For the first time ever, a female student-athlete from Laramie High School has earned the highly distinguished Southeast District Administrators Association Outstanding Senior Athlete Award. The honor has been bestowed upon Laramie's Madison Legerski. She has excelled both on and off the court in a variety of ways, and received the accolade by beating out several other high-quality candidates from all four classifications in the Southeast District.

Madison Legerski said of receiving the award, "It's way cool. I wasn't really expecting it." She found out at the recent Laramie Lady Plainsmen team basketball banquet. Legerski said, "I didn't really know what he (Mr. Sorenson) was talking about at first. Then I was like, oh yeah, that Southeast thing. Then when he said come on up, I was like oh my gosh, this is so cool. I can't believe I just got it."

Legerski is presently number one in her upcoming graduating class. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average, is a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the Laramie High School Honor Roll all four years of her high school academic career.

LHS Track Coach Gil Bradfield said, "If you think about the perfect person to be, that's a great person on the court and off the court, Madison definitely fulfills it. She's a hard worker. She's just a good athlete, she's a good student and has a great personality. One of those people that you look up to, even as a coach. Kids should look up to her, and how well she's done in all three sports that she's done, and how she's doing also as a student in the classroom."

Her athletic accomplishments speak for themselves. She has earned 10 varsity letters in volleyball, basketball and track and field during her career. She has also won four state championships, four regional championships and has received seven all-conference and six all-state honors. Legerski even has six record setting performances to her credit.

Lady Plainsmen head basketball coach Rod Tyson said, "She deserves it. She works really hard. She plays all those sports, and it's not like she's just participating in them all. She's one of the best in all those sports."

All that doesn't even include her citizenship and leadership qualities, such as twice being name a team captain, as well as the high regard she has garnered from those in the community.

Laramie High School Principal and Athletic Director Kim Sorenson said the award is based on the merit of a candidates athletic achievements, academic record and citizenship/leadership traits. He said, "People forget that this is a 1A-4A award, that everybody, especially the small schools have a 3-sport star, who's an academic genius and volunteers a lot. So it's nerve-racking. You think you've got the one, but you don't know until the votes come in."

Sorenson even admitted that they had to choose among three kids at LHS, because each school is only allowed to nominate one male and female for the honor. He said, "I felt like this is a great award for Madison. It was a victory for the school, and it kind of validated that everybody did the right thing. It was an awesome feeling (after the voting). I'm really proud of her."

Legerski added that in order for her to excel across the board, it's about, "Taking it one step at a time, focusing on what I'm in right now and getting better at that."

Legerski will continue her career on the volleyball court for Casper College next year. She plans on pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering.

In the end, Madison Legerski has set a new standard of excellence for student-athletes to aspire to at Laramie High School for years to come.

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