National Congress of State Games
Athletes of the year
The National Congress of State Games’ Athlete of the Year hall of fame is bursting with incredible stories. Past winners aren’t just champions, they’re testaments to dedication, overcoming obstacles, and the pure joy of competition!
Kaidin Bell – Michigan | Age – 12 | Sport – Disc Golf
Awards – Gold in Junior 15 & under & Gold in Adult Am2
Kaidin is 12 years old and has been playing disc golf since he could walk. He competed with adults at the State Games and took First Place playing two 18 hole rounds the day after playing the 15 and under and taking First Place. He is a 3X World champion, United States Champion, Michigan State Champion, Mini Golf World Champion, Putting World Champion, Skill shot World Champion among many other achievements. Kaidin has 102 world records with distance throwing frisbees. He has a YouTube channel “Bell Boys Disc Golf Journey” you can check him out in action.
Jaycelyn “Jaycie” Collins – Mississippi | Age – 31 | Sport – Masters Swimming
Awards – 2023 (5) Gold Medals in Masters Swimming, 2024 (5) Gold Medals in Masters Swimming
Meridianite Jaycie Collins is a gold-medal swimmer who wins in many events at the age of 16. A State Games participant for two years, Jaycie took home five gold medals in 2023 and 2024 in freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley. “I am a Down Syndrome athlete,” Jaycie said. “I am short, I have limited arm span, my legs are not terribly long but I love to swim and have learned to use what God created to win in swimming.” Outside of State Games, Jaycie participates in the Mississippi Special Olympics. She was a Mississippi Swim Team Delegate to the National Special Olympics in Seattle, Washington in 2018 and a Mississippi Swim Team Delegate to the National Special Olympics in Orlando, Florida in 2022.
| Year | Award | Name | State | Sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Youth | Addison Kegel | Montana | Track & Field |
| 2025 | Adult | Bill Luscombe | Montana | Billiards |
| 2024 | Female | Jaycie Collins | Mississippi | Swimming |
| 2024 | Male | Kaidin Bell | Michigan | Disc Golf |
| 2023 | Female | Madalynn Grant | Virginia | Track & Field |
| 2023 | Male | Emmett Hassenstab | Nebraska | Track & Field |
| 2022 | Youth Female | Erika Blanchard | Massachusetts | FootGolf |
| 2022 | Youth Male | Delmace Mayo | Massachusetts | Para Track & Field |
| 2022 | Female | Winifred "Winkie" LaForce | North Carolina | Pickleball |
| 2022 | Male | Buck Wood | Nebraska | Pickleball |
| 2021 | Youth Female | Olivia Goodwin | Virginia | Swimming |
| 2021 | Youth Male | Cooper Conner | Mississippi | Soccer |
| 2021 | Female | Rachel Lee | Michigan | Archery |
| 2021 | Male | Brady O'Donnell | Massachusetts | Soccer |
| 2020 | Youth Female | Teagan Dymek | Massachusetts | Volleyball |
| 2020 | Youth Male | Reese Stevenson | Massachusetts | Swimming |
| 2020 | Female | Ashlynn Moore | Virginia | Track & Field |
| 2020 | Male | Kevan Hueftle | Nebraska | Track & Field |
| 2019 | Youth Female | Aubriella Hairston | Alabama | Ninja Challenge |
| 2019 | Youth Male | Peter Thompson | Montana | Swimming |
| 2019 | Female | Bonnie Coleman | New Mexico | Multi-Sport |
| 2019 | Male | Michael Gallardo | California | Track & Field |
| 2018 | Youth Female | Maycee Peacher | Nebraska | Wrestling |
| 2018 | Youth Male | Adin Fetibegovic | Michigan | Tae Kwon Do |
| 2018 | Female | Sharon Harris | Montana | Multi-Sport |
