By ALEX SPONSELLER Pilgrim senior Kenny Rix was recently named the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Male Student-Athlete of the Year for his work both on the field and in the classroom.

Rix is a four-sport athlete, competing in soccer, basketball, baseball, and unified basketball in which he is a co-captain. He is also a standout student, boasting a GPA of 4.55.

With 3,600 applicants to choose from, Rix was excited to become the first-ever Warwick resident to receive the award.

“It was a great honor for me, definitely a surprise. There were a lot of other great candidates that were in the pool for it, so to get it was very special for me,” said Rix.

Developing strong time management skills has been key in his success throughout high school, according to Rix.

“Time management was very important for me to learn, to play multiple sports and have high academics, I definitely had to learn time management. I would go to practice, or I would go work out to make sure I could perform at my best, and I would spend the next few hours doing homework or any schoolwork that needed to be done. I had to find that balance,” said Rix.

Rix added: “Going into high school, I knew that I would play a few sports but I didn’t realize how much would come of it. To play three sports, then start to play unified and get a chance to spend time with those kids … just to be able to have some success and win this award is an honor.”

Rix will be attending Hamilton College in New York to play baseball at the next level. He credits his coaches and parents for helping him reach his potential in high school and feels prepared to make the move up.

“I’m very prepared. I’d like to thank my coaches and my parents that put in the work with me, brought me to all my games, made sure I kept up with my training and school. It’s going to be a challenge going to a new environment but I am prepared and I’m ready to do it,” Rix said.