Sports Commission honors Sporting KC’s Matt Besler, swimmer Shannon Vreeland, others

The Kansas City Sports Commission on Wednesday announced winners that will be honored at the organization’s 41st annual awards banquet, set for April 11 at the Kansas City Downtown Marriott-Muehlebach Towers.

The Downtown Marriott Sportsman of the Year is Overland Park native and Sporting KC defender Matt Besler. Along with helping his club win the MLS Cup and Team USA qualify for the 2014 World Cup, Besler is active in several charitable causes around KC.

Kansas City Life Sportswoman of the Year Shannon Vreeland, a member of the U.S.’s record-holding 400-meter freestyle relay swim team, is a Blue Valley West High grad who currently attends and competes at the University of Georgia. In 2012, she won gold on the 800-meter free relay in the London Olympics.

The Burns and McDonnell Coach of the Year, Adam Dorrel of Northwest Missouri State, was also named the American Football Coaches Association’s Division II National Coach of the Year after leading the Bearcats to the national championship.

The Shawnee Mission West football community earned the Sprint Community Champion award for its unity following the tragic death of Andre Maloney, while Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt is the 2014 Waddell & Reed Executive of the Year after rebuilding his franchise behind new general manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid and pursuing numerous philanthropic endeavors around KC.

The April 11 banquet will begin with a VIP reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the program at 7. For more information, call 816.389.4191 or visit sportkc.org.

This story was originally published March 12, 2014 at 9:29 AM with the headline "Sports Commission honors Sporting KC’s Matt Besler, swimmer Shannon Vreeland, others."