For the third straight year since the inception of the ESPYS, ESPN is bringing a select number of markets around the country the opportunity to award Honorary ESPYS in various categories and Sports Radio 810 is proud to announce that we are again joining forces with ESPN to award Honorary ESPYS in various categories to the KC community and its surrounding areas!
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Cast your votes now!
Female High School Athlete of Year (KS)
Beatrice Culliton, St. Thomas Aquinas
- DiRenna Award winner for Metro’s top female basketball player
- Helped lead Saints to 2021 and 2022 state titles
- Playing with Oklahoma collegiately
Anne Deedy, Shawnee Mission East
- Swimmer of the Year at Kansas Class 6A state meet
- Won gold 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley – both All-America times in nation
- Swimming collegiately at Georgia Tech
Bella Field, Blue Valley
- Kansas Class 6A Forward of the Year
- First team All-State and EKL
- Alternate for USYNT FIFA U17 World Cup team
- Playing collegiately at Arkansas
Anjali Hocker Singh, Olathe North
- Won second straight Kansas Class 6A cross country title as sophomore
- Time of 17:45 was the fastest in Kansas in the last 10 years
Ella Margheim, Olathe North
- Won five events at Kansas state gymnastics, including the all-around
- Helped Eagles to state championship
- One of 24 finalists for USA TODAY High School Sports Awards Gymnastics Team
- Qualified for Kansas Class 6A state meet in triple jump
Julie Misemer, Blue Valley West
- Won Kansas Class 6A golf all four years in high school
- Won 31 of 32 tourneys in career
- Playing golf collegiately at Arizona
S’Mya Nichols, Shawnee Mission West
- 2022 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team
- DiRenna Award finalist for top Metro player
- 20+ Power 5 offers, No. 21 recruit in 2023 class by ESPN
Sydney Watts, St. Thomas Aquinas
- Kansas Class 5A Forward of the Year
- 37 goals, 13 assists in 2022
- 11 goals in final three playoff games to help Saints to Class 5A title and No. 6 nationally
- U17 National Team Camp invitee
Male High School Athlete of Year (KS)
Mikey Pauley, Blue Valley Northwest
- Named Simone Award winner as top Metro football
- Starter for the Kansas Class 6A state runner-up basketball team
- Nebraska commit in baseball and football
Keaton Kristoff, Olathe East
- Won gold in Kansas Class 6A in 200 IM, 100 Backstroke, 200 Medley Relay and 400 Freestyle relay
- Swimmer of the Year at Kansas Class 6A state meet
- Both 100 back and team’s 200 medley relay were All-America times (top 100 in the nation)
- 100 back and the 200 medley relay set new state records.
- Swimming collegiately at Utah
Jackson Lovich, BV West
- Kansas Gatorade Baseball Player of Year
- Helped lead Jaguars to Kansas Class 6A title
- Mizzou commit in baseball
Aidan Shaw, Blue Valley
- DiRenna Award winner for top Metro basketball player
- Playing for Mizzou under Dennis Gates
Female High School Athlete of Year (MO)
Zaya Akins, Raytown South
- Missouri Class 4 state champion in 100 Meter and 400 Meter
- 400 Meter (53.41) was Class 4 state record; 100 Meter (11.32) would’ve been state record but wind-aided
Addison Beagle, Liberty North
- 2020 Missouri Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year
- Drake signee
Maddie Kubicki, Park Hill South
- Won third straight Missouri wrestling title (141 lb)
- Never lost match in high school
Kennedy Townsend, Park Hill
- Two-time DiRenna finalist; averaged 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds
- Creighton commit
Male High School Athlete of Year (MO)
Alec Enyeart, Park Hill South
- Won 200 yard and 500 yard freestyle Missouri Class 2 titles, setting state record in 500
- Undefeated in both events all year
