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Triple Threat of the Week: Jen Wendler, Owen-Withee

01/17/2019, 9:15am CST
By Norbert Durst

Name: Jennifer Wendler
School: Owen-Withee
Year: Senior 

Cross Country Honors: Earned a varsity letter as a senior in her only year competing in cross country... coached by Brian Lewison... 

Volleyball Honors: Three-year letterwinner for coach Anna Goerlitz and the Blackhawks... named team's best hitter and blocker in those three years... 

Basketball Honors: Four-year letterwinner for coach Al Guthman and the Blackhawks... named rookie of the year as a freshman and team MVP the past two years... second-team all-Cloverbelt East as a freshman... first-team all-conference as a sophomore and junior... named player of the year in the league the past two seasons... Division 5 WBCA all-state as a sophomore and junior... team captain as a junior and senior... named Channel 7 all-star as a junior... has scored over 1,600 points in her career and is closing in on 1,000 rebounds... currently averaging 24.1 points and 12.9 rebounds per game for the Blackhawks, who are 8-5 overall and 6-4 in the Cloverbelt-East... the 6-foot-2 forward is committed to play for NCAA Division I Youngstown State University in Ohio... 

Track & Field Honors: Enters her senior year as a three-year letterwinner for coach coach Brian Lewison and the Blackhawks... conference champion in discus as a sophomore and junior... all-conference performer as a freshman... selected as team's most valuable female in field events... 

Favorite Sport (and why): "Basketball has always been my favorite sport. My dad started coaching me in fifth grade and really it has turned into a family event. We spend most of our free time in the gym as a family with my brothers. Honestly the AAU season really turned into family vacations for us! I can’t wait to play basketball in the Horizon League as a Youngstown Penquin!"

Best Part of High School Sports (and why): "My favorite part of high school sports has to be that I gained all of these 'family members'! I love the teammates I have played with the last four years and look up to them -- there is nothing better than seeing the faces of past teammates in the stands on game night!"

Best Advice from a High School Coach: “Never give up and keep working, you have big things ahead of you!”

Most Memorable Moment in High School Sports: "This is an easy one!  I was so blessed to have Al Guthman as a head coach. A few weeks ago we played and won the game that became his 700th career win. I handed him the game ball and the rest is history!"

Best Part of Playing Three Sports: "Many times my teammates are not the same through the three sports I participate in. It is fun to get to know different kids that you aren’t typically friends with! This year to get in the best shape I could for basketball I switched my fall sport to Cross Country. I learned a lot about myself and other athletes that run distance. It really improved my mental game in sports!"

Toughest Part of Playing Three Sports: "I am really a morning person so getting home late at night after away games or meets is hard for me. I have certainly become better at time management!"

Favorite Opponent (and why): "The Colby girls basketball team has been really good ever since 5th grade when we all started playing against each other! They have been a great challenge and a team that we can learn from every time we play."

Favorite Professional Team: Green Bay Packers

Favorite Professional Athlete: Michael Jordan

Favorite College Team: "I grew up in a Badger family with both my parents being alumni. I have kept the Red and White colors but now I am a Youngstown State Penguin fan for obvious reasons!"

Cumulative GPA: 3.85

Toughest Individual You’ve Competed Against (and why): "In my high school career it has to be Karsyn Rueth of Loyal.  She matched up well with me in size and the ability to play inside and outside."

Most Admired High School Teammate (and why): "My freshman year I started varsity and I was really lucky that I became friends with Whitney Baehr who was a senior then on that team. She taught me a lot about varsity sports and being a teammate."

College Plans: "I have received a full scholarship to play basketball for D1 Youngstown State University of Ohio. I will major in Exercise Science with the hopes of attending Physical Therapy School in the future."

Activities Outside of Sports: "I participate in Band, National Honor Society and Student Council. Outside of school I love showing dairy cattle in 4H."

I Find it Relaxing to: "I find it relaxing to head to the gym and shoot hoops!  Sometimes I shoot alone and sometimes with family."

Favorite TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy

Favorite Movie: The Greatest Showman

Favorite Musical Artist: Dan and Shay

Favorite Subject: Math and Science

Favorite Restaurant: Red Lobster

Favorite Website: Snapchat

Other Family Members: "Parents Jim and Julie Wendler. Younger brothers Rob (freshman) and Jack (5th grade)."

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