Three amateur athletes who participated in this year’s State Games of Mississippi were honored as the 2024 Ochsner Rush Health Athletes of the Year during a banquet Saturday night at Meridian Community College’s Riley Workforce Development Center.

Meridian residents Jacelyn “Jaycie” Collins was named Female Athlete of the Year, and Scott Gray was named Male Athlete of the Year. Rowdy Briscoe, of Choctaw, was named Youth Athlete of the Year.

“We have many talented athletes and these three represent them well,” Missye Dozier, executive director of State Games, said in announcing their selection as the overall top three Athletes of the Year.

All three will work with State Games throughout the year to promote amateur athletics for all Mississippians. In addition, “these three will be invited to run the torch in at our 2025 opening ceremonies in June as well as go to the Capitol and meet the governor,” Dozier said.

Also honored at the banquet as the 2024 Volunteer of the Year was Shellie Burgess, of Brookhaven.

Burgess and her husband, Kelly, have eight children and four grandchildren. A photographer, Burgess contacted the commissioner of the All-Star baseball tournament, which her son was participating in, and volunteered her photography skills for the try-outs. When her son made the team, she continued working as a photographer during the week-long tournament.

“Shellie showed up Monday morning and did not slow down all week. That is four straight days of taking photos of eight teams, editing the photos and posting on social media,” Dozier said. “She went above and beyond volunteering. As parents of athletes ourselves, we at State Games appreciate all that she did and the countless number of photos she posted for the players and their parents to treasure for years to come.”

In all, more than 30 athletes were recognized as Athletes of the Year in their respective sports during the banquet. The athletes were nominated by coaches, officials, other athletes and volunteers based on participation, sportsmanship, effort and positive attitude.

“We are very proud of your achievements and dedication to State Games and we thank you for being part of our team,” Dozier told the athletes in attendance.

Briscoe, an eighth grader at Neshoba Central Middle School, was chosen Athlete of the Year in stickball in addition to being named the overall Youth Athlete of the Year.

A resident of Choctaw, Briscoe has played stickball for the past five years. In this year’s competition, he and his team, Beaver Dam, took home the gold medal in stickball with Briscoe being named MVP by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

“Thirteen-year-old Rowdy has always loved stickball. ‘I got my own stickball sticks at 2 years old,’ he said. ‘I learned to play from my dad, uncles, and watching them at the Choctaw Indian Fair. It’s part of our tradition from our Tribe, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and we are the next generation to help keep this granddaddy of all sports alive,” Dozier said in reading Briscoe’s selection announcement.

Briscoe also plays youth baseball and has won a bronze and two silver medals over the years in the Games’ youth baseball competition.

Collins, 31, and her enthusiastic response when she was named the Female Athlete of the Year captured the hearts of those in attendance Saturday night.

She has participated in State Games swimming events for the past two years and was named this year’s Athlete of the Year in masters swimming. In total, she has won five gold medals during the 2023 and 2024 State Games in freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley.

“I am a Down syndrome athlete,’ Jaycie said. ‘I am short, I have limited arm span, my legs are not terribly long, but I love to swim and have learned to use what God created to win in swimming,” Dozier said in announcing Collins’ selection.

Besides competing in State Games, Collins is a longtime participant in the Mississippi Special Olympics. She was a Mississippi Swim Team Delegate to the National Special Olympics in Seattle, Washington, in 2018 and a delegate to the National Special Olympics in Orlando, Florida, in 2022.

Gray was chosen as this year’s Athlete of the Year in four-person beach volleyball besides being named the Male Athlete of the Year.

“Scott has been involved in the sport of volleyball for more than 44 years and has participated in the State Games of Mississippi as a participant and as a sports commissioner,” Dozier said. “This 60-year-old is proud of his record over the years, winning three gold medals and many silver and bronze medals.”

She said Gray remembers his early days working with State Games “setting up all the nets for the volleyball tournaments and pushing hard to make volleyball an enduring State Game sport.”

Other State Games participants honored as Athletes of the Year for their respective sports were Justin Lewis, of Mendenhall, 2-gun competition; Caden Dees, Columbus, 22-caliber rifle competition; Ryan Thompson, Collinsville, 5k road race; Talmadge “Trip” Alexander, Hattiesburg, youth archery; Wade Wicht, Hattiesburg, axe throwing; Preston Sowell, Olive Branch, All Star baseball; Jackson Irvin, Biloxi, high school baseball; Bryson Faia, Picayune, junior high baseball; Will King, Meridian, bowling; Scotty Massey, Chunky, cornhole; Randal Rawson, Meridian, cycling; Daryl Gilbert, Collinsville, disc golf; Cassidy Martin, Carthage, equestrian; Douglas Kraft, Vicksburg, fencing; Ben Eichelberger, Brandon, junior golf; Michelle Williams, Ridgeland, mountain bike; Kelly Kinderman, Moss Point, paddle race; Greg Head, Vicksburg, pickleball; Nicholas Walker, Philadelphia, pistol competition; Avery Blake Shirley, Collinsville, youth soccer; Brayden Combs, Bailey, high school 7v7 soccer; Caroline Singleton, Meridian, recreational youth softball; Chylen Williams, Morton, sporting clays; Matthew Atchison, Meridian, table tennis; Charlotte Lucas, Jackson, junior tennis; Daisy Scott, Bailey, trail run; Allison Bohler, Columbus, ultimate flying disc; and Jason Tiffin, Starkville, two-person beach volleyball.