Josh Hansen, Derek Goodnature and Staci Busch are the recipients of the annual LeRoy Maas Wrestling Scholarships.

This is the eighth year for the scholarship fund, named after longtime Albert Lea High School teacher and coach LeRoy Maas. A total of 16 scholarships have been awarded.

Hansen was the winner of this year’s $3,000 scholarship.

With a grade point average of 3.99, Hansen ranks ninth in his class academically at ALHS.

Hansen, also active in football and baseball, led the 2002-03 ALHS wrestling team in wins and team points, finishing second in the state tournament at 112 pounds. He was the 103-pound state champion as a junior. He was also involved in numerous other activities.

Hansen plans to attend Augsburg College and major in pre-law, pharmacy or education. He also hopes to continue his wrestling career.

&uot;With help from this scholarship, I will have an opportunity to use the lessons I have learned from athletics and fine arts to achieve my life goal,&uot; said Hansen.

Goodnature, a nephew of ALHS head wrestling coach Larry Goodnature, received a $1,000 scholarship. He was a standout in football, wrestling and baseball, being named baseball captain his senior season.

Goodnature plans to attend Iowa Central College for two years and then transfer to Minnesota State, Mankato, with a major in business administration or computer science. He plans to play baseball at Iowa Central.

Busch, a four-year statistician for the ALHS wrestling team, received a $600 scholarship. She ranks 61st in her class with a GPA of 3.7 and is active in athletics and other activities.

Busch plans to attend South Dakota State or North Dakota State, with a major in agriculture.