A couple of state champion swimmers are among the recipients of Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame scholarships for 2025.
Bloomington South’s David Kovacs and North’s Jay Stewart will receive $1,000 scholarships along with South’s Grace Stringer, North’s Sophia Garcia and Edgewood’s Ayrica DeHart and Jackson Klinger.
Kovacs, a four-time Herald-Times Swimmer of the Year, won 11 medals in his career, more than any Bloomington swimmer in history, topping Mike Kearney’s seven medals from 1970-73. Kovacs capped off his career by winning gold medals in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley. A member of the National Honor Society, he received South’s President Award and Principal’s Award. He will continue his athletic and academic career at Indiana University.
Stewart, a four-time state qualifier and four-time All-Area swimmer, topped off his career by winning the 50 freestyle at the state meet. He holds North records in the 50 and 100 freestyles, along with the 100 backstroke, 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. He is an AP scholar in math and science and will study science and engineering at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Stringer is a four-time letter-winner in cross country and track. She helped the South cross country team qualify for state last fall, where the Panthers finished ninth. In track she ran a leg on the sectional-winning 3,200 relay team. She made the conference all-academic team and received the President’s Award, Principal’s Award and Jason Lorne Kennedy Scholarship. She will attend Indiana University.
Garcia made her mark in gymnastics, finishing as North’s most successful gymnast since 1992 state champion Betsy Cousins. She was named the H-T’s Gymnast of the Year all four years and also qualified for state all four years. She medaled four times, finishing fourth on beam and in floor exercise this year. She is an AP Scholar, Principal’s Scholar and National Honor Society member. She will study political science at the University of Michigan.
Edgewood’s DeHart is a true pioneer for her sport, girls’ wrestling, which was newly sanctioned by the Indiana High School Athletic Association this year. Wrestling in the heavyweight division, DeHart went 18-10 and finished third in the sectional. She finished fifth at the regional, just missing a trip to state. She finished eighth at state her junior year before the sport was sanctioned. She is a member of the Technical Honor Society and will attend Hiram College in Ohio.
Klinger was a distance runner for Edgewood, helping the Mustang cross country team qualify for state for the first time in 20 years. He finished third at the sectional, 18th at the regional and 41st at state. He was named to the Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Class 3A All-State Team. In track, he ran the 1,600 and 3,200, qualifying for the 2024 state meet in the 3,200. He was sectional runner-up in the 3,200 this year. A member of the National Honor Society and German Honor Society, he received the Edward Jones Scholarship and People’s State Bank Scholarship. He will attend Indiana University with the help of two scholarships, the IU Provost Scholarship and Frances Kelly Deckard Scholarship.
Each of these student athletes will receive $1,000 in scholarship money and will be recognized at the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame Awards Banquet July 2, at the Monroe Convention Center. Scheduled for induction are athletes Andy Anderson, Lance Fox, Alex Guyton, Jonathan Holmes, Ronnie Schneider and Sarah Thompson (Figg). Coaches entering the Hall are Wayne Nichols and Larry Williams. Going in as Contributors are Jim Murphy and Shelby Wilson. Entering under the new “Pioneer” category are Ted Fox and Bob Snoddy.
Banquet tickets are $50 and can be purchased through the Monroe County Hall of Fame website, www.monroecountyshof.org.
