference on Press Pros Magazine.com.