Sterling High School seniors Chelsie Brown and Zane Farney were honored at the 28th annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet Thursday at INTRUST Bank Arena.
The ceremony highlighted professional and collegiate athletes, top area high schoolers and inducted new members into the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame.
Brown, who finished her high school career with two unbeaten Kansas Class 3-2-1A state tennis titles and 69 straight victories, received the Lynette Woodard High School Athlete of the year.
Brown, who was born hard of hearing, participated in the Deaflympics in Tokyo and helped Team USA win a bronze medal in doubles.
Farney, who competed for the West Team as a wide receiver at the Kansas Shrine Bowl football game Saturday in Emporia, received the Barry Sanders High School Athlete of the year.
Farney helped lead the Black Bears to a Kansas Class 1A state football title, rushed for 2,326 yards and 42 touchdowns during the 2025 season. He rushed for 6,712 yards and 90 TDs during his career. Farney rushed for 279 yards and three TDs in Sterling’s state title victory.
Farney helped the Sterling boys basketball to a 2A state championship and won first-place gold medals at the Class 2A state track meet in the 110-meter hurdles (14.66 seconds) and 300 hurdles (38.68 seconds).
Little River High School volleyball coach Kim Rolfs was named the High School Female Coach of the year. She guided the Little River volleyball team to its fourth straight Class 1A Division I state volleyball title.
Former University of Kansas basketball star Mario Chalmers was the guest speaker at the banquet.
28th annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet key award winners
• Lynette Woodard High School Female Athlete of the Year: Chelsie Brown, Sterling High School (Born hard of hearing, she won back-to-back Class 3-1A tennis singles titles and a Deaflympics bronze medal).
• Barry Sanders High School Male Athlete of the Year: Zane Farney, Sterling High School (Helped lead Sterling to state titles in football, basketball and track).
• Junior College Female Athlete of the Year: Xylavene Beale, Hutchinson Community College.
• Junior College Male Athlete of the Year: Tristan Hankins, Butler Community College.
• College Female Athlete of the Year: Kinzey Woody, Wichita State University (Softball standout and AAC Freshman of the Year).
• College Male Athlete of the Year: Kenyon Giles, Wichita State University (Men’s basketball standout).
• Professional Athlete of the Year: Kyle Crnkovic, Wichita Thunder.
• Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year: Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina University.
Coaches of the Year
• High School Female Coach: Kim Rolfs, Little River.
• High School Male Coach: Weston Schartz, Kapaun Mount Carmel.
• College Coach: Terry Harrison, Friends University.
Wichita Sports Hall of Fame Inductees
• Chris Lamb: Wichita State volleyball coach.
• Shane Dennis: Former Shocker baseball standout and broadcaster.
• Carolyn LeFevre: Longtime Wichita West athletic trainer.
• Doug Hoover: Kapaun Mount Carmel and state championship wrestling coach.
