June 12, 2002
Alicia DeShasier of Carrollton and Ryan Shields of Chicago (Leo) have been named the 2002 IHSA Sports Report Athletes of the Year.
This year's selections are the 11th time the IHSA Sports Report has presented the honors. Begun in 1992 by veteran broadcaster Art Kimball, the award is presented to one female athlete and one male athlete whose performance in competition has been outstanding throughout their interscholastic career. Kimball and IHSA staff selected the honorees from 1992-96 and current Sports Report anchor Lanny Slevin and IHSA staff has selected the honorees since 1997.
Alicia DeShasier was a three-year starter in volleyball, a four-year starter in basketball and a four-year starter in softball for Coach Lori Blade and Carrollton. She graduated third in her class with a 4.441 grade point average out of 4.0 and will attend Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She will play softball in college.
This past school year Carrollton defended its Class A girls basketball state title and finished second in the Class A softball tournament. DeShasier averaged 15.3 points per game as a guard for Carrollton in basketball and was second baseman and pitcher on the softball team. She batted .484 this year and went 10-0 on the mound.
In 2001 as a junior for Carrollton, DeShasier scored 39 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and had 5 assists in three state final tournament games in basketball. Last year, she scored 24 points, had 24 rebounds and 10 assists in three state tournament games. Her 8 points in the title game, a 24-20 Carrollton win over Augusta (Southeastern), accounted for one-third of her team's points.
Ryan Shields is the only athlete in IHSA track and field history to win the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash in each of three consecutive years.
In his sophomore year (2000), Shields won the 100 in a time of :11.06, the 200 in :21.82 and the 400 in :48.25 as Leo was nipped, 54-53 by St. Joseph-Ogden, for the Class A team title in the Boys State Final Track and Field Meet. As a junior (2001), Ryan won the 100 in :10.64, the 200 in :21.83 and the 400 in :47.73 as Leo finished third in team points with 48 behind champion Harrisburg's 52. Shields anchored Leo's runner-up 4 x 100 relay team, which posted a :47.72 in the finals. This year, Shields led Leo to the team title with 85 points and a 39-point margin. He won the 100 in :10.77, the 200 in a personal best of :21.41 and the 400 in a personal best of :46.76.
His time of :46.76 in the 400 ranks fifth on the 108-year all-time list.
Following is a complete listing of the IHSA Sports Report Athletes of the Year:
1992 Male: Mike Kamienski, Addison (Driscoll)
Female: Marnie Trefenbach, Belleville (West)
1993: Male: Keith Lozowski, Palatine (Fremd)
Female: Patience Grayer, Peoria (Manual)
1994: Male: Brandon Hughes, Peoria (Manual)
Female: Terri Zemaitis, Downers Grove (South)
1995: Male: Tai Streets, Harvey (Thornton)
Female: Jenny Schmidt, Normal (Community)
1996: Male: Mark Prina, Paxton (P.-Buckley-Loda)
Female: Katie Schumacher, Chicago (Mother McCauley)
1997: Male: Antwaan Randle-El, Harvey (Thornton)
Female: Sara Ettner, Marengo
1998: Male: Patton Seagraves, Harrisburg
Female: Allison Curtin, Taylorville
1999: Male: Nick Setta, Lockport (Twp.)
Female: Kourtney Walton, Chicago (Marshall)
2000: Male: Brian Hartlaub, Riverton
Female: Aminata Yanni, Machesney Park (Harlem)
2001: Male: Matt Roth, Villa Park (Willowbrook)
Female: Gena Rawlins, Stanford (Olympia)
2002: Male: Ryan Shields, Chicago (Leo)
Female: Alicia DeShasier, Carrollton