- Swimming at University of Texas
Ikenna Ezeogu, Blue Springs
- Iowa State commit in football at defensive end
- DiRenna Award finalist for top basketball player with 23 ppg, 10.5 rebounds
Karson Milbrandt, Liberty
- Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year
- Signee with Vanderbilt; may opt for Major League Baseball draft
Ryan Thompson, Rockhurst
- Kansas City Star Male Scholar Athlete of Year
- Going to Tulsa for soccer
Wentric Williams III, Liberty
- Two-time 195-pound state champ wrestling
- 1,541 rush yards for Blue Jays
- Commit to Western Illinois
Ty Wisdom, Liberty North
- Suburban Gold Player of Year
- Helped Eagles to Missouri Class 6 state title
- Signee to play at Kansas
Female College Athlete of the Year
Caroline Bien, Kansas
- Big 12 Volleyball Freshman of the Year
- St. Thomas Aquinas grad
Aubrey Fisher, Central Missouri
- First-Team NCAA Division II All-American
- MIAA Basketball Player of the Year at Central Missouri
- Olathe Northwest grad
Holly Kersgieter, Kansas
- Big 12 basketball first-team
- Big 12 second team Academic All-Big 12 Second Team
Ayoka Lee, K-State
- Set an NCAA Division I single-game record with 61 points
- 2022 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Male College Athlete of the Year
Ochai Agbaji, Kansas
- Consensus First-Team All-American
- Big 12 Player of the Year
- Helped lead Kansas to 2022 NCAA Division I national title and named Final Four Most Outstanding Player
- 2018 DiRenna Award winner at Oak Park High School
Tyler Badie, Missouri
- First-Team All SEC running back; SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year; Second-Team All-American
- Set Mizzou single-season rushing record with 1,604 yards
- Selected by Baltimore in sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft
Trevor Hudgins, NW Missouri State
- NCAA Division II Player of the Year – only fourth player to win honor back-to-back
- Named MVP of 2022 MIAA Tournament and Most Outstanding Player of Elite Eight
- Helped lead Bearcats to second straight national title
Skylar Thompson, K-State
- 2021 TaxAct Texas Bowl MVP
- Finished second on KSU’s all-time ranks in passing touchdowns, yards and completions
- Drafted by Miam Dolphins
- 2015 Simone Award winner at Fort Osage
KC Metro Coach of the Year
Joel Applebee, Mill Valley – Kansas Class 5A football state champions
Dustin Brewer, Liberty – Missouri Class 4 wrestling state champions
Eric Doane, Lee’s Summit West – Missouri Class 5 softball state champions
Nate Huppe, Bishop Miege – Kansas 4-1A boys and girls soccer champions
Clint Rider, Blue Valley Northwest – Kansas Class 6A football champions
Ryan Stegall, Liberty North – Missouri Class 6 baseball state champions
KC Boys Metro Team of the Year
Blue Valley Northwest football – Kansas Class 6A state champs
Liberty wrestling – Missouri Class 4 state champs
Liberty North baseball – Missouri Class 6 state champs
Mill Valley football – Kansas Class 5A state champs
Platte County baseball – Missouri Class 5 state champs
KC Girls Metro Team of the Year
Blue Valley North volleyball – Kansas Class 6A state champs
Blue Valley West soccer – Kansas Class 6A state champs
Lansing volleyball – Kansas Class 5A state champs
Lee’s Summit West softball – Missouri Class 5 state champs
St. Thomas Aquinas basketball – Kansas Class 5A state champs
St. Thomas Aquinas soccer – Kansas Class 5A state champs
Kansas City Fan of the Year
Pam Abramson, Kansas City Royals
The long-time season ticket holder along with husband, Stephen, has been known to be heard on TV and in the stadium yelling “Woo Hoo!” at Royals games.
Dwight “Brownie” Brown, Bishop Miege
Known as the “Gum Man”, Brownie is a fixture at Bishop Miege football and basketball games going back to 1995.
