Athena Awards
Athena Award
Honoring Female Athletes for Outstanding Athletic Achievements
Athena, a goddess of Greek mythology, was chosen as our symbol to represent young woman athletes. The goddess of wisdom and skills, she was dauntless as she presided over the Parthenon. She was invisible, possessing gifts of dignity, power and youth. According to myth, Athena discovered the olive tree. Thus the olive wreath has been a symbol of athletics since the first Olympics in Greece.
Erin Becker
2018
Joli Daninger
2017
Taylor Hedin
2013
Breaking an indoor track record in the high jump in her first varsity meet was a precursor of things to come for the Andover senior, who also stood out as a defender on the soccer field.
Hedin earned seven varsity letters, four all-conference and is a three-time all-state soccer player to top her list of sports accomplishments.
She’s been one of the state’s most prolific attacking defenders in soccer, finishing third in the state in assists last season.
Hedin said her best sports experience stretched over a long period of time. She’s played with the same friends on the same soccer team since second grade.
She also is a four-time academic letter winner and is a member of the Spanish Club. Hedin plans to continue to play soccer at the College of St. Benedict as a biology major.
Kara Hofschild
2011
Hofschild earned nine Varsity Letters in three sports; soccer, basketball and track, and captained both her soccer and basketball teams her senior year.
In soccer, Hofschild was a four year Varsity Letter winner and three year All Conference award winner. She was also awarded Most Valuable Player Award.
In addition to being named captain her senior year for basketball, Hofschild earned three Varsity Letters, two All Conference Awards, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and two All Tournament Team selections at the annual Rogers Holiday Classic. She continues to play basketball at Northern State University in South Dakota and is majoring in Biology.
Hofschild is also a two year member of the National Honor Society and a four year Academic Letter Winner.