SEATTLE – Bobby Walker, a three-sport senior at Roosevelt High School in Seattle, has been named an Academic All-American by US Lacrosse.

The award is presented annually by US Lacrosse to student-athletes across the country that excel in the classroom and participate in community and volunteer service. Walker, who plays midfield for the Roughriders, was selected by high school varsity lacrosse head coaches in eastern and western Washington. Walker is the only recipient from Washington state.

In the classroom, Walker maintains a 3.86 GPA while taking advanced placement and honors classes. He was recognized in 2007 by Washington governor Christine Gregoire among state students achieving high scores on the WASL examinations. He was also elected Roosevelt student body vice president in 2007.

Walker’s honors include membership in The National Society of High School Scholars, Junior Classical League and Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. He has received invitations to attend the Congressional Student Leadership Conference, National Student Leadership Conference, Junior Statesman of America Summer Program and Cambridge College Program. In 2006, he was recognized with the National Latin Society Award for Excellence.

In the community, Walker is a fundraising volunteer for the historic Dunn Gardens in north Seattle, serves Thanksgiving dinners to the local homeless population through the University District Food Bank, is active in the University Presbyterian Church youth group, and traveled to Mexico in 2008 and 2007 where he helped build homes for impoverished families in Tijuana.

On the lacrosse field, Walker had 17 goals, 2 assists and 66 ground balls for the Roughriders during his senior season. He tallied a season-high four goals and 19 ground balls in the Roughriders’ March 19 loss to Nathan Hale. As a junior, he received the school’s “Zero to Sixty” award as the team’s most improved first-year player.

As a cross-over student-athlete, Walker earned three letters at the free safety and wide receiver positions on the Roughrider football team. As a junior, he earned All-Conference Second Team honors and as a sophomore he received All-Conference Honorable Mention honors. The same year he received Roosevelt’s Ramsey Hare Award for skill and leadership and was featured on KING TV’s High School Game Time show for excellence in the classroom and on the field of play. Before crossing-over to lacrosse, Walker played JV baseball during his freshman and sophomore years.

In the fall, Walker will enroll at Cal Poly where he plans to study architecture with an emphasis in sustainable living.

About High School Lacrosse in Washington State
Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the U.S. and in Washington State the sport has seen double-digit growth in five of the last seven years. In 2009, over 2,370 high school students representing 75 boys and 49 girls varsity and junior varsity teams in Washington state will compete in a nine-week season March – May with the annual Washington State High School Championships taking place May 16 (girls) and May 30 (boys). Varsity boys lacrosse is contested in the Washington High School Boys Lacrosse Association (http://www.whsbla.org/) with 14 Division I and 28 Division II teams. Varsity girls lacrosse is contested in The Washington Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association (http://www.wslax.org/) with 15 Division I and 16 Division II teams. Most of the teams represent high schools throughout the Puget Sound area.

For daily high school lacrosse results or to receive results through an RSS feed, please visit http://www.uslax-wa.org/media.html

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Media Contact:
Mike McQuaid
McQuaid & Co. Strategic Communications
206-262-7301
mike@mcquaidcompany.com

Labels: Awards, Boys, Division II, Press Release, Roosevelt