By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The most impressive thing about NiJaree Canady is that she still may have not hit her peak just two college seasons into an already prolific softball career.
But the former two-time state champion at Topeka High, college freshman of the year and national player of the year for Stanford and future Texas Tech Red Raider has already accomplished enough to get the nod for the No. 1 spot on TopSports.news' list of the Top 100 Athletes in Shawnee County history.
Canady, who also helped lead Topeka High to three straight Class 6A state berths in basketball, headlines a top five that that also includes Olympic silver medalist Margaret Murdock, former NCAA national softball champion Lisa Carey, current Kentucky and USA Volleyball Under 21 star Brooklyn DeLeye and multi-time state champ, Arizona State All-American and pro tennis player Sheri Norris.
Former Cair Paravel Latin star Peyton Williams, an All-Big-12 honoree in basketball and volleyball for Kansas State, earned the No. 6 spot on the Top 100, followed by K-State hoops star Nadira Hazim, Washburn University record-setter Brenda Shaffer-Dahl, Iowa State volleyball star Kaylee Manns and Nebraska national volleyball champ Jazz Sweet.
TSN SHAWNEE COUNTY ALL-TIME TOP 100 WOMEN’S ATHLETES
NiJaree Canady won two state softball titles for Topeka High and earned National Player of the Year honors at Stanford this spring before announcing this week that she is transferring to Texas Tech. [Stanford Athletids]
1. NIJAREE CANADY, Topeka High
A star pitcher, Canady was named the national softball freshman of the year for Stanford as a freshman and was named the NCAA Division I national player of the year this past season, helping the Cardinal reach the College World Series both seasons. Canady was a three-time All-Stater in softball and a two-time All-Stater in basketball. Canady was named the Gatorade Kansas Softball Player of the Year as a junior and senior after helping Topeka High win back-to-back Class 6A state championships. A city player of the year in both softball and basketball, Canady helped lead the Trojan basketball team to a pair of state runner-up finishes and a perfect 23-0 record in 2019-20 before the state tournament was cancelled after the quarterfinals due to COVID-19.
Margaret Murdock tied for the gold medal in the 1976 Olympic Games in shooting and received the silver medal. [TheOlympians.com]
2. MARGARET MURDOCK, Hayden
As a shooter, the Hayden graduate earned a silver medal in the 1976 Olympics, set 13 world records (four individual, nine team) and is a member of multiple halls of fame, including the USA Shooting Hall of Fame, the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. Murdock competed on the men's rifle team at Kansas State, winning two Big 8 championships and becoming the first female student to earn a varsity letter. She was the first woman to win a medal in shooting at the Summer Olympics and the first to win an individual open World Shooting Championship. Murdock, who achieved the rank of Major in the U.S. Army, retired from competitive shooting at the age of 35 and became a registered nurse.
Lisa Carey was a two-sport state champion at Washburn Rural and a three-time All-American and national softball champ for Oklahoma. [Oklahoma Athletics]
3. LISA CAREY, Washburn Rural
Carey helped lead Washburn Rural to state titles in both softball and basketball, earning All-State honors in both sports, and went on to become a three-time All-American at Oklahoma and helped lead the Sooners to an NCAA national championship. Carey was a three-time All-Big 12 pick and was named the conference player of the year in 2000. At Washburn Rural Carey posted a 48-3 pitching record with an 0.31 earned run average from 1994-97, leading the Junior Blues to a Class 6A state title in 1995. Carey coached Washburn's softball team for nine seasons, compiling a 256-221 record, the most wins in the program’s history. Carey took the Lady Blues to the NCAA Division II Tournament twice. Carey was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
Brooklyn DeLeye was a state champion for Washburn Rural in volleyball and basketball before starring in volleyball for Kentucky and the USA Under 21 team. [File photo/TSN]
4. BROOKLYN DELEYE, Washburn Rural
After an outstanding freshman season for Kentucky's volleyball team, the former Washburn Rural multi-sport star helped lead the U.S. Volleyball U21 team to the title in the recent NORCECA Continental Championship in Toronto, earning MVP and Top Spiker awards. DeLeye led Washburn Rural to state titles in volleyball and basketball and was also a standout in soccer. DeLeye was a two-time Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year in volleyball and was named to the All-State first team four straight years. She finished her high school career with 2,090 kills. DeLeye was a three-time All-Shawnee County pick in basketball, helping Rural win the Class 6A title as a junior and to a second-place finish as a senior.
