Buckhannon-Upshur High School’s McKinley Gaudet Named AARP WV/MetroNews Scholar Athlete of the Week

McKinley Gaudet of Buckhannon-Upshur High School has been selected as the AARP West Virginia/MetroNews Scholar Athlete of the Week for the week of September 18.

A junior, McKinley is a 3.93 g.p.a. AP Honors student. She serves as Junior Class Secretary, and is active in Student Council and Youth Leadership Association programs. She is the daughter of Brian and Christy Gaudet of Buckhannon.

A two-year letterwinner with Coach Jeremy Maxwell’s Lady Bucs basketball program, McKinley earned a starting role as a sophomore scoring 8.5 points per game, including a career high 22 point effort against Jefferson. She has been a member of back-to-back Regional Championship teams that have earned trips to the WVSSAC Girls State Basketball Tournament.

On the softball field for Coach Levi Bender, McKinley is a pitcher and middle infielder. Last season, she led the team in pitching victories and earned All Big Ten Conference honors. She is also a three-year starting midfielder and defender for Coach Jackie Zuliani’s Lady Bucs soccer program.

On a community level, McKinley is actively involved in volunteer and service activities in the Upshur County area. She serves as a volunteer with the award-winning summer learning program Energy Express. She has helped complete various service projects with the Hi-Y Youth Leadership group at her school, and serves as a coach and volunteer with the Upshur County youth basketball programs at Buckhannon’s Stockert Youth Center.

McKinley hopes to continue her athletic career on the collegiate level. She is interested attending law school following the completion of her undergraduate degree.

During the 2016 Fall Sports season, one high school student athlete will be selected each week as the AARP West Virginia Scholar Athlete of the Week and recognized on the popular West Virginia MetroNews High School GameNight program, which airs 9:30 p.m. – midnight each Friday night on nearly 40 radio stations across the Mountain State .

West Virginia student athletes in Grades 11 and 12 with a minimum 3.0 grade point average are eligible for the award. Nominees should excel in one or more athletic program, and be active within their community through service and community involvement. Nomination forms may be completed online at http://wvmetronews.com/scholar-athlete-of-the-week.

-----------------------------------------

AARP WV Media Contact: Tom Hunter, 304.340.4605,  tphunter@aarp.org