STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association has identified 27 student-athletes to serve on the inaugural Student-Athlete Leadership Team in 2024-25.
The Board of Control authorized the executive staff to move forward with plans to establish the WIAA Student-Athlete Leadership Team in January, beginning with identification of 27 student-athletes across the state interested in serving on the leadership team that includes a number of officer positions.
The purpose of the Student Leadership Team is to serve as ambassadors for their peers and the WIAA while learning more about the sports industry. Their involvement will provide a student-athlete voice in the WIAA and will assist in supporting, educating and advancing the purpose of interscholastic athletics. The Leadership Team will engage in an advisory role without rule-making authority, but their input will be conveyed and have an impact at the various levels of the committee process.
Additional benefits include instilling leadership skills; compiling diverse ideas and perspective from different areas of the state; learning more about the many career opportunities in sports professions; getting a better understanding of how the WIAA functions; sharing the many positive, life-enriching experiences the association creates each season; and creating the interest and growth of student-athlete leadership groups at local schools.
Members of the Leadership Team submitted an application form and a short introductory video to express their interest in serving on the team. The WIAA received 289 applications.
The number of representatives from each district is determined by a percentage of member schools in each of the seven districts. The following are the names and school affiliations of the first Student-Athlete Leadership Team sorted by district.
WIAA 2024-25 Student-Athlete Leadership Team Introduction Video
Student-Athlete, Year, School
District 1
Sawyer Jones, Jr., New Auburn
Chloe Lee, Sr., Lake Holcombe
Nevaeh Nwachukwu, Jr., St. Croix Falls
District 2
Emma Bowden, Sr., Pittsville
Ginger Gerndt, Jr., Suring
Cody Vojta, Sr., Northland Pines
District 3
Tori Creighton, Jr., Alma
Elizabeth Curtis, Jr., Westby
Charles Strayer, Sr., Eau Claire Memorial
District 4
Campbell Booth, Sr., Plymouth
Julianne Bradford, Sr., De Pere
Emma Resop, Jr., Ripon
Cooper Smith, Jr., Marinette
Caeden Steuerwald, Sr., Oostburg
District 5
Owen Barnet, Jr., Edgewood
Blake Brancel, Jr., Portage
Mia Riley, Sr., Janesville Parker
District 6
Axell Allain, Sr., Columbus
Megan Doherty, Sr., Watertown
Kiernan Kawleski, Jr., Jefferson
Brett Kitzmiller, Sr., Elkhorn
District 7
Jackson Buckley, Sr., Milwaukee King
Hannah Christianson, Sr., Brookfield East
Jonathan Orth, Sr., The Prairie School
Trevor Polite, Sr., Homestead
Max Reeve, Jr., Shorewood
Daniella Riemer, Sr., Divine Savior Holy Angels
It is anticipated that student-athletes on the team will engage in four meetings per year, attend WIAA State Tournaments each season, plan and participate in the Fall Area Meetings for student-athletes, as well as organize and participate in an Annual Student-Athlete Leadership Conference that will merge with and envelop the Sportsmanship Summit beginning in 2025.
The Leadership Team’s orientation virtual meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 18.
The WIAA, as defined by its Constitution, is a voluntary, unincorporated, and nonprofit organization. The membership oversees interscholastic athletic programs for 515 senior high schools and 36 junior high/middle level schools in its membership.
# WIAA #