Sports in Kansas has released its annual list of player of the year winners across the seven classifications in Kansas. A media panel of over 45 members in Kansas vote to compile finalists and winners annually.
Capsules are provided by Chet Kuplen of Sports in Kansas. Media day at the McPherson Community Building was handled by Chet Kuplen, Keaton Coad, Brett Cleland of Sports in Kansas. Along with Carol Swenson who talked to our winners about the McPherson Globe Refiners, the first Olympic Gold Medal Basketball Team. Photos by John Biehler Jr. for Sports in Kansas. Postseason honors are powered by Watco, Mammoth, Nex-Tech Wireless, SAFE, Lewis Automotive Group and McPherson Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Sports in Kansas 6A Girls Basketball Player of the Year, All-Classes Player of the Year, Non-Senior Player of the Year Large Classes
Jaliya Davis, Blue Valley North
Davis averaged nearly 24 points per game as a junior this year along with nine rebounds per contest to lead the Mustangs to a third place finish. She has scored over 1,100 points in her career and grabbed over 400 rebounds. She had 30 points in this years 6A third place game. Earned all-state honors in 6A from Sports in Kansas last season. Davis was the leading scorer at this years 6A state tournament with 63 points scored over three games. Only a junior.
Sports in Kansas 5A Girls Basketball Player of the Year
Ashley Singhateh, Maize South
Singhateh is one of the top multiple sport athletes in the state and led her team to a 5A state runner-up finish this season. One of the most complete guards in the state, averaging 18 points per game, four assists, three steals and nearly five rebounds per game. She earned AVCTL-I POY honors. Singhateh played her first three seasons at Eureka and totaled 1,563 points in her career. She is a multiple time all-state selection in 3A and now a first team all-state selection in all-classes from Sports in Kansas. Her Maize South team did something no team had done in eight years in knocking Aquinas (7x state champion) out of the 5A state tournament in the first round. She is a four-time state champion in the hurdles (2×100 hurdles, 2×300 hurdles in 3A) and will look to be one of the best in 5A this season. Singhateh was the leading scorer at this years state tournament with 60 points through three games.
—
Congrats to Ashley Singhateh on the 5A Player of the Year and Top 5 Players in Kansas! BlueChip Spine is proud of you!
Congratulations on your 5A POY, Ashley! Your Lady Maverick Basketball family is incredibly proud of you as a person and player! We’re thrilled to see you being rewarded for your admirable talents!
Congratulations on the 5A Player of the Year from Sports in Kansas. We are proud of you! Dylan and Chelsea Evans
—
Sports in Kansas 4A Girls Basketball Player of the Year
Val Norwood, Wellington, Jr.
Norwood had a big-time junior year in which she averaged 16 points per game, five assists, four steals and nearly five rebounds per game. One of the most complete point guards in the state, she helped her team to the best finish in school history by taking second in 4A. Norwood was also her leagues Defensive Player of the Year, MVP of Orange and Black Tournament. Norwood is just a junior and will be back with her entire team next year for what should be another standout season for 2024 Sports in Kansas 4A Coach of the Year Eric Adams. Norwood was the leading scorer at this years state tournament with 24.3 points per game, 73 total points through three tournament games. She scored 13 more points than anyone else at the 2024 tournament.
—
Congrats to Valerie Norwood! Impact Bank is proud of you!
Congrats to Val Norwood on 4A Player of the Year! Crusader Nation is proud of you!
Congrats to Val Norwood of Wellington HS on 4A Player of the Year. Kanokla Networks is a proud supporter of area athletics.
—
Sports in Kansas 3A Girls Basketball Player of the Year
Makenzie McDaniel, Silver Lake, Sr.
McDaniel was a 3A all-state selection three consecutive years but saved her best for last as she earns 3A Player of the Year from Sports in Kansas and Top-5 all-classes honors in leading the Eagles to the 3A undefeated state championship. She scored 1,493 points in her career along with 952 rebounds and 155 blocks as a four-year starter. McDaniel averaged 19.8 poins per game and over 10 rebounds per game this season as SL dominated just about everything in their path this year. She has also earned all-state honors in softball from SIK in her career. She will play basketball next season at Emporia State University. McDaniel scored 63 points at this years state tournament in three games.
