Pendleton County's Daniel Hevener is a standout athlete and student.

Academically, he's ranked third in his class. Athletically, he's been an all-conference in multiple sports, but the football field is where this quarterback loves to shine.

“You know your whole family is going to be there pretty much the entire town is watching, everybody is cheering you on. Everyone wants you to have fun and just do a good job,” said Daniel.

He's done just that. This year, the Wildcats improved from one win to three, helping reset the foundation of the program.

“Daniel is an exceptional leader. He's just a hard worker, never takes a play off. The young kids learned a lot from that this year,” said his coach Rod Cooper.

His GPA is higher than a 4.4 and he's ranked third in his class.

“I mean I want to make good grades so I can get scholarships, but my parents also taught me to do my best in everything so whether it's sports or school work, I like to try and pursue excellence,” said Daniel.

“He's a joy to have in class because when he comes through the door, it's hello. When he leaves, "Have a nice day". He just shows that leadership quality that the other kids look up to him,” said his teacher Cathy Bennett.

For the future, he plans on playing football.

“I'd really like to go to Fairmont State to play a little football. I've also been looking at their engineering program. Engineering is kind of something I've wanted to do since I was a little kid. I like to build things and make things with my hands,” said Daniel.

His success on the football field and in the classroom is why Daniel Hevener is WHSV's Student Athlete of the Week.