Abby Waner – 2005

When Abby Waner graduated from ThunderRidge High School in 2005, many media pundits and coaches asserted that she may be the most-talented all-around women’s basketball player to come out of the state of Colorado   ever.

Abby certainly provided good reasons for that assessment. In her senior year as a prepster, she led her ThunderRidge team to a second straight Class 5A basketball title. Her scoring average of more than 31 points per game was not only the best on her squad, but the best in Colorado and she was the second-ranked scorer all­ time in the state.

She set new school records in just about every category – from three-pointers to steals to assists – while also establishing Colorado state records for steals and points scored in a game, achieving the latter with a whopping 61-point performance.

Small wonder she was lauded as Colorado Ms. Basketball for the second time in a row in 2005. This 5-11 All-America guard and A-student owned the court everywhere she went, including the World Championships, where her Under-19 team captured gold.

At graduation, Abby’s career points added up to an astounding 2,670 and the phenomenal prep tally was accompanied by 632 rebounds….588 assists…and 535 steals! En route, she was crowned National Player of the Year by Gatorade and McDonald’s. A strong on-court leader and motivator, who played her hardest every practice and game, Abby set the bar high for her teammates and was a “play hard-study hard” mentor to many younger players. When Duke University took a look at Abby’s solid on-court achievements and impressive 3.9 off-court Grade Point Average, it didn’t take the top-notch basketball power long to issue the ThunderRidge standout an invitation to join the Blue Devils’ program with a full-scholarship incentive.

And Abby didn’t disappoint. Becoming an instant headliner in her freshman year, this remarkable All-everything Player proved why she was Sportswomen of Colorado’s 2005 Sportswoman of the Year.