A senior at Crittenden County High School has been named a 2020 Ag Athlete of the Year by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles announced that Ellie McGowan received the Outstanding Ag Athlete of the Year award and will receive a $2,000 scholarship.
McGowan, who was a member of the Crittenden County volleyball team, was one of two student-athletes who received the Outstanding distinction, and the only one from western Kentucky.
Quarles said these student-athletes are usually recognized and presented their scholarship on the floor of Rupp Arena during the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen State Basketball Tournament. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 tournament was postponed indefinitely.
The one-time scholarships, payable to an institution of higher learning, are awarded to high school seniors involved in athletics and agriculture who plan on continuing their education at a two or four-year institution or trade school.
The scholarships are supported by the “Ag Tag” Fund, which is financed by voluntary donations from Kentucky motorists when they buy or renew their farm vehicle license plates.
