ESPYs – 2023

ESPYs – 2023

McCarthy Auto Group presents the Sports Radio 810 Honorary ESPYS, brought to you by All Weather Decks!

Full bios of individuals and accomplishments below the ballot

Female HS Athlete of the Year (Kansas) – Presented by Aminis

Annika Finzen, Blue Valley West

  • Set Kansas Class 6A state swim meet record in 200 individual medley (2:00.93)
  • Set Kansas Class 6A state swim meet record in 100 breaststroke (1:01.37)
  • Named Athlete of the Kansas State Meet

Anjali Hocker Singh, Olathe North

  • Won third Kansas Class 6A state cross country title in three years with time of 18:17.04
  • Kansas Gatorade Cross Country Player of the Year in 2021-22

Logan Parks, BV North

  • Played on 2023 U19 National Team that won gold in Pan American Cup
  • Helped lead Mustangs to third-place finish in Kansas Class 6A volleyball and state title in 2021
  • Scored team-high 12 points in Kansas Class 6A state title game, to help Mustangs to state title

Skyler Pierce, Olathe Northwest

  • Racked up 488 kills and 248 digs as a junior for the Ravens
  • Committed to Nebraska
  • Playing on USAV U19 National Team in July

Madison Walker, Olathe West

  • Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year
  • Batted .659 with state-tying record of 18 homers, along with 71 RBI and 50 runs scored
  • Helped lead the Owls (24-1) to the Class 6A state softball title
  • Committed to Mizzou

Sydney Watts, St. Thomas Aquinas

  • Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year
  • Notched 24 goals and 14 assists
  • Helped the Saints (18-2-1) to third straight Class 5A state soccer title
  • Committed to Vanderbilt

Male HS Athlete of the Year (Kansas) – Presented by Wholesale Batteries

Brett Carroll, Olathe East

  • State wrestling champion (285)
  • Shot put champion
  • Division I offers in football from K-State, Oklahoma State,  Minnesota and others

Nick English, Olathe South

  • Kansas Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year
  • Batted .418 with five homers, 20 RBI, threw out 6 of 10 runners, and picked off 7 more
  • K-State commit

Eli Gilmore, Tonganoxie

  • First male to win Kansas state track titles in 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200
  • First male to win four golds in running events
  • Won Kansas Class 4A cross country title

Josh Parrish – Olathe North

  • Won three state titles in track (long jump, triple jump, 110 hurdles), and second in 300-meter hurdles to his brother
  • First-team all-state defensive back for Eagles

Grant Stubblefield, BV Northwest

  • Helped lead Huskies to the Kansas Class 6A basketball title
  • Finalist for DiRenna Award (basketball) and football player of the year awards
  • Rushed for 3,036 yards and 44 TDs in last two seasons, helping Huskies to the Kansas Class 6A football title in 2021
  • University of Omaha commit

Female HS Athlete of the Year (Missouri) – Presented by JPA Roofing

Zaya Akins, Raytown South

  • Won eight Missouri state championships at Raytown South
  • Two-time Missouri Gatorade Track and Field Performer of Year
  • Set Missouri state records in 200 and 400
  • Undefeated in career at Raytown South

Carlie Cisneros, Liberty North

  • Missouri Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year
  • 540 kills, 445 digs to help Eagles to 31-6 record and third-place finish in Missouri Class 5

Megan Hinnenkamp, Liberty North

  • Missouri Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year
  • Led Eagles to 22-0 record and Missouri Class 4 soccer title
  • Scored 26 goals with three assists – including hat trick and overtime game-winner in state title match
  • Florida commit

Maddie Kubicki, Park Hill South

  • Four-time Missouri state wrestling champ
  • Nation’s top-ranked wrestler in 144
  • Finished fifth in U-20 Pan Am Games in 2022
  • National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee (2023)

