Press Releases

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today announced his four principal nominees to the service academies. The principal nominees from Lake Stevens, Sedro-Woolley, Sultan and Stanwood will be granted spots in the academies next year pending successful completion of their final year of high school. Larsen will also make 10 general nominations to the academies. Larsen told each of the principal nominees of his decision this week.

“Each of these students has demonstrated exceptional academic and personal achievement. I am confident that each will go on to serve our nation with integrity,” Larsen said. “These four impressive students have every door open to them. Their choice to enter the military academies and pledge their service to the United States is inspiring and praiseworthy.”

Colton McCoy of Lake Stevens will be one of Larsen’s nominees to the U.S. Air Force Academy. McCoy, a member of the National Honor Society and the track and field team at Arlington High School, is an accomplished commander of the school’s Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFJROTC). McCoy, who commutes to Arlington High School specifically because of the AFJROTC program, is interested in becoming a combat or search and rescue pilot. McCoy organized the high school’s Veterans Day assembly this year.

Ming Wagoner of Sedro-Woolley will be Larsen’s other nominee to the U.S. Air Force Academy. The captain of the girls swim team at Sedro-Woolley High School, Wagoner pushes herself academically. Her grandfather was an admiral in the Taiwanese Navy and she speaks fluent Mandarin. Her father served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and her sister is currently in the Army ROTC at Washington State University. She spearheaded a project to beautify the Sedro-Woolley library. She wants to be a pilot or a medical officer.

Sean Crowley of Sultan will be Larsen’s nominee to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Crowley attends Aviation High School in Des Moines where he co-founded an intramural sports league, was elected ASB class officer and competes on the speech and debate team. Crowley already attended a summer session at West Point and would like to study international relations at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center. Crowley is a soccer referee who refs for regional and state tournaments.

Connor Martin of Stanwood will be Larsen’s nominee to the U.S. Naval Academy. Martin is at the top of his class at Stanwood High School where he is the starting pitcher for the varsity baseball team, volunteers as a trainer for the girls varsity soccer team, and works as a referee for the local youth soccer league. He hopes to continue playing baseball at Annapolis. Martin says his parents instilled in him a commitment to service leading him to want to serve in the Navy.