Wichita native, former NBA player Mo Evans to speak at Greater Wichita Sports Banquet

Former NBA player Maurice Evans, a Wichita Collegiate graduate, will be the keynote speaker at the 26th annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on Wednesday, June 26 at Intrust Bank Arena.

Following a standout career that saw the 6-foot-5 wing play for Wichita State and Texas, Evans played 11 years in the NBA for seven different teams from 2001-12. He now works as a sports agent based out of Texas.

Evans will be joined by San Francisco Giants legend Buster Posey, the 2012 National League MVP and three-time World Series champion, in attendance for the event. Tickets for the event, which begins at 6:45 p.m., are available to purchase through the Wichita Sports Commission website.

Posey will be on hand for the main event of the evening to present the National Collegiate Catcher of the Year award, named in his honor, to one of three finalists: North Carolina State’s Jacob Cozart, Sam Houston State’s Walker Janek and Cal Poly’s Ryan Stafford.

Cozart recently helped NC State reach the College World Series and has 16 home runs, 56 runs scored and 49 RBIs this season; Janek finished his junior year with a .368 batting average, .480 on-base percentage and .714 slugging percentage with 17 home runs, 39 extra-base hits, 55 runs and 58 RBIs; and Stafford hit .368 as a junior for Cal Poly to go along with 23 doubles, 49 runs and 46 RBIs.

Bishop Carroll softball coach Steven Hashberger (High School Girls Coach of the Year), Cheney football coach Shelby Wehrman (High School Boys Coach of the Year) and Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball coach John Ontjes (College Coach of the Year) will be given awards in their respective categories. Tonya Atta, who worked for the Wichita Sports Commission for more than two decades, will posthumously receive the Bob Hanson Impact Award.

Finalists for other awards are listed below:

Lynette Woodard High School Female Athlete of the Year

Adryana Shelby, Wichita Northwest track and field

Hayden Snodgrass, Andover Central volleyball and basketball

Elizabeth Tjaden, Clearwater volleyball, basketball and softball

Barry Sanders High School Male Athlete of the Year

Bryce Barkdull, Andover Central track and field

Omari Elias, Kapaun Mt. Carmel football and wrestling

DaeOnte Mitchell, Wichita East football

Junior College Female Athlete of the Year

Rossana Papa, Cowley College volleyball

Kiki Smith, Hutchinson Community College basketball

Freddie Wallace, Butler Community College basketball

Junior College Male Athlete of the Year

Caden Kickhaefer, Butler Community College baseball

Jeff Nwankwo, Cowley College basketball

Cooper Wesslund, Hutchinson Community College baseball

College Female Athlete of the Year

Patricia Limo, Newman cross country

Destiny Masters, Wichita State track and field

Gianna Moreno, Friends wrestling

College Male Athlete of the Year

Michael Beltran, McPherson tennis

Caden Favors, Wichita State baseball

Keegan Martin, Friends football

Professional Athlete of the Year

David Banuelos, Wichita Wind Surge

Jay Dickman, Wichita Thunder

Emma Koepp, Wichita Aero FC