Will McGree is just finishing up his education at Butte Central.

The future Montana Tech golfer is graduating near the top of his class — but not high enough that they will make him give a speech. That is just how he likes it.

Will was a three-sport athlete for the Maroons. In addition to playing four years of golf, he competed in basketball for three seasons and track for four seasons. He will be competing in the Western A Divisional track meet this Friday and Saturday in Frenchtown. Since he is a McGree, Will competes in the long jump and triple jump. He also throws the javelin and has run the 100- and 400-meter races as well as the 1,600-meter relay this season.

In early October, Will tied with his younger brother Beau for 13th place at the Class A State golf tournament in Sidney. That was good for All-State honors for the McGree boys. A week earlier, the two tied for seventh place at the Western A Divisional tournament in Hamilton.

The boys’ sister Mya also qualified for State as an eighth grader last fall.

On Thursday night, Will is set to be honored as one of the 18 recipients of the 2026 Mariah Daye McCarthy Scholarship. That award goes to graduating seniors who have lived by the ideals of Mariah’s Challenge.

That means they got through high school without drinking alcohol or getting into a car with a driver who has been drinking.

I have known Will since he was very young, and I always really enjoyed talking to him. Even as a young boy, talking to Will was like talking to an adult. So, I was extremely proud to see him among the names of the newest Mariah’s Messengers.

The 18th Annual Mariah Daye McCarthy Scholarship Ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Montana Tech’s library auditorium. If you have never been to one of those ceremonies, I highly recommend that you do. You will get a first-hand look at how remarkable these 18 scholarship winners are.

Earlier today, I met with Will inside the vault at the Metals Sports Bar & Grill to talk about the Mariah’s Challenge scholarship and much more.

Listen as he talks about growing up a McGree and his years playing sports for the Maroons. Listen as he talks about his plans at Montana Tech, where he will at least start in civil engineering.

Listen as he talks about how living up to the ideals of Mariah’s Challenge is just something that came naturally to him.