View Past Recipients: 2014|2015|2016|2017|2018|2019|2020|2021|2022
2023 High School Athletes
You can scroll to a specific school below.
Sacred Heart of Jesus High School
Madison Academic High School
Liberty Technology High School
Jackson Christian School
North Side High School
South Side High School
Trinity Christian Academy
University School of Jackson
Sacred Heart of Jesus High School
Joanna Veltman
Sacred Heart’s female athlete of the year, Joanna Veltman, played volleyball four years and was the team captain last season. She averaged three kills per game and was honorable mention all-district. She was chosen the school’s best defensive player and most valuable player. She has a 4.5 grade point average and plans to attend Tennessee Knoxville.
Sam Saia
Sacred Heart’s male athlete of the year, Sam Saia, played soccer for the Knights. He excelled as a ball-recovering midfielder. Described as “smart, technical and detailed focused” by the school, he has never missed a training practice and is “always willing to help his teammates.” He has a 4.5 grade point average and has not made his college choice.
Madison Academic High School
Braden Nye
Madison’s male athlete of the year, Braden Nye, competed in four sports – cross country, soccer, basketball and track. He ran cross country four years, advancing to state each season and helping win two region championships. He played basketball three years, averaging 9.7 points and two assists this season. The past two soccer seasons he has totaled 37 goals and 27 assists while making all-state, all-region and all-district. He was district MVP last season and helped the team reach the state final. He ranks third in his class with a 4.0 GPA. He plans to play soccer at Auburn-Montgomery and study accounting.
mitzi castro
Madison’s female athlete of the year, Mitzi Castro, played volleyball and tennis. She was state runner-up in girls tennis doubles the past two seasons and all-district both years. She was undefeated in singles play as a junior. In volleyball she has been all-district three years and received all-region tournament honors this season. She finished with 2,000 career digs, including 1,000 her senior year. She has a 3.84 GPA and plans to study nursing in college.
Liberty Technology High School
Devon Nappier-Smith
Liberty Tech’s male athlete of the year, Devon Nappier-Smith, played basketball and football. He has been all-district, all-region and all-academic in basketball, serving as team captain and being selected most valuable player last season. He played five positions on the football team, passing for 714 yards and eight touchdowns at quarterback. He gained 590 yards and scored seven TDs as a wide receiver and rushed for 212 yards and three TDs at running back. As a defensive back he made 60 tackles and had three quarterback sacks. He has a 3.12 GPA and plans to play football at the University of Memphis and study computer engineering.
Sydnee Cole
Liberty Tech’s female athlete of the year, Sydnee Cole, played volleyball and basketball. She was the district Player of the Year in volleyball and made the 2022 Hub City All-Tournament team in basketball. She averaged 18.6 points, five rebounds and three assists this season. She has a 3.3 grade point average, is a Beta Club member and plans to attend Union University to study athletic training.
Jackson Christian High School
Kameron "Kam" Boyd
Jackson Christian’s male athlete of the year, Kameron Boyd, played football and is the Eagles’ all-time leading rusher with 3,728 yards. He ranks first in career rushing TDs (48) and second in single-season rushing TDs (23). He is the first JC player with multiple seasons of 20-plus rushing TDs. Last season he rushed for 1,800 yards and 24 TDs, averaging 9.3 yards per carry. He was twice named the D2-1A West Region Offensive Player of the Year and was D2-1A All-State in 2021. He has a 4.38 GPA and plans to play football at Arkansas State.
Trinity Brooks
Jackson Christian’s female athlete of the year, Trinity Brooks, played basketball and softball. She batted .385 and had 30 RBIs, 39 stolen bases and scored 70 runs. She was TSCA All-State last season. The past two seasons she was selected all-district, all-region and all-region tournament. In basketball this season she averaged 11.3 points and 3.9 rebounds. She has a 3.75 grade point average and plans to play softball at Carson-Newman University.
North Side High School
Kierstyn Beard
North Side’s female athlete of the year, Kierstyn Beard, played basketball and volleyball. She led the Lady Indians’ basketball team in five categories, averaging 9.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. She also led in field goal and free throw percentage. She is a three-time all-district performer. She has a 3.63 grade point average and is a member of North Side’s National Honor Society and student council. She has not chosen the college she will attend.
Malik Currie
North Side’s male athlete of the year, Malik Currie, plays basketball for the Indians. He averages 18.3 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks. He helped lead the team to a 20-7 record and state appearance last season and was an all-region pick. He is a Basketball Coaches Association of Tennessee All-Star and was all-tournament in the Hardwood Classic. He has a 2.9 GPA and
plans to attend Harding University in Arkansas.
South Side High School
Albany Collins
South Side’s female athlete of the year, Albany Collins, played basketball four years for the Lady Hawks. She helped the team finish runner-up in the state in Class 3A last season. The Lady Hawks were unbeaten and ranked No. 1 late this season at the time of this writing. She averaged 15 points, 2.5 rebounds, two assists and three steals and has scored more than 1,100 career points. Described as “a leader on and off the court,” she has a 3.6 grade point average and plans to attend college on a basketball scholarship.
Nicholas Powell
South Side’s male athlete of the year, Nicholas Powell, played football and soccer. A four-year starter in football, he was team captain last season. He was a two-time Region 6-4A Defensive
MVP and the defensive MVP in the West TN All-Star Game. Last season he had 78 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks, one interception and three caused fumbles. On offense he rushed
for 563 yards and eight TDs. He is an all-district soccer player, excelling on defense. He has a 3.1 GPA and plans to attend college on a football scholarship.
Trinity Chistian Academy
Olivia lee
TCA’s female athlete of the year, Olivia Lee, played basketball and soccer and ran track. She won the DII-A Miss Basketball Award last season and is a finalist this year, just as she was her sophomore season. All-state for two years, she had 2,202 career points, 865 career rebounds and 301 career assists as of this writing. She was all-state in soccer two years and qualified for state on two relay teams. A member of TCA’s National Honor Society, she has a 3.86 GPA. She plans to attend Union University on a full basketball scholarship.
Trace Robinson
TCA’s male athlete of the year, Trace Robinson, played golf, basketball and tennis and ran track. He is a two-time Jackson Sun Male Golfer of the Year and two-time all-state pick by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association. He placed third in the DII-A state tournament this season and fourth last season. He has a 4.56 grade point average and plans to attend Union University on a golf scholarship.
University School of Jackson
Berkeley Pettigrew
USJ’s male athlete of the year, Berkeley Pettigrew, played football and baseball four years. He was football team captain the last two seasons and all-state and all-region quarterback in DII-A. His senior year he completed 126 of 192 passes for 2,189 yards and 35 TDs. He rushed for 187 yards and three TDs. In his career he passed for 3,707 yards and 53 TDs and ran for 478 yards and seven TDs. He is a middle infielder and pitcher on the baseball team. He has a 4.28 GPA and plans to attend the University of Mississippi.
Morgan English
USJ’s female athlete of the year, Morgan English, competed in soccer and track and field for the Lady Bruins. A three-year team captain in soccer, she is USJ’s all-time leading scorer with 208 goals. She is a four-time All-State pick by both the AP and the Coaches Poll and a
three-time Jackson Sun All-West State Player of the Year. She led USJ to back-to-back state championships her junior and senior seasons and scored 19 career goals in the TSSAA state playoffs. She was an all-region track and field performer in the 100-meter dash and long jump last season. She has a 4.3 GPA and plans to play soccer at Mississippi State.