Brian Holland, Kansas City Comets
Holland started the Comets Facebook page
James McGinnis, Missouri Mavericks
While at Olathe East in 2014, McGinnis suffered a traumatic brain injury during football that left him in a coma. McGinnis still is able to attend Missouri Mavericks games
Aaron Rose, Kansas City Chiefs
A season ticket holder, big Aaron Rose was featured in images on Chiefs Wallpaper Wednesday earlier this year.
Clutch Performance / Moment of the Year
Ayoka Lee, Kansas State, setting NCAA single-game scoring record with 61 points vs Oklahoma on January 23
Trevor Hudgins of Northwest Missouri State, draining a long three-pointer in the NCAA Division II Central Region championship game
Kansas football‘s two-point conversion to upset Texas
David McCormack, Kansas scoring two buckets in final possessions of NCAA title game for 72-69 win over North Carolina
Chiefs AFC Divisional comeback win, tying game with drive in final :13 for FG; 42-36 OT win over Buffalo
Jeriah Horne, Barstow grad and the 2016 DiRenna Award winner, netting a buzzer-beating heave from beyond half-court for a Tulsa 73-72 win over Central Florida in the regular-season finale.
Tate McGuire of Liberty North, game-winning walk off hit to win districts for eventual state champion team
Jadyn Wooten, Blue Valley with two buzzer-beaters in Kansas Class 6A girls state basketball quarterfinals and semifinals
Jacob Gilyard of Richmond, former Barstow grad and 2017 DiRenna Award winner, scoring 24 points to upset Iowa in NCAA first round
Perseverance Award
Rob James, Liberty North
An assistant coach for boys basketball and baseball, James has battled cancer with a diagnosis of 12-18 months to live. James served as the head basketball coach in his son’s final home game. Quinton James scored a career-high 10 points in an emotional game.
Will King, Rockhurst
Missed the majority of his senior golf season due to a back injury. Worked to return just before the postseason; he placed 3rd at Districts, and then was co-State Champion in Missouri Class 5.
Kiki Moon, Truman
Kiki helped the Truman cheer team to a first-place finish at the UCA Regionals and secure a bid to nationals in Florida.
Kiki was diagnosed with scoliosis at 12, wearing a fiberglass brace for 20 hours per day. Kiki eventually underwent spinal fusion surgery in May of 2020, gained 2.5 inches in height and after a long recovery process, has been able to do some of the activities as before. In addition, Kiki coaches younger athletes and plans to cheer in college, as well as coach cheer later in life.
Ben Pritchett, Liberty North
Ben suffered a broken C6 and C7 vertebrae in an trampoline accident after his junior year. After spinal fusion surgery, and eventually cleared to vault, Ben topped his personal best at 14.0 and will be competing at Pitt State in track and field.
Kansas City Medical Professional of the Year
Dr. Marty DeCourcy, D.C. – Chiropractor since 1989, consultant for Chiefs 199-2010. Lead instructor for the Active Release Technique® teaching full body soft tissue certifications, and serves on the ART Board of Directors
Dr. Angela Myers, MD, MPH, Children’s Mercy – Division Director, Infectious Diseases; Medical Director, Center for Wellbeing. Performed load of COVID work at Children’s Mercy Hospital.
Dr. James O’Keefe Jr, St. Luke’s – Cardiologist and Medical Director of the Charles and Barbara Duboc Cardio Health & Wellness Center at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute. He is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City
Dr. Vince Key, University of Kansas Health Systems – Royals team doctor and current President of the MLB Physicians at the center of health and safety discussions involving major league baseball.
Dr. Aakash A. Shah, MD, HCA Midwest Health – Kansas City Joint Replacement and Sports Medicine at Menorah Medical Center. Annually works at NBA Combine with Miami Heat and Medical Director for the NFL Players Benefits Program with the NFL Players Association
Dr. David Smith, University of Kansas Health Systems – has served on the Medical Advisory Committee to KSHSAA for several years and has been instrumental in developing statewide policies that address high school athletics health.