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Lexi Smith selected as the 2017 female recipient of the Pat Richter Award for most outstanding three-sport athlete

06/29/2017, 10:30am CDT
By Norbert Durst

The Triple Play Triple Threat of the Week is brought to you by the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. Cutting-edge, personalized sports performance and injury prevention programs, training with world-class experts, state-of-the-art facilities and technology.

Northland Pines' Lexi Smith has been selected as the 2016-17 recipient of the Pat Richter Award from WisSports.net as the Triple Threat Athlete of the Year presented by Mayo Clinic.

The Triple Threat of the Week is an honor given on WisSports.net to the top senior boys and girls three-sport athletes in the state. At the end of the school year, those awarded with the weekly honor are eligible for the Pat Richter Award, which will go out to the top boys and girls three-sport athlete of the season.

Hugh V. "Pat" Richter is one of Wisconsin's most storied student-athletes in state history. He was a three-sport athlete at Madison East High School, competing in football, basketball and baseball. He went on to fame at the University of Wisconsin, earning nine varsity letters in three sports and would later become the Athletic Director at Wisconsin.

Past winners of the award include Grace Mueller of Verona (2015-16), Megan Gustafson of South Shore (2014-15), Kennedy Blahnik of Algoma (2013-14), Jenna Orr of Rice Lake (2012-13), Kailee Kamps of Belmont (2011-12), Kendall Wienkes of Highland (2010-11), and Andie Varsho of Marshfield (2009-10). 

Smith is an outstanding athlete that finished her high school career as a 12-time varsity letterwinner; she earned letters in volleyball, basketball, and soccer all four years. 

The Northern Michigan basketball recruit finished her career with 2,081 points, which puts her 12th on the state's all-time scoring list in girls basketball. 

Smith earned WBCA Division 3 all-state as a junior and senior; in her final season, she averaged 25.4 points and 12 rebounds per game and took home Great Northern Player of the Year for coach Larry Bergum and the Eagles. 

As a junior, she netted 51 points in a game to put her tied for 6th on the state's single-game scoring list. Lexi also had a 48-point effort her senior year. 

In volleyball, Smith was chosen honorable mention WVCA all-state and Great Northern Player of the Year for coach and mother Julie Smith. 

She compiled 502 kills, 319 digs, 84 blocks, and 58 aces as a senior. 

In soccer, Smith was named unanimous first-team all-Great Northern for coach Courtney Pinski and the Eagles, despite missing 10 games with a concussion. 

Lexi finished the season with 48 points, which included 19 goals and 10 assists. As a junior, she was chosen as Great Northern Offensive Player of the Year. 

What did Smith cite as the best part of high school sports? 

"The best part about playing high school sports is meeting new people. All of my best friends I have met through sports by either playing with or against them. Without playing high school sports I wouldn’t have met all the people I have and would be missing key friendships that I now have in my life."

Smith also excelled in the classroom with a 3.9 GPA and finished second in her class. She also received WBCA Academic all-state. 

To view our initial profile of Lexi as part of our Triple Threat Athlete of the Week series, please click here.

Tag(s): Triple Threat AOTW  News Archive  GBB News  News  News  Norbert Durst