Robbi Ryan Of Sheridan Named Wyoming Girls Basketball Gatorade Player Of The Year

In its 30th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, announced Robbi Ryan of Sheridan High School as its 2014-15 Gatorade Wyoming Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Ryan is the second Gatorade Wyoming Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Sheridan High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Ryan as Wyoming’s best high school girls basketball player.

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, Ryan joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.), Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie(1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).

The 5-foot-9 junior guard has led the Lady Broncs to a 20-3 record and a berth in the Class 4A state tournament, scheduled to begin March 12.

Ryan averaged 16.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 79.3 percent from the free throw line through 23 games.

A two-time First Team All-State selection, she also posted regular-season averages of 4.2 assists and 3.4 steals per game.

Ryan has maintained a 3.91 GPA in the classroom.

A member of the National Honor Society, she is a talented pianist, guitarist and ukulele player and has volunteered locally on behalf of the Special Olympics, the YMCA and an area homeless shelter.

“Robbi Ryan is a tremendous player who gets everyone involved and makes the players around her better,” said Rusty Horsley, head coach at Cheyenne East High. “She is an outstanding athlete who can do things on the court that I have not seen other girls even attempt.”

Ryan will begin her senior year of high school this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.

The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Ryan joins recent Gatorade Wyoming Girls Basketball Players of the Year Kaylee Johnson (2013-14, 2012-13 & 2011-12, Natrona County High School), Jordan Kelley (2010-11 & 2009-10, Campbell County High School), Jordan Kent (2008-09, Campbell County), Kristen Scheffler (2007-08, Lovell), and Hillary Carlson (2006–07, Cheyenne Central) among the state’s list of former award winners.