04/13/2025
The Dan Markwardt Memorial Foundation (DMMF) is pleased to announce the 2025 DMMF scholarship winners: Tony Omosebi and Ava Ballweg! Congratulations to these deserving Lodi High School seniors!
TONY OMOSEBI:
Tony has been an active in LHS sports competing in football, wrestling, and track and field. As a Blue Devil, he earned honorable mention honors in the Capitol North Conference for football and wrestling, was a team captain in football and wrestling, and was a WFCA All-Star football candidate. Tony intends to further his education in business project or chain management. UW Platteville and UW Stevens Point are currently the top academic institutions he's considering.
Tony said he will “miss the journey with teammates, the atmosphere of HS sports including Friday night lights.” His advice for underclassmen: “enjoy every moment you get of high school, leave it all out there, compete your tail off, and don’t take anything for granted. Have no regrets.”
Congratulations Tony on your selection as a 2025 DMMF Scholarship recipient!
AVA BALLWEG:
Ava excelled in many aspects as a Blue Devil, participating in several extracurricular activities and sports. Academically Ava is in the top 4% of her class, is a member of National Honor Society, and was selected as an AP Scholar Recipient among other honors. Highlights of AVA’s extracurricular activities include FFA, Leadership Council, LINK Crew, Forensics, being an exchange student to Spain, and serving as an AP mentor and math tutor and member of the LHS math team. Ava competed in tennis, basketball, and soccer for the Blue Devils, earning numerous honors including multi-year all-conference honors and selection as 2025 MVP. Ava was a 3-year letter winner in basketball and the team’s Unsung Hero award winner. In soccer, Ava earned multi-year all-conference honors, Most Valuable Defensive Player, and MVP during her time on the field.
Ava will be attending UW-Madison to major in business (finance, investment, and banking). Ava says she will most miss the team atmosphere and friendships she had participating in Blue Devil sports. Her advice to under classmen: “Show up every day, leave everything on the field, and love every second of it. Each practice, game, and team dinner goes by faster than you think, so be present and take it all in.” She recalls fond memories of Dano, namesake of the scholarship award: “I always remember seeing Dano at every basketball and football game. There didn't seem to be a game that he didn't attend. His smile, spirit, and enthusiasm represented the true meaning of Lodi Pride.”
Congratulations Ava on your selection as a 2025 DMMF Scholarship recipient!
The DMMF would like to thank everyone who continues to support the Foundation via donations to make the annual scholarships possible. Through your generosity, Dano's memory and Blue Devil pride lives on.
Shown in pictures:
DMMF Board President, Mitch Hauser presenting a 2025 scholarship to Tony, Tony with members of the DMMF Board: Michelle Hauser, Mitch Hauser, Dave Puls, Michelle Puls and Geoff Lorenz, and Tony with special Lodi friends Trent and Stacey Schneider.
DMMF Board President, Mitch Hauser presenting a 2025 scholarship to Ava, Ava with members of the DMMF Board, and with parents Mike & Cindy Ballweg
Congratulations again to Tony and Ava and also the entire Lodi Blue Devil class of 2025!