| 2018 | Male | Chad Lorenz | Kansas | Track & Field |
| 2017 | Youth Female | Hailey Poole | Montana | Track & Field |
| 2017 | Youth Male | Daylin Toms | West Virginia | Wrestling |
| 2017 | Female | Dorian McMenemy | Massachusetts | Swimming |
| 2017 | Male | Dave Winslow | Montana | Bowling |
| 2016 | Youth Male | Sabastian Harsh | Nebraska | Wrestling |
| 2016 | Youth Female | Colette and Elyse Levens | Michigan | Multi-Sport |
| 2016 | Male | Don "Boomer" McCrea | Oregon | Multi-Sport |
| 2016 | Female | Janet Brady | Michigan | Track & Field |
| 2015 | Male | Josh Majerus | Nebraska | Wrestling |
| 2015 | Female | Andrea Weiss | New Mexico | Badminton |
| 2015 | Youth | Danika Osman | Missouri | Swimming |
| 2014 | Male | Elmer Hawse | Missouri | Shooting |
| 2014 | Female | Jennifer Buckner | New Mexico | Weight Lifting |
| 2014 | Youth | Braden Ivey | Mississippi | Martial Arts |
| 2013 | Male | Bryan Brosious | Montana | Multi-Sport (15 Events) |
| 2013 | Female | Jen Reiter | Montana | Multi-Sport (3 Events) |
| 2013 | Youth | Taileena Oja | Missouri | Swimming |
| 2012 | Male | Carroll Marty | Iowa | Track & Field |
| 2012 | Female | Danna Kelly | Iowa | Triathlon |
| 2012 | Youth | Sean Lee | California | Track & Field |
| 2011 | Male | Cecil Pegram | Montana | Multi-Sport (6 Events) |
| 2011 | Female | Whitnee Johnson | Missouri | Gymnastics |
| 2011 | Youth | Justin Liedke | Nebraska | Track & Field |
| 2010 | Male | Stephen Peirce | Oregon | Multi-Sport (20 Events) |
| 2010 | Female | Iona Stookey | Montana | Volleyball |
| 2010 | Youth | Garrett Allen | Maine | Weightlifting |
| 2009 | Female | Cindy Hauber | Iowa | Triathlon |
| 2009 | Male | Dave Sutko | Nebraska | Multi-Sport (25 Events) |
| 2008 | Female | Marlene Tetrault | Montana | Multi-Sport (5 Events) |
| 2008 | Male | Chris Page | Maine | Powerlifting |
| 2007 | Female | Alice Pust | Utah | Cycling |
| 2007 | Male | Lorenzo Schipp | New Mexico | Judo |
| 2006 | Female | Katie Sutton | Missouri | Road Race |
| 2006 | Male | Bill Wambach | Wisconsin | Track & Field |
| 2005 | Female | Pat Jaffary | Montana | Road Race |
| 2005 | Male | Rob Pilcher | Nebraska | Wrestling |
| 2004 | Female | Louise Wing | Massachusetts | Synchronized Swimming |
| 2004 | Male | Andy Anderson | New Mexico | Track & Field |
| 2003 | Female | Loretta Dodson | Pennsylvania | Track & Field |
| 2003 | Male | Kerry McDermott | Nebraska | Multi-Sport (3 Events) |
| 2002 | Female | Renee' Coppock | Montana | Road Race |
| 2002 | Male | Houshang Bozorgzadeh | Iowa | Table Tennis |
| 2001 | Female | Laura Esp | Montana | Multi-Sport (3 Events) |
| 2001 | Male | Michael Hafenbrack | Nebraska | Weightlifting |
| 2000 | Female | Amber Davis | Florida | Weightlifting |
| 2000 | Male | Jerry Owen | Nebraska | Soccer |
| 1999 | Female | Julie Zeigler | North Carolina | Ice Hockey |
| 1999 | Male | Jamie Beyer | Iowa | Track & Field |
| 1998 | Female | Thrine Kane | New York | Shooting |
| 1998 | Male | Soren Thompson | California | Fencing |
| 1997 | Female | Marykirk Gunnningham | Virginia | Race Walking |
| 1997 | Male | Robert Gent | Utah | Multi-Sport (4 Events) |
| 1996 | Male | Curt Clausen | North Carolina | Race Walking |
| 1996 | Female | Jessica Neumiller | Wyoming | Multi-Sport (3 Events) |
| 1995 | Male | Lonn Saunders | Montana | Shooting |
| 1995 | Female | Shameka Whigham | Mississipi | Track & Field |
| 1994 | Male | John Brown | Missouri | Basketball |
| 1994 | Female | Char Foster | Florida | Track & Field |