Greg Gauthier
| Greg Gauthier | |
| Noted subjects | generalist (math) |
| Current college | Princeton |
| Past colleges | Vanderbilt (2008-12) |
| High school | Wheaton North (2004-08) |
| Stats | HDWhite • NAQT |
Greg Gauthier is a former stand-out player at Wheaton North. He is recognized as the most decorated player in Illinois history.
"La Fraternité Gauthier"
Greg has two older brothers (Marc and Paul); all three of them played scholastic bowl for Wheaton North, over ten consecutive years (Marc began playing his sophomore year, and Paul's freshman year coincided with Marc's senior year). Over this stretch, Wheaton North only once failed to capture the DuPage Valley Conference varsity title, only once failed to win their IHSA sectional and qualify for state, and have won an IHSA Regional each year since 2001; the first year they were instigated. Between 2001 and 2008, the team never failed to finish in the final four, including three state titles and two second place finishes.
Illinois Honors
At the New Trier Scobol Solo, Greg became the first player in the history of the tournament to qualify for the finals three times and the first player to make the final pairing three times, winning the tournament in 2007. He also accrued 13 subject-area champion ribbons over his four years playing the tournament, which is believed to be a record. This includes three ribbons in calculus and combinatorics (missing in his sophomore year), and winning all four ribbons in geometry/trigonometry, making him the only player to win the same category each of four possible years.
He was named to an IHSSBCA All-Sectional team three times, and he became the first player in state history to be named "First Team All-State" three times.
In each of his four years, Wheaton North won their Conference, their IHSA Regional, and their IHSA Sectional. All four years, the team also placed in the top four in state (twice runner-up, and once each third and fourth place).
He became only the second player in history to be selected for Team Illinois three times.
National Honors
In 2007, Greg led his team to a tie for 33rd place at the 2007 NAQT HSNCT. Gauthier himself was named to the All-Star team, finishing eleventh in individual scoring. This was the highest that any Illinois individual had placed at the HSNCT, but was surpassed in 2009 when Ben Cohen finished second at the 2009 HSNCT. Gauthier's accomplishment is considered all the more amazing, given that NAQT is not a format he is used to playing, and that computational math is his strongest subject.
In 2007 and 2008, Greg was instrumental in leading Illinois to the championship of the Panasonic Academic Challenge; the first times Illinois had ever won the event. Greg was selected to the "All-American" team both of those years; only the third player in the history of the tournament to be honored with this award twice.