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Kadena High School graduates Nathan and Katie LaGrave have distinguished themselves during the fall collegiate athletics season by capturing league honors in their respective sports.

Junior spiker Katie LaGrave of Augsburg College in Minneapolis was chosen Wednesday for the All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference volleyball team. Her brother, Bucknell freshman Nathan LaGrave, on Thursday earned Patriot League soccer rookie-of-the-year honors.

“I was surprised, to say the least, because there are lots of deserving players on my team, much less in the conference, so I’m grateful to be recognized,” Katie LaGrave said. “It’s been a great season, and to be chosen as the representation of that team effort and potential makes me very thankful.”

Nathan LaGrave didn’t immediately return an e-mail seeking comment.

“Quite a day for our family,” Lon LaGrave, their father, said Friday. “And we’re one proud papa and a very thrilled mama.”

He and his wife, Jan, are Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Pacific educators. He teaches fifth grade at William C. Bechtel Elementary on Camp McTureous, and she’s a reading specialist at Kadena Elementary School on Kadena Air Base.

Nathan graduated from Kadena in June after pacing the Panthers to the Far East Class AA soccer title in May. He earned a partial financial grant-in-aid to play for Bucknell, an NCAA Division I team. He moved to forward from his natural position, center-midfielder, and immediately starred for the Bison.

He led Bucknell’s offense with six goals and four assists, was voted Patriot League rookie of the week twice and offensive player of the week once. He led the Patriot League in shots, points, points per game and goals, and scored the most goals by a Bucknell freshman since 1996.

Katie LaGrave, Stars and Stripes’ 2003-04 Pacific high school female Athlete of the Year, also earned a partial financial grant-in-aid to play volleyball and basketball for Augsburg, an NCAA Division III school. Like the Patriot League, the MIAC in which she plays does not offer athletics scholarships.

A middle blocker, Katie led the team in spike kills (357), attack percentage (.322), blocks (81, 22 solo) and recorded 102 defensive digs and 27 service aces to help the Auggies go 11-17, their best record since 2001.

This is Katie LaGrave’s second all-conference honor in three years at Augsburg. A guard for the Auggies basketball team, she was an honorable mention All-Conference selection last season.

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