—
Congratulations on the 3A Player of the Year from Sports in Kansas. We are proud of you! Dylan and Chelsea Evans
—
Sports in Kansas 2A Girls Basketball Player of the Year
Lily Brown, St. Mary’s Colgan, Sr.
Brown led all scorers, boys or girls in any class, with 80 points at this years state tournament through three games. She scored 22 points more than anyone else in 2A. One of the state’s very best multiple sport athletes with four individual state track and field championships in the hurdles and jumps with a senior year left. Brown earned Top-5 all-class honors and 2A Player of the Year honors this season after finishing second in the 2A voting last season. Brown scored 23 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, four steals per game, three assists per game, in scoring 600 points. This season Brown had a career-high of 50 points in one game. Brown scored over 1,773 points in her career and didn’t start seeing serious time until over half-way through her freshman career. She finishes as a 3x first team 2A all-state selection and gets her first Top-5 all-class nod. She will compete in track and field at Division II powerhouse Pittsburg State, who just won the indoor mens national title and took runner-up in womens. Also a special mention to Taylor Weishaar of Riverside who narrowly missed the honor this season but narrowly beat Brown for the award last season. Two of best players in the state.
—
Congrats to Lily Brown of St. Mary’s Colgan High School on the 2A Sports in Kansas Player of the Year. PRG Professional of Pittsburg is a proud supporter of St. Mary’s Colgan High School Athletics. Go Panthers!
—
Sports in Kansas 1A-I Girls Basketball Player of the Year
Hattie Gros, Frankfort, Sr.
Gros, a 5’9” senior, led Frankfort to the 1A-I crown this season with scoring 17.6 ppg, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 steals and two assists per contest. In her career, she registered 1,235 points, 502 rebounds, 1558 assists and 188 steals. She was also the All-Flint Hills Manhattan Mercury Basketball Player of the Year. And earned all-state honors in 1A-I from Sports in Kansas last season after helping her team to a third place finish. She is also an eight-time state track and field medalist, all-league in volleyball and on the Twin-Valley All-Academic team. She will play at Benedictine College next season.
—
Congrats to Hattie Gros of Frankfort. Trailers 4 U in Frankfort is proud to support Hattie and Frankfort area athletes. Visit Trailers 4 U online at Trailers4u.com or in downtown Frankfort. GO Cats!
Congrats to the Frankfort girls basketball team on this years 1A-I state championship. Also congrats to 1A-I Coach of the Year Brian Ebert and 1A-I Player of the Year Hattie Gros. The Frankort Wildcat Boosters are proud of our teams and proud supporters of Frankfort student athletes.
Sports in Kansas 1A-II Girls Basketball Player of the Year
Anna Jueneman, Hanover, Jr.
Jueneman, a 5’9” junior, helped lead her team to another state championship this season in going back to back by averaging 17 points per game, nearly five rebounds and nearly five steals a game this season. Jueneman, who finished second in the voting last year, takes top honors this year and is one of the top 1A multiple sport athletes in the state. Shes also an all-state volleyball player, 400-meter state champion and was on the 2022 state track and field championship team as a freshman. With a senior season left next year, she has 910 points, 212 rebounds, 230 steals, and 138 assists so far after three seasons.
—
Congratulations Anna Jueneman, we are so proud of you. Your hard work continues to pay off!
Congrats to Anna Jueneman on the 1A-II Player of the Year from Sports in Kansas. Hanover Electric is a proud supporter of Hanover athletics.
Citizens State Bank would like to congratulate the Hanover Wildcats on another state championship and Anna Jueneman on the 1A-II Player of the Year. Proud to support Hanover!
Congrats to Anna Jueneman- Player of the Year Class 1A D2 from Sports in Kansas. Andy’s Hardware and Lumber is a proud supporter of our local athletes
—
Sports in Kansas 4A, 5A, 6A Defensive Player of the Year
Taylin Stallbaumer, Topeka Seaman, Sr.
Stallbaumer, a multiple sport standout at Seaman, has two state titles in her first two sports this season so far, winning the 5A state basketball title this month and last fall winning the 5A state volleyball title. Stallbaumer was a two-time all-league pick in the UKC. The lock-down defender averaged over two steals per game through four years of high school, also grabbed 295 rebounds and scored 978 points. She averaged 11.5 points per game as a senior.
—
Congratulations Taylon from Gambinos Pizza in North Topeka, proud supporters of Seaman athletics! Great job Taylin!
