Fallon's Sean McCormick, left, shakes hands with Mayor Ken Tedford in March when the city honored the Wave state champion wrestling team.
Sean McCormick proved that he could stand among the upperclassmen on the battlefield.
Now, he’s proven that he has the aptitude to thrive in the classroom as he did when he helped the football and wrestling teams win a state title in his freshman year.
McCormick was named to the National High School Coaches Association’s 2016 High School Academic All-American team for the 2015-2016 school year. In its 23rd year of honoring those who excelled on the field or court and in the classroom, this year’s crop featured 138 Academic All-Americans, including McCormick, who begins his sophomore year in two months.
“I wasn’t sure I was going to get that at first. I was really happy to find out I did,” said McCormick, who had to submit an application and ranks 40th in his class with a 3.7 GPA.” It feels extremely good. Even though sports is what I live for in high school, once I graduate, I won’t go pro in everything. Having an academic background and getting into college is so much more important than winning matches and sports.”
McCormick competed on the freshman football team last fall but was called up to varsity during the playoffs as Fallon defeated Moapa Valley for the state title in November.
“I was hoping that I would get called up but I was not expecting it,” McCormick said. “It’s really the same game but just a lot faster. Having that confidence was key and knowing you can do it and believing in yourself that you can compete.”
McCormick got a late start in the wrestling season but after winning his first tournament in Sparks, he lost only once. He won an individual state title to help the team win its first-ever title in February. McCormick closed out the year on the baseball team, which advanced to the state tournament after taking fourth in the Northern Division I-A.
“After I won the Sparks tournament, I felt like I was getting in my groove,” said McCormick, who finished with a 41-4 record. “I felt confident in each tournament. Each tournament, I felt like I was wrestling better and better. I was definitely expecting to be in the state tournament but my goal was to win state this year as an individual and a team.”
McCormick and the rest of the Academic All-Americans will be inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame Museum. McCormick was one of 12 freshmen to get the honor.
“This year’s Academic All Americans are the epitome of what a student-athlete is. Not only do they excel on the playing field, mat, court, pool, or track, but they also excel in the classroom,” NHSCA Executive Director Bobby Ferraro said. “These student-athletes are leaders in and out of the classroom and are the future leaders of tomorrow. We are proud to deem them Academic All Americans.”