Reach named 2016 scholar athlete of year

Anna-Jonesboro Community High School’s Hannah Reach has been named the girls’ 2016 scholar athlete of the year by the Southern Illinoisan newspaper.

Reach became the first A-J female athlete since the award began in 1994 to receive the honor.

She set the school and Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Mississippi Division record with a 10-6 pole vault. She finished in 10th place in that event with a 10-foot effort this year in the Class 1A state tournament.

In a class of 132 at A-J, Reach was ranked first with a 4.727 grade point average.

Reach also competed on A-J's volleyball team.

She will continue her education at Clemson University in South Carolina. She will not be competing in track. She plans to major in Spanish.