Washington University in St. Louis freshman wide receiver Zach Strittmatter is among five winners of the 2013 National Football Foundation (NFF) National High School Scholar-Athlete Award, the NFF and College Hall of Fame recently announced.
Strittmatter, the Chicago Metro Chapter honoree from the Midwest region, joins the University of Maryland’s Adam Greene, Nick Peabody of Princeton University, Brown University’s John Pena and Weston Steelhammer of the U.S. Air Force Academy as one of five winners. All five are playing college football and are being recognized for their accomplishments in high school.
“I was very surprised to hear that I received the award. It means a lot to me to be chosen out of 3,500 student-athletes for this prestigious honor,” Strittmatter said.
A 2013 graduate of Batavia High School and four-year letterman at wide receiver, Strittmatter recorded 126 career catches for 2,129 career yards and 20 touchdowns. With Strittmatter as a starter, his teams amassed a 26-7 record, including an astounding 21-2 mark during his final two seasons. He served as team captain his senior year, earning all-state, all-conference and Conference Offensive Player of the Year accolades.
Carrying a weighted 4.28 GPA on a 4.0 scale and earning a 33 on the ACT, Strittmatter was valedictorian of his high school class of 463 students. He twice earned Academic All-State and Academic All-Conference honors (2011, 2012).
“This is a great honor for Zach to be recognized by the National Football Foundation for being among the top student-athletes in the country,” said WUSTL head coach Larry Kindbom. “Zach is a class act, and represents the ideal student-athlete. He will continue to represent Washington University in the classroom, on the field and in the community.”
Strittmatter works closely with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life on the “Alex’s Army” team, named for his friend Alex, who died of cancer in 2008. As co-leader, Strittmatter has helped the team raise $82,000 to date.
“We rallied behind Alex and started this Relay for Life team to raise money for cancer research, “ Strittmatter said. “This is something I am very proud of. It’s a way to remember our friend Alex, who passed away in eighth grade, and a way to give back.”
Strittmatter also has started his own company that trains local youth in football and basketball.
“I have always enjoyed working with younger kids, and always tried to be a role model. I wanted to still be involved in football and basketball in my community after graduating from high school,” Strittmatter added.
Strittmatter has appeared in four games as a freshman while playing wide receiver for the Bears. He plans to major in chemistry in Arts & Sciences.
Strittmatter and the other winners will travel to New York for the NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon, presented by Under Armour, Dec. 10 at the Waldorf Astoria. First bestowed in 1991, the NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards have become one of the most prestigious high school honors in the country. Criteria for the award include academic achievement, athletic accolades and community involvement.