Slinger, Wi – Congratulations to Piper Schuster on being named a 2026 WIAA Scholar Athlete.
Schuster is recognized for her hard work, dedication and excellence both in the classroom and on the field.
According to the WIAA: Piper Schuster, Slinger High School – 3.9 GPA
Schuster is a four-time first team all-conference cross country performer helping the Owls win four cross country conference team titles. She raced to three individual cross country sectional championships, and Schuster was a member of the State championship team as a sophomore. As a junior, the three-time letterwinner in track & field earned a State runner-up finish in the 3,200-meter run. She shares, “My biggest takeaway from running and academics is really quite simple. With hard work and dedication, you can achieve anything. Whether it be in the classroom, running, or in my life forward, I will forever cherish these lessons.” Schuster plans to study biology and participate in cross country and track and field at Lipscomb University.
According to the WIAA, “Sixteen boys and 16 girls were selected as top award recipients based on athletic and academic achievement, with four honorees representing each of the four WIAA divisions. This year, 742 seniors were nominated by 379 high schools statewide. Since the program began in 1984, more than 1,344 scholar-athletes have been recognized.
The academic credentials of the 2026 class are impressive. Nineteen of the 32 recipients have maintained a 4.0 grade point average, and collectively have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.96. Athletically, this year’s honorees have earned a cumulative total of 279 varsity letters through 3 1/2 years of their careers for an average of more than eight letters per recipient.
Schuster has committed to Lipscomb University in Tennessee, where she will also compete in cross country and track.
Another cornerstone of the Owls’ dominant distance program, Piper captured the North Shore Conference Championship in 2025 and finished 9th at the WIAA State Cross Country Meet.
