Scholar Athlete of the Week: Penfield’s Olivia Lanning

Scholar Athlete of the Week: Olivia Lanning

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News10NBC’s latest Scholar Athlete of the Week is Penfield’s Olivia Lanning.

“Coach [Mark] Vogt is probably the best coach I’ve ever had,” Lanning said. “The lessons you learn and the basketball and off the court.”

The relationship between player and coach isn’t always great but Olivia Lanning takes everything he says to heart.

Anything I go to I try to be 10, 15 minutes early,” Lanning said. “Communication-wise, I’m not the best communicator, so just communicating all the time, never stopping, never stopping your feet which just plays into life like never stop, don’t give up.”

And it makes sense Lanning listens to her coach – she’s kinda doing what she’s always dreamed of.

“Ever since I was young and I came to Penfield High School games watching Coach Vogt, watching all the varsity players grow up,” Lanning said. “I’d be in the stands and be like, I want that to be me.”

But basketball isn’t all Lanning does at Penfield High. She’s also on the lacrosse team and is committed to play at Niagara in 2026.

After looking at a bunch of colleges I was like Niagara is the one,” Lanning said. “A girl on the team here Emma Alexander, she’s also going to Niagara, and that was also another thing cuz she’s great, but the campus felt like where I want to be, it’s not too far from home.”

That’s still a ways away so for now, she’s staying local. Outside of sports Lanning volunteers at a soup kitchen and takes multiple AP courses while maintaining a 97 GPA. She has goals of being a physical therapist and advocates for mental health. It’s a lot, but she finds time to check off all the boxes.

“Every day I get up and I’m like it’s gonna be a good day, I gotta keep going,” Lanning said “Something’s gonna go wrong I know it is but it’s never the end.”

Congrats to Olivia Lanning on being named the latest News Ten NBC Scholar Athlete of the Week.