Kansas City Sports Awards winners include KC Current ownership team, KU Jayhawks hoops
The winners of this year’s Kansas City Sports Awards were announced Wednesday morning, with recipients hailing from the KC Current, two regional Division I sports programs, the KC Monarchs and The Kansas City Star.
For the 49th year, the Kansas City Sports Awards — presented by KC-based global architecture firm Populous and the Kansas City Sports Commission — honor the top achievements in sports across the Kansas City area.
This year’s winners will be recognized at the annual Kansas City Sports Awards Banquet on Thursday, June 9 at the Muelbach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. A reception at 5:30 p.m. precedes the dinner and awards program, which starts at 7 p.m. Tables are available exclusively for sponsors.
“Each year, I’m amazed at the amount of talent, leadership and success of our local sporting community,” said Kathy Nelson, president and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission and the Visit KC organization. “Sports continue to move Kansas City forward when it comes to economic impact, opportunity and inclusion.”
Here are the 2022 honorees:
McCownGordon Construction Executives of the Year: Angie Long and Chris Long and Brittany Mahomes, Kansas City Current ownership group. The team behind the women’s pro soccer team that within the past year (its first full year of operation in the National Women’s Soccer League) has proceeded with plans to construct a new purpose-built stadium and separate training facility on either side of the Missouri River while undergoing a re-brand built around the club’s new/permanent name.
Spire Community Champion: Brenda VanLengen, an Emmy Award-winning ESPN broadcaster/analyst for women’s college basketball, former Nebraska Cornhuskers assistant coach and former director of the 1998 NCAA Women’s Final Four.
Burns & McDonnell Coach of the Year: Joe Calfapietra led the Kansas City Monarchs to a franchise record for victories and the clubs’ third league championship last season (they beat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks on a three-game sweet in the finals). Calfapietra was previously also selected as the 2021 American Association Manager of the Year.
Polsinelli Sportsmen of the Year: The Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team. KU stormed through the NCAA Tournament this year, earlier this month winning the NCAA national championship with a 72-69 win against the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine Center Sportswoman of the Year: Ayoka Lee, Kansas State Wildcats women’s basketball team. The 6-foot-6 center from Minnesota was selected All-Big 12 first-team after averaging 22 points and 10.7 rebounds for the Wildcats in her junior season. She announced in January that she will return to Manhattan for her senior season in 2022-23.
T-Mobile Professional Achievement Award: Vahe Gregorian, sports columnist, The Kansas City Star. Honored for his sports coverage and commentary across the region, especially in Kansas City, Gregorian has been with The Star since 2013. He’s covered Super Bowls, World Series and 10 Olympic Games. He holds an English degree from Penn and master’s from Mizzou.
This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 10:59 AM.