George Whittell High School junior Nic Buchholz was presented with the Gene Upshaw Scholarship award Tuesday, July 11, at the annual American Century Championship (ACC) celebrity golf tournament for his achievements in athletics, academics and service work.

The awarded is given to an exemplary GWHS student each year in memory of NFL Hall of Fame player and 10-time ACC golfer Gene Upshaw. Buchholz is the ninth GWHS recipient of the award since its 2009 inception.

“This scholarship means a lot to me because I never thought I could be compared to someone like Gene Upshaw,” said Buchholz. “It’s really about the foundation about who you are, not only on the field, but off the field … this scholarship has really made me realize I need to bring qualities like selflessness, honesty and hard work — not just in sports — but in my real life, and that will help me create a better future for myself.”

The award was presented by Carol Chaplin, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority president, Gary Quinn, vice president of programming and owned properties at NBC Sports Group and Bryan Davis, director of marketing at Edgewood Tahoe golf course.

Buchholz boasts a 4.09 GPA and said he plans to attend the University of Nevada-Reno and eventually become a physician.