Cloquet senior named 'scholar athlete' by National Football Foundation

Cloquet senior Riley Leslie has been named a Scholar Athlete by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Leslie quarterbacked and captained the Lumberjacks to a Section 7AAAA runner-up finish in 2018. He earned 7AAAA All-Section and all-district recognition as a senior. He was a two-year starter as a defensive back, including the Lumberjacks’ 2017 season when they made an appearance in the state championship. He also played basketball and ran track for Cloquet.

Academically, Leslie ranks in the top five percent of his class. He takes college-level and honors courses and has been on the honor roll every year. Leslie is a member of the National Honor Society.

Leslie has been heavily involved in his school and surrounding community. He was a member of Cloquet’s Link Crew, welcoming new students at the start of the year. He also spent a significant number of hours helping with Cloquet theater sets, working in the basketball concession stand, assisting with youth football equipment distribution, helping at a holiday expo and more.

Leslie plans to continue his education at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he is interested in studying science and engineering.

According to a press release from the National Football Foundation, Leslie and the other honorees will be recognized at the 12th annual Minnesota Football Honors on April 27 at U.S. Bank Stadium. The event is presented by the Minnesota Vikings and is the largest football awards event in Minnesota. Doors open at 2 p.m. for the 4 p.m. event. The event is open to the public.

For additional information about this year’s Minnesota Football Honors and to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.minnesotafootballhonors.com. For sponsorship information, please email [email protected].