(03/23/2023) Five female student-athletes — one from each of Anoka-Hennepin’s five traditional high schools — have been recognized for their hard work both in the classroom and on the playing field or court.

The Athena Award is given to one senior female athlete from each participating school who has distinguished herself in special individual athletic achievement or superior achievements in one or more sports. 

This year’s Anoka-Hennepin Athena Award winners are:

• Andover High School (AndHS): Ella Boerger.
• Anoka High School (AHS): Brooklyn Jones.
• Blaine High School (BHS): Kendall Stadden.
• Champlin Park High School (CPHS): Paige Kalal.
• Coon Rapids High School (CRHS): Kennedy Martinson.

Congratulations to all five outstanding Anoka-Hennepin student-athletes. 

Boerger is a three-sport athlete for the Huskies, competing in tennis, golf and hockey. During her four-year career on the ice for Andover, Boerger helped the Huskies to four consecutive state championship game appearances, including state titles in 2020 and 2022. During that span, Andover went 107-7, including going 30-0 in 2021-22 to win its second state championship in school history. Boerger finished her career with 112 goals and 119 assists, landing her second all-time at Andover with 231 career points. She earned Star Tribune All-Metro second team honors in 2023 and first team honors in 2022. Following her senior season, Boerger was named the 2023 Ms. Hockey award winner, presented annually to the top female hockey player in the state. Boerger will continue her academic and hockey career at the University of St. Thomas where she will help the Tommies build a Division I resume after transitioning from NCAA Division III in 2022. 

Jones has been a varsity starter her entire prep career with the Tornado softball program. She also served as the junior varsity catcher in seventh and eighth grade. Last season she was named all-conference, all-section, and all-state in softball. In 2021, Jones hit 11 home runs to break Anoka High School’s single season home run record. The honor roll student has signed a national letter of intent to play softball and continue her academic studies at the University of Minnesota.

A three-sport athlete, Stadden excelled with the girls’ soccer, football and girls’ track and field programs. In soccer, she was named all-conference, all-metro and all-state from 2020-22. As a senior, Stadden was recognized as the Star Tribune 2022 All-Metro Soccer Player of the Year. She served as a kicker for the Bengal football program as a junior and a senior and is an all-conference performer with the track and field team. Stadden is an honor roll student, serves as a BHS Bleacher Captain and is a part of the Bengal Broadcast. She inked a national letter of intent to continue her athletic and academic career at the University of Minnesota.

Kalal starred on the soccer pitch for the Rebels during her career at CPHS. She was a three-time all-state, all-metro and Northwest Suburban All-Conference player for the Rebels and earned United Soccer Coaches High School All-American honors as a senior. She finished with 17 goals and 11 assists as a senior, giving her 73 goals and 46 assists for her career. As a junior, Kalal put together a 28-goal campaign for the Rebels. To cap off her senior year, Kalal was named the 2022 Class AAA Ms. Soccer award winner by the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association (MSHSSCA). Kalal graduated early from CPHS and is currently enrolled at the University of Minnesota and is a member of the Golden Gopher women’s soccer team.  

Martinson competes in track and field for the Cardinals and took a dive into the swimming pool her senior year, where she earned a letter. She has been a member of the CRHS track and field team since eighth grade, where she has earned letters in multiple events for the Cardinals. She is the school record holder and was the state runner-up in the pole vault as a junior while also finishing third in the 100-meter high hurdles (school record) and 300-meter intermediate hurdles, earning all-state in all three events. Martinson is a two-time team captain of the track and field team and was named the team’s MVP for sprints and hurdles following her sophomore and junior seasons. She was also an academic all-state selection her sophomore and junior years. Martinson will continue her academic and track and field career at the University of Minnesota next fall. 

The student-athletes will be recognized at the 51st annual Minneapolis Athena Awards luncheon on Friday, May 5 at the Heritage Center of Brooklyn Center.