Iowa Bankers Association Presents Five Student Athlete Achievement Awards at Iowa High School Girls’ State Basketball Tournament

Winners receive $1,000 scholarship to college of their choice.

DES MOINES, Iowa (March 9, 2026) — Five Iowa high school seniors received a 2026 Iowa Bankers Association Student Athlete Achievement Award during the Iowa High School Girls’ State Basketball Tournament championships on March 6-7 in Des Moines. One student from each class was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the IBA to the college of her choice.

Scholarship recipients included:

• Class 1A: Sacha Alesch, Bishop Garrigan High School, Algona
• Class 2A: Karlyn Kovarna, Hinton Community School, Hinton
• Class 3A: Zoe Allen, Williamsburg Jr-Sr High School, Williamsburg
• Class 4A: Ella Smith, Carlisle High School, Carlisle
• Class 5A: Allison Hawkins, Ankeny High School, Ankeny

Scholarship recipients are selected each year based on their academic performance, athletic participation, leadership skills and community involvement.

“The Iowa Bankers Association (IBA) is proud to recognize remarkable high school seniors that are leaders on their teams, in the classroom and in their community,” said Adam Gregg, IBA president and CEO. “As longtime supporters of financial literacy, Iowa bankers are committed to helping Iowans reach their financial goals. We know that these scholarship recipients have a bright future, and we hope they will continue to contribute to Iowa communities following graduation.”

For three decades, the IBA has sponsored the Student Athlete Achievement Award program, which has grown to honor student-athletes in football, basketball and wrestling. The IBA has awarded more than $370,000 in scholarships since the program began.