Marquette Senior High School, along with Superiorland Kiwanis, are proud to announce that Zoe Smith (girls basketball) and Wyatt Kuhlman (wrestling) have been named as the Student-Athletes of the Month for January 2022.
Zoe Smith is a senior at MSHS and is leading the MSHS Girls Basketball Team through another successful campaign as a team captain. This season marks Zoe’s third as a member of the Varsity Girls Basketball Team. With a 6-1 record in the Great Northern Conference, the team is headed towards another conference championship that they can claim outright with a win over Kingsford tomorrow (Friday) evening.
On the court this year, Zoe averages 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. During the team’s home victory over rival Escanaba on January 11, Zoe poured in 16 points with some phenomenal shooting from the field to lead the group to a big win within the Great Northern Conference.
In addition to participating in the girls basketball program, Zoe also competes as a member of the MSHS Girls Golf Team. She placed ninth at the 2021 MHSAA U.P. Division 1 Golf Finals to earn All-U.P. accolades.
Zoe excels in the classroom as well with a 3.96 cumulative GPA. She is a two-year member of the National Honor Society and four-year member of the student council, where she currently serves as Student Body Vice President. Outside of school, she is employed by Vango’s and volunteers for the Marquette Junior Wildcats Basketball program as well as the Marquette Beautification Committee. Zoe’s post-graduation plans are to attend Central Michigan, Grand Valley or Northern Michigan next year and pursue a degree in the business and/or hospitality fields.
Wyatt Kuhlman is in senior class standing at MSHS and is quickly approaching the end of a stellar four-year career on the MSHS Wrestling Team. After having previously qualified for the MHSAA Finals as a sophomore and being named team captain for the 2021-22 season, Wyatt has been determined to achieve his goals this season. At the 2022 U.P. Wrestling Championships, he claimed the U.P. title in the 160-pound weight class. The championship pinfall was particularly special in that it served as Wyatt’s 100th career victory. His outstanding performance at the U.P. Championships earned him Most Valuable Wrester honors.
Wyatt’s leadership doesn’t stop on the mat as he was also a team captain on the MSHS Varsity Football team this Fall and helped guide the program to another Great Northern Conference (GNC) crown and MHSAA postseason appearance. At season’s end, Wyatt was named to the All-GNC and All-U.P. “Dream Team” as a Defensive Tackle.
Outside of athletics, Wyatt is a member of the MSHS Wind Ensemble, where he is a 1st-chair trumpet player and recurring soloist. His hobbies and interests include writing and recording music.
Wyatt is currently dual-enrolled at Northern Michigan University, where he is expected to complete the Industrial Maintenance program in Spring 2023. Additionally, Wyatt plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in either Industrial Engineering or Film Score Composition while looking to continue his wrestling career at the college level.
