By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/7NXPFJZL. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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There may not be a clearcut favorite when it comes down to picking the top women's basketball player in Shawnee County history.
Or to lock at it another way, there's a whole bunch of favorites.
The list of candidates includes former Kansas State stars like Nadira Hazim, Kristie Bahner and Peyton Williams as well as former Washburn University stalwarts Brenda Shaffer-Dahl, Shelley Foster, Nikki Olberding, Latisha Yarnell, Kelly Jennings, Lorie Roenbaugh, Jessica Mainz and Erika Lane.
Jeneka Joyce was a NCAA national champion for Notre Dame, while Crystal Kemp was an All-Big 12 pick for the Jayhawks, Cierra Ceazer made her mark at Grambling and Indiana State and both Deana Alexander and the late Tisharria Huggins played at Wichita State.
Brenda Shaffer-Dahl
Tatyana Legette
Candidates like Tatyana Legette, Jamie Blakely and Alexa Bordewick made their mark in the MIAA, with Legette earning conference player of the year honors.
There's also Barbara Sipes and Ruth Fairbank, who were stars at the amateur level, and you can't overlook Topeka High senior to be NiJaree Canady, who has already established herself as one of the best in Shawnee County history.
NiJaree Canady
There are 25 candidates listed to pick from at https://linkto.run/p/7NXPFJZL while readers also have the option of writing in a name.
Vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have grown up in Shawnee County or attended one of the county's 10 high schools.
Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes will be accepted through July 31 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in August.
NEXT UP: Men's basketball.
