RALEIGH — Megan Zullo of Farmville Central High School and Kendric Burney of Southwest Onslow High School have been named winners of the 2006 Athlete of the Year awards by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA).
These are the top athletic awards given by the NCHSAA to honor the most outstanding male and female high school athletes in the state. They were presented at the Fletcher Opera Theatre in the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts during the NCHSAA’s Annual Meeting.
Both of the winners were nominated and selected by a special panel of media representatives from across the state. They were each presented with the Pat Best Memorial Trophy, named for the former Goldsboro High principal and president of the NCHSAA who died unexpectedly in 1988.
“We congratulate these fine student-athletes on their great achievements during their high school careers,” said Charlie Adams, executive director of the NCHSAA. “Both have tremendously impressive credentials along the lines of the previous outstanding winners of this award, and we certainly wish them the best in the future.”
Kendric is one of those three-sport rarities who excelled at football, basketball and baseball at Southwest, starting for four years in all three sports. In football, he was a three-time all-conference selection, was Most Valuable Player in the 2004 state championship 2-A game and then chosen for the Shrine Bowl this year. He started at quarterback and also played defensive back for the Stallions, who had a 53-6 varsity record during his career. He is also the school career interception leader with 24.
He led Southwest in scoring in basketball, pumping in 15.4 points per game, and was a three-time all-conference pick in that sport. Burney has also led the Southwest baseball team in hitting the last two seasons and is currently batting over .500 this spring with five homers and 15 RBI. He can couple that with a 6-1 pitching record and a sparking earned run average of 1.72.
Burney has signed to play football at the University of North Carolina and will also play baseball for the Tar Heels.
Zullo has also been a three-sport star at Farmville, in volleyball, basketball and track. She was Eastern Plains Conference Player of the Year in both volleyball and basketball this year and last spring participated on two regional championship track relay teams, one of which was second in the state. She earned all-conference honors in both volleyball and basketball four times each.
The Farmville star scored 2,326 points during her basketball career as Farmville posted a 102-14 slate in that sport during her four years. She averaged 21 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals a game as a senior and was MVP of the state 2-A championship game won by Farmville.
She will be furthering her career at North Carolina State University, where she has signed to play basketball.
This is the 21st year in which awards have been given to the top overall male and female athletes. Previous winners of the award include:
NCHSAA ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Winners of the Pat Best Memorial Trophy
Female Male
1985-86 Pam Doggett, Dudley
Patrick Lennon, Whiteville
1986-87 Andrea Stinson, North Mecklenburg
Robert Siler, Jordan-Matthews
1987-88 LeAnn Kennedy, Trinity
Chester McGlockton, Whiteville
1988-89 Danyel Parker, Clinton
Ethan Albright, Grimsley
1989-90 Karen Davis, Forbush
David Inman, Terry Sanford
1990-91 Christy Cagle, Hayesville
Mike Kendall, Albemarle
1991-92 Wendy Palmer, Person
Rusty LaRue, Northwest Guilford
1992-93 Holly Hill, Southwestern Randolph
Tyrone Westmoreland, South Iredell
1993-94 Jamie Parsons, Millbrook
Brian Roseboro, T.Wingate Andrews
1994-95 Aedrin Murray, Chatham Central
Na Brown, Reidsville
1995-96 Shea Ralph, Terry Sanford
Titcus Pettigrew, West Forsyth
1996-97 Jackie Houston, Kings Mountain
Tyrell Godwin, East Bladen
1997-98 Clifeteana McKiver, East Duplin
Julius Peppers, Southern Nash
1998-99 Anna Tharrington, Southern Nash
Nick Maddox, A.L. Brown
1999-2000 Courtney Willis, Terry Sanford
Manny DeShauteurs, Brevard
2000-01 Molly Pyles, Hendersonville
Derrele Mitchell, R.J. Reynolds
2001-02 Katrelle Armwood, Durham School of Arts
A.J. Davis, Northern Durham
2002-03 Anna Evans, Lumberton
Drew Williamson, Cummings
2003-04 Eva Baucom, Forest Hills
Jim Ollis, Polk County
2004-05 Jessie Sims, West Henderson
Terrell Hudgins, Rocky Mount
2005-06 Megan Zullo, Farmville Central
Kendric Burney, Southwest Onslow
Over 145,000 athletes compete in the NCHSAA’s 21-sport program.