Sheri Norris was a multi-time state tennis champion for Topeka West and an All-American at Arizona State before playing on the professional tour. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
5. SHERI NORRIS, Topeka West
Norris won two Class 6A state singles championships (1980-'81) before going on to become a three-time NCAA Division I All-American at Arizona State and advancing to the national singles semifinals. Norris also played three years on the WTA Tennis Tour. Norris a member of the Topeka West, Topeka Tennis Association Hall of Fame and the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame.
Former Cair Paravel star Peyton Williams earned All-Big 12 honors in both basketball and volleyball for Kansas State before embarking on a pro basketball career. [Kansas State Athletics]
6. PEYTON WILLIAMS, Cair Paravel Latin
After starring in volleyball and basketball for Cair Paravel Latin, Williams continued her career at Kansas State, earning All-Big 12 honors in both volleyball and basketball in her final year at KSU. Williams is currently playing professional basketball overseas after playing for Team USA in the 2019 Pan American Games. Williams was an All-Big 12 first-team selection for Kansas State as a junior and senior in basketball.
Nadira Hazim starred at Topeka West and Kansas State, earning a spot in the Topeka Shawnee County Sports Hall of Fame. [Topeka Capital-Journal]
7. NADIRA HAZIM, Topeka West
A Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Famer, Hazim was an All-Stater and led the Chargers to the Class 6A state championship game in 1987, including a 42-point performance in the state tournament. Hazim went on to score 1,670 career points for Kansas State, where she earned All-Big 8 Conference honors and ranked sixth on the school’s all-time scoring list. Hazim is also a member of the Topeka West Athletic Hall of Fame.
Shawnee Heights product Brenda Shaffer-Dahl set 24 women's basketball records at Washburn University. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
8. BRENDA SHAFFER-DAHL, Heights
After earning All-State honors and leading Shawnee Heights to an undefeated state championship as a senior in 1986, Shaffer-Dahl went on to set 24 Washburn University records from 1986-90 and is WU's career leader in scoring (2,613 points) and rebounds (1,106). Shaffer, a member of the Topeka Shawnee County and Washburn halls of fame, earned All-CSIC honors four straight seasons and NAIA and Kodak/WBCA All-America honors twice each.
Kaylee Manns was a three-sport star at Washburn Rural before earning All-America volleyball honors for Iowa State and embarking on a long pro career. [auprosports.com]
9. KAYLEE MANNS, Washburn Rural
A three-sport standout at Washburn Rural, Manns went on to become a first-team Asics/Volleyball Magazine All-American for Iowa State in 2009 and was a two-time AVCA second-team All-American. A two-time first-team All-Big 12 pick, Manns was named Iowa State's Female Student-Athlete of the Year and finished her career as the Cyclones' all-time assist leader (5,625), No. 5 in digs and block assists and No. 9 in total blocks. She was the first player in Big 12 history to record 5,500 assists, 1,000 digs, 300 kills and 300 blocks in a career. Manns played professionally for more than a decade after her college career ended.
Jazz Sweet helped lead Shawnee Heights to a Class 5A state volleyball title before playing on a national championship team at Nebraska. [huskers.com]
10. JAZZ SWEET, Shawnee Heights
After winning a 5A state title at Shawnee Heights in 2016, Sweet helped perennial Division I power Nebraska win a NCAA Division I national championship (2017) and post a runner-up finish ('18). Sweet was named to the All-Big 10 Freshman Team and was named Nebraska's outstanding female newcomer for all sports in 2017-'18. Finished her NU career with 970 career kills and 282 blocks and had a career-high 18 kills twice in '19 in wins over Illinois and Iowa. Sweet earned Under Armour first-team prep All-America honors in '16 after recording 478 kills, 284 digs, 84 blocks and 41 aces for the 38-6 T-Birds.
