Athletic Directors and High School Head Coaches met in Rock Springs on Tuesday April 16, for the annual Southwest District Senior Student Athlete of the Year selection meeting.  Each year the best senior student athletes from Southwest Wyoming are nominated for this outstanding award.  Athletes are nominated based on their athletic achievements, academic success, and leadership in their school and community.

This year’s recipients of the SW District Senior Student Athlete awards are: 3A/4A Girls, Valerie Jirak from Star Valley. 3A/4A Boys, Kai Barker from Evanston. 1A/2A Girls, Bryli Groll from Cokeville. 1A/2A Boys, Jack Dayton from Cokeville.

Jirak recently won the Heptathlon at the Arcadia Invitational in California and currently holds or is part of eight different outdoor track and field records at Star Valley High School. She has signed to compete as a multi-event athlete for Duke University Track and Field starting next fall. Jirak and her parents spoke to SVI about this decision in an interview during First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday in November.

Bryli Groll recently spoke with SVI about her recent signing to run track for the University of Wyoming as she wraps up a stellar career at CHS. Groll was also a Panther standout in volleyball and basketball.

Jack Dayton earned multiple all-state honors in football, basketball and competes in track and field for the Panthers.