April Phillips, Summit Christian

  • First Missouri athlete to win three Missouri state titles in three jumping events
  • Won long jump (18’3”), triple jump (37’ 6 3/4”) and high jump (5’ 3 ¾”)

Grace Slaughter, Grain Valley

  • Returned from torn ACL to average 27.9 points per game and eclipse 2,500 career points
  • Named Missouri Gatorade Basketball Player of Year
  • Three-time Missouri Class 6 first-team all-state selection
  • Committed to Mizzou

Victoria Swingle, St. Michael the Archangel

  • First-team all-state in basketball and all-time leading scorer in school history
  • First-team all-state in soccer with most goals in school history

Avery True, Liberty North

  • Set state meet record in 500-yard freestyle (4:54.12)
  • Also won Missouri Class 2 state titles in 200-yard freestyle (1:46.25) and
  • Named All-American by National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association
  • Committed to Wyoming

Male HS Athlete of the Year (Missouri) – Presented by Jungle Law

Kyan Evans, Staley

  • Helped lead Falcons to Missouri Class 6 state title
  • Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year; DiRenna Award winner for top KC Metro basketball player
  • Colorado State commit

Kendrick Bell, Park Hill

  • Won Simone Award for top KC Metro football player
  • Threw for 3,100+ yards and 35 TDs for Park Hill
  • Michigan commit

Tate McGuire, Liberty North

  • Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year
  • Three-time all-state selection
  • Committed to Arkansas

Sam Stillwell, St. Michael the Archangel

  • Missouri Class 2 state wrestling champ (285) with 51-0 record
  • Won second straight wrestling title as a sophomore, 68-1 overall
  • Ranked 18th nationally in 285 class

Female College Athlete of the Year – Presented by Office Products Alliance

Addison Beagle, Drake (Volleyball)

  • Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of Year (2022-23)
  • Led MVC with 1,613 assist – Drake single-season record
  • Liberty North grad

Haley Frank, Mizzou (Basketball)

  • All-SEC First Team (2022-23)
  • Averaged 15.4 ppg, 4.2 rebounds
  • Grad of Strafford HS (MO)

Zakiyah Franklin, Kansas (Basketball)

  • First-Team All Big 12 (2022-23)
  • WNIT All-Tournament Team (2023)
  • Led basketball team with 15.7 ppg

Gabby Gregory, K-State (Basketball)

  • All-Big 12 First Team (2022-23)
  • 18.5 ppg, 5.3 rebounds

Taiyanna Jackson, Kansas (Basketball)

  • WNIT Most Valuable Player (2023)
  • WBCA All-American Honorable Mention (2022-23)
  • All-Big 12 Frist Team, All-Defensive Team (2022-23)

Grace O’Keefe, Missouri State (Soccer)

  • Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year (2022-23)
  • Notched 4 goals, 4 assists at forward (2022)
  • St. Thomas Aquinas grad

Sophia Stram, St. Louis (Soccer)

  • Atlantic 10 first team (2022)
  • A-10 Championship All-Tournament Team (2022)
  • Bishop Miege grad

Kendra Wait, Creighton (Volleyball)

  • All-Big East, AVCA All-East Region selection for second straight year
  • Nation’s only player with 11+ assist, 3+ digs per set
  • Led Big East with 11.16 assists per set
  • Gardner-Edgerton HS grad

Perseverance Award

Jackson McWilliams, Tonganoxie

  • Diagnosed with Type I diabetes, lost 30 pound in few weeks and sustained fatigue and illness.
  • Rebounded to earn first-team all-state goalkeeper and record 500th save this season.

S’Mya Nichols, Shawnee Mission West

  • Returned from torn ACL to help lead Vikings to substate final
  • Nichols committed to Kansas as No. 21 overall in 2023 by ESPN.

Grace Slaughter, Grain Valley

  • Returned from torn ACL to average 27.9 points per game and eclipse 2,500 career points
  • Named Missouri Gatorade Basketball Player of Year
  • Mizzou commit