11. JUDY DYER, Topeka High
12. TRISA NICKOLEY, Shawnee Heights
13. RITA GRAVES, Topeka High
14. SHARA STAFFORD, Topeka High
15. SHELLEY FOSTER, Seaman
16. BROOKLYN HUNTER, Hayden
17. MEGAN COONEY, Shawnee Heights
18. RUTH FAIRBANK, Topeka High
19. BARBARA SIPES, Seaman
20. JENEKA JOYCE, Washburn Rural
21. JOCELYN BENTLEY, Highland Park
22. JESSICA MAINZ, Shawnee Heights
23. LORI GREEN, Topeka West
24. CRYSTAL KEMP, Topeka High
25. DANI McHENRY, Shawnee Heights
26. SHANNON SUDDARTH, Hayden
27. LAURA KLAMM, Highland Park
28. STACEY SLAVENS, Shawnee Heights
29. LATISHA YARNELL, Washburn Rural
30. JANELLE WRIGHT, Topeka High
31. CARLY BACHELOR, Washburn Rural
32. KELSEY CHIPMAN, Washburn Rural
33. JAYME GERGEN, Washburn Rural
34. CAMRYN TURNER, Seaman
35. DEANA ALEXANDER, Shawnee Heights
36. KENDRA HURLA, Rossville
37. KRISTIE BAHNER, Topeka High
38. MADELINE HILL, Washburn Rural
39. EMILY DICUS, Topeka West
40. JAYCEE GINTER, Shawnee Heights
41. ARICA SHEPARD, Rossville
42. NIKKI OLBERDING, Seaman
43. LAUREN MILLS, Seaman
44. TATYANA LEGETTE, Seaman
45. ALEXA BORDEWICK, Washburn Rural
46. CIERRA CEAZER, Shawnee Heights
47. KIKI SMITH, Topeka High
48. TISHARRIA HUGGINS, Topeka West
49. KELLY JENNINGS, Topeka High
50. ERIKA LANE, Washburn Rural
51. FAITH ROTTINGHAUS, Shawnee Heights
52. AVERY CLIFTON, Washburn Rural
53. SYDNEY MESSICK, Seaman
54. JAYBE SHUFELBERGER, Washburn Rural
55. JENNIFER PERINE, Rossville
56. RHONDA MATZKE, Silver Lake
57. JAMIE BLAKELY, Washburn Rural
58. ABBY GLYNN, Washburn Rural
59. MEGAN LUCAS, Washburn Rural
60. BILLIE JEAN MOORE, Highland Park
61. BRENDA STOLLE, Silver Lake
62. TAYLOR ZORDEL, Washburn Rural
63. KADENCE JEFFRIES, Topeka West
64. LEEA MURPHY, Shawnee Heights
65. KAIRA HOUSER, Washburn Rural
66. DARBY HIRSCH, Washburn Rural
67. KATHY MOHLER, Silver Lake
68. RACHEL STOUS, Topeka High
69. HAYLEY REED, Seaman
70. KASEY HAMILTON, Washburn Rural
71. SUSAN PUNZO, Shawnee Heights
72. DANIELLE KNIPP, Washburn Rural
73. CHRIS TORREZ, Topeka West
74. MEG GRIFFIN, Topeka West
75. STEFINE PEASE, Shawnee Heights
76. LORI ROENBAUGH, Shawnee Heights
77. TONNA RIEGER, Topeka West
78. KELLI DUDLEY, Topeka West
79. ALEX O'NEAL, Hayden
80. ZEBBIE ROBERTSON, Hayden
81. KRISTIN STRECKER, Hayden
82. HALEY MOLDEN, Washburn Rural
83. SAMMIE SCHURIG, Washburn Rural
84. SANDY WERNER, Washburn Rural
85. KRISTEN CARLSON, Hayden
86. BREANNA LEWIS, Seaman
87. KATIE MERRIAM, Hayden
88. DAJIA ANDERSON, Washburn Rural
89. ADDISON BROXTERMAN, Washburn Rural
90. ALYSSA SCHULTEJANS, Silver Lake
91. KELSEY LEWIS, Washburn Rural
92. MARANDA BELL, Shawnee Heights
93. MARISSA PATTERSON, Shawnee Heights
94. CAITLIN MORRISEY, Topeka West
95. REBEKAH SMITH, Washburn Rural
96. CASSIE WASSENBERG, Shawnee Heights
97. SHAUNA BURRELL, Seaman
98. ABREANNA PARKER, Shawnee Heights
99. BROOKE LaRUE, Hayden
100. RYIN MILLER, Seaman
UPCOMING TOP 100 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
July 28 -- Men's No. 10 through 1.
