Lee Lonzo Champions Together Post-Secondary Scholarships

In partnership with the Lonzo Family and Friends, the IHSAA and IHSAA Foundation are proud to present the Lee Lonzo Champions Together Post-Secondary Scholarship. 

Each year, a pair of Unified Sport student-athletes from an IHSAA member school will be awarded $1,000 scholarships based on their dedicated and exemplary support of the Champions Together program in their school and community. 

The recipients of this scholarship represent the best that Champions Together has to offer student-athletes with and without intellectual disabilities as they participate side-by-side in spirited interscholastic competition. Applicants are judged by their commitment to comradery, inclusiveness, team spirit, and character while participating in Champions Together related activities, a program that became a reality in Indiana in December of 2012. 

The Legacy of Lee Lonzo

Lee enjoyed an outstanding career at Carmel High School, serving as a Teacher, Coach, Athletic Director, and Assistant Principal. While serving on the IHSAA's Board of Directors, Lee was a key figure in the formation of the Student Advisory Committee. As a constant supporter of positive and meaningful change, Lee became the initial Director of Champions Together, a collaboration between the IHSAA and Special Olympics Indiana. Under his leadership this unique partnership quickly established itself as one of the nation's best Unified Champion Schools programs. During his tenure, more than 125 Indiana High Schools earned the Champions Together Banner and more than 600 schools at all academic levels are now engaged in the inclusion revolution. 

Always a proponent of servant leadership, Lonzo continuously promoted the importance of inclusion within Indiana schools. Lee played a significant role in Unified Track & Field and Unified Flag Football becoming sanctioned IHSAA sports, while also assisting Special Olympics Indiana in the formulation of state tournaments in Unified Bocce and Unified Bowling. 

In addition to Lee's selfless dedication to inclusion, he continues to preach the importance of sportsmanship and mentorship; principles he initially championed during his time as a coach athletic administrator and contest official. 

Scholarship Criteria

- Nominations will be submitted as a pair from the same IHSAA Member-School.

- Recipients must be planning to attend post-secondary education (4-year college, 2-year college, trade/technical school) at some point in the next four years.

- Recipients must have participated in their schools Champions Together program for at least two (2) years.

- Recipients will be one (1) Unified Athlete and one (1) Unified Partner.

- Recipients must show team spirit, leadership, and character.

Application Process

Applications for the Lee Lonzo Champions Together Post-Secondary Scholarship are available on the IHSAA portal website (www.myihsaa.net). The application will be accessible to member school principals and athletic directors. The member school is responsible for establishing the process by which its nominee is selected. A member school principal may nominate only one pair student-athletes per year and should submit the application to the IHSAA by March 31, 2024.

The School Principal or Athletic Director should initiate the nomination process. To nominate a pair of athletes, click here to login and complete the application. After completing the form, the information will be electronically sent to the nominated students. Once the student completes their section, the form will be electronically returned to the Principal/Athletic Director for a final review and submission to the IHSAA. If you have any questions on this process, please contact IHSAA Foundation Director, Trip Lukemeyer, at tlukemeyer@ihsaa.org or 317-846-6601.