Chris Eaton Foundation Awards Scholarships to Local Student-Athletes

The Chris Eaton Foundation has announced the recipients of its college scholarships for this year, selecting four talented student-athletes from Albuquerque. Among the winners are Sophia Lopez from Rio Grande and Alex Starr from Bosque School, each receiving a $10,000 scholarship in memory of Chris Eaton, a former Sandia High baseball coach who passed away in 2022 at the age of 35. Additionally, Chloe Brown from Sandia and Anna Hastings from Albuquerque Academy will each receive $5,000.

This year, over 70 high school graduates from Albuquerque applied for the scholarships, which are awarded based on academic achievement, athletic performance, leadership, teamwork, and community involvement—all qualities that Chris Eaton valued during his coaching career. This marks the third consecutive year that the Eaton Foundation has granted these scholarships.

Sophia Lopez, who will be playing college basketball at Ottawa University in Arizona, has an impressive record, having captained her high school team for four years and earning the title of district player of the year. Alongside her athletic commitments, she maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA and actively participated in community service, including efforts related to suicide awareness, a cause close to her heart given Eaton's tragic passing.

Alex Starr, who also served as a basketball team captain, is set to attend Tufts University in Massachusetts. He excelled academically with a 4.0 GPA while engaging in multiple sports and demonstrating linguistic skills in three languages. Chloe Brown, with a remarkable GPA of 4.3, will continue her basketball career at McPherson College in Kansas and has been involved in fundraising for a disease that affected her grandfather. Anna Hastings, recognized as one of New Mexico's top distance runners, will attend Brown University and is active in a nonprofit promoting science education in underfunded schools.