This year, ten Pleasant Valley seniors were nominated for the Athlete of the Year Award. On May 3rd, a ceremony was held to announce that Halle Vice and Caden McDermott were the recipients of the award.
The ten athletes were nominated for their continued efforts and impressive achievements over their years in high school. Each year, Pleasant Valley’s Athletic Director D’anne Kroemer sends a request to the coaching staff to nominate their choice for the Athlete of the Year award along with a list of their accomplishments. She then compiles the athletes into a list and sends it out to the coaching staff again to finalize the nominees.
Kroemer says that the coaches are able to vote based on what they believe defines the best athlete. “Some coaches hold the belief that an elite one sport athlete trumps a good while others believe the opposite. It is interesting to see how the coaches end up voting and what they prioritize when it comes to choosing the athlete,” she said.
Vice, the female recipient of the award this year, has participated in volleyball and basketball all four years of high school, playing on the varsity teams for both since her freshman year. A few of her accomplishments over the years include Casey’s Player of the Game at the class 5A state volleyball tournament, the MAC player of the Year and owns several school records from her time with PV Girls Basketball.
Vice shared her feelings on not only being nominated for the Athlete of the Year award, but also winning. “It felt great to be at the athlete year event surrounded by so many other great athletes, but to win it was very special. But without my coaches and teammates this wouldn’t be possible. I’m thankful,” she said.
Caden McDermott, the male recipient, has participated in football, wrestling and baseball at the high school since freshman year. Throughout his time at the high school he has earned First Team All State and 2x First Team All District in football, he was the 2023 170 state champ in wrestling and earned 1st Team District and was a part of the 2021 state champion team for baseball.
“I felt really good to see all of my accomplishments throughout high school be acknowledged. It was really cold to see my teammates being acknowledged for this award as well,” he shared.
Vice will be continuing her impressive academic and athletic career at Marquette University next year to play basketball and McDermott will attend Upper Iowa University to play football.
