These high school athletes defined the state of Wyoming — who’s the greatest?

Athletes of the highest levels have started from the grounds of Wyoming.

An Olympic gold medalist. NBA and NFL players. High school athletes who have received national recognition, broken records, and won more Gatorade Player of the Year awards than years spent in high school. High school athletes who went on to become country stars.

Who is the all-time greatest Wyoming high school athlete?

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY is launching its 250 for 250 series, looking to answer that question by celebrating the best athletes from each state.

From fans’ votes, five athletes will be selected to represent the state as legends who have defined high school sports.

With that in mind, here are the Wyoming high school athlete nominees.

Before playing basketball at the University of Wyoming, McKinley Bradshaw was a three-sport star at Lyman. She was an all-star in basketball all four years and Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior; as a senior, she was all-state in volleyball and helped Lyman win a championship; and in track and field, she was a four-time high jump, two-time discus and one-time shot put champion, per her Wyoming bio. 

Dino Collins was a six-time all-state player across his three sports, according to WyoPreps. He was Class 2A Football Player of the Year and helped Lovell get to two championship games. He won the long jump and triple jump championships. But his best sport was wrestling, where he became the first Wyoming wrestler to go undefeated for two straight seasons, recording a 72-0 record over his junior and senior seasons, per the Lovell Chronicle. 

Julia Fenn never lost in high school. She went 58-0 and became the first Wyoming girl to win four No. 1 state singles titles, according to Wyoming Magazine. Fenn made First Team All-State all four years, according to her Michigan State bio. 

A four-time all-state basketball player and four-time all-conference volleyball player, Allyson Fertig was named Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020 and 2021. She led Douglas High School to three basketball championships and won a pair of shot put titles, per her Wyoming bio. 

The 2000 Olympic gold medalist, Rulon Gardner, was an all-state wrestler and football player. He won the 1989 heavyweight wrestling championship. 

One of the most prominent basketball players to come out of Wyoming, James Johnson was ranked among the top recruits in the country in 2007, leading East to a 2006 championship and being named all-state as a junior and senior behind scoring, rebounding, and blocking talent. He was co-MVP of the 2006 Nike All-American All-Star Game and played 16 seasons in the NBA. 

Prior to his 13-year NFL career, Brett Keisel was a star at Greybull, earning all-conference honors four times, all-state honors at tight end and linebacker, and the Wyoming Player of the Year as a senior. He helped the basketball team win its first state championship in 1996, according to WyoPreps. 

Before he was a country music star and world champion bareback rider, Chris LeDoux was a two-time Wyoming State Rodeo Champion and played football in high school. 

Easton Paxton dominated the golf course in high school, winning four individual state championships, leading Riverton to four team titles, and was a four-time U.S. Junior qualifier from 2013-16. He was also all-conference in basketball in 2015, according to his NC State bio. 

Few Wyoming athletes have been as awarded as Robbi Ryan, who was a four-time all-state and two-time Gatorade Player of the Year for basketball, three-time all-state selection and Gatorade Player of the Year for soccer, and two-time all-state volleyball selection, according to her Arizona State University bio. 

Known as the creator of the jump shot, Kenny Sailors developed his craft at a young age in Wyoming. At Laramie High School, he earned all-state honors in basketball as a junior and senior, was all-state in football as a senior, and won the one-mile championship and broad jump title as a senior, according to the NCAA. 

Few players have earned more gold than Lauren Taubert. She won 11 state championships across her three sports, including three in the 300-meter hurdles and high jump, in which she set records in both. In volleyball, Taubert led her school to the championship, ranking atop the team in both kills and blocks, per WyoPreps. Taubert was the 2016 Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year. 

Sydney Thorvaldson won an unprecedented six Gatorade Wyoming Player of the Year awards, never losing a cross-country or track race in Wyoming, according to WyoPreps. She set meet records at events including the Northwest Nike Cross regional and XC Meet of Champions National Invitational, set the second-fastest indoor two-mile time in high school, and won the two-mile adidas Indoor Nationals, per her Arkansas bio. She set Wyoming records in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter events. 

Cosette Stellern was a key part of three teams for East High School. She won two discus and one shot put championships in track, and was a three-time all-state selection in basketball, helping East win a championship. She was best in volleyball, winning three championships, two Gatorade Wyoming Volleyball Player of the Year Awards, and being named All-American by PrepVolleyball.com in 2015 and 2016, per her Wyoming bio. She was a three-time Wyoming Tribune-Eagle Laramie County Female Athlete of the Year. 

Peter Visser won four Wyoming Gatorade awards, three Class 3A state championships in cross country, and 15 total state championships during his high school career, according to WyoPreps. He was a finalist for Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. 

Now in the NFL, Logan Wilson’s career started at Natrona County, where he played several positions for the Mustangs, including defensive back, wide receiver, placekicker, and punter. He was first-team All-State as a placekicker as a sophomore and as a safety, WR , and placekicker as a junior, helping Natrona County go 12-0 with a championship. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These high school athletes defined the state of Wyoming — who’s the greatest?