Vikings Grille is proud of our state champion Lady Viking basketball team and Seaman athletics! Great job Taylin!
Taylin, the Stallbaumer and Barta families are so proud of you for receiving this well-deserved honor!
Sports in Kansas 2A & 3A Defensive Player of the Year
Taylor Weishaar, Riverside, Sr.
Weishaar, last seasons 2A POY, finishes as the 2A & 3A defensive player of the year. Not only a force on offense with 20 points per game she averaged 10 boards per game along with two blocks and three steals per contest. Weishaar, a multiple time 2A all-state pick, will play at Central Missouri next season.
Congratulations to Craig Burnes as Coach of the Year in Girls 2A-Basketball and Taylor Weishaar on 2A/3A DPOY from Sports in Kansas!!!On behalf of Coaches Dodson & Coach Stark’s, the Burnes Family, Howard/Langley Family, Jen, Mikal/Anna, and Jacob Lewandowski (owner) Avantex Marketing at: http:avantexmarketing.com along with the “Storm Chasers”; Friends/Family , the communities of: Riverside USD 114 Riverside HS in Elwood/Wathena, KS, our friends from Mid-Buchanan/Faucett, MO….We are ALL so proud of you both for your hard work and dedication! We can’t wait to see what is next!
Congrats to the Riverside girls basketball team on another outstanding season. The Riverside Booster Club is proud of you. Also a big congrats to Coach Burnes on 2A Sports in Kansas Coach of the Year and Taylor Weishaar on 2A/3A Defensive Player of the Year in the state of Kansas!
Sports in Kansas 1A-I & 1A-II Defensive Player of the Year
Alaina Eck, Little River, Sr.
Alaina Eck is one of the top multiple sport athletes in the state of Kansas and has twice won volleyball player of the year in Kansas. She can now add 1A-I & 1A-II defensive player of the year to her trophy case after helping her team to a state runner-up finish in 2024. Eck, who was also a finalist and finished in the top three for the 1A-I POY award, averaged 4.8 steals per game this year to go along with 3.7 boards per game, to also compliment her 15 points per game and 2.6 assists per game on offense. She is also part of the 1A 4×4 state championship relay team and the state runner-up 4×1 relay team.
Congratulations to Alaina Eck on the 1A-I & 1A-II defensive player of the year from Sports in Kansas. MTC is a proud sponsor of area athletics.
Congrats Alaina on being selected as the 1A-I & 1A-II defensive player of the year. Your coaches and teammates are proud of you! Good luck!
Sports in Kansas Non-Senior Player of the Year Big-Classes (4A-6A)
Jaliya Davis, BV North, Jr.
Davis, also the all-classes POY and 6A POY, averaged nearly 24 points per game as a junior this year along with nine rebounds per contest to lead the Mustangs to a third place finish. She has scored over 1,100 points in her career and grabbged over 400 rebounds. She had 30 points in this years 6A third place game. Earned all-state honors in 6A from Sports in Kansas last season. Only a junior.
Sports in Kansas Non-Senior Player of the Year Small-Classes (3A-1A)
Kendall Brueggen, Hesston, Jr.
Brueggen is one of the best players in the state of Kansas and narrowly missed being a Top-5 all-class selection this season, finishing on the second-team all-class team and first team 3A. She takes home top honors as the best non-senior player of the year from the 3A and below classes. The junior averaged 22.2 points per game, seven rebounds per game, three steals per game, two assists and five blocks per game. She totaled 578 points this season and has 1,252 career points through three seasons. Brueggen holds multiple Division I offers including an in state one from Wichita State. Hesston, under head coach Matt Richardson, will be the team to beat in 3A next year with the return of Brueggen and losing zero seniors. She’s also a standout in track and volleyball for the Swathers.
—
Kendal, keep working hard and chasing your dreams. You make your family SO proud! Go Swathers!
Congrats to Kendal Brueggen on Non-Senior 1A-3A Player of the Year from Sports in Kansas! Hesston is proud of you!
Super proud of you KB, the amount of hours we’ve spent in the gym working on your game showed in the season you had this year. Contact CN3 Training at 316-210-0531 if you want to take your game to another level.
Congratulations on the 3A Player of the Year from Sports in Kansas. We are proud of you! Dylan and Chelsea Evans
—
