IndyStar is pleased to announce the fall sports nominees for this year’s Indiana Sports Awards. IndyStar will honor these 21 athletes as well as athletes in winter and spring sports at an ESPY’s-like awards show.

Last year’s Indiana Sports Awards, held at Lucas Oil Stadium, was a star-studded affair featuring Colts players Andrew Luck and Mike Adams, former Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings, IndyCar’s Ed Carpenter and more.

These nominees were determined by the IndyStar sports staff in consultation with the state coaches’ associations. Winners will be selected by the IndyStar sports staff.

Nominees for IndyStar Mr. Football presented by Marian University will be announced next week.

Girls Golf

Holly Anderson, Columbus North

An all-state selection, Anderson was the top overall finisher in the state tournament with a combined score of 146, as the Bulldogs finished third overall as a team. She became the first golfer in program history to claim the individual title.

Cailyn Henderson, Westfield

Henderson medaled in five different tournaments, including sectionals and regionals. She shot a 64 twice this season, setting course records both times — first in the Zionsville Invitational at The Golf Club of Indiana and again during regionals at Smock Golf Club. A three-time all-state selection, she finished tied for 11th at the state tournament.

Alexis Miestowski, Lake Central

Last year’s Indiana Sports Awards girls golfer of the year, Miestowski finished tied for third in the state tournament and was named to the all-state team for the third time in as many years. The Indiana University recruit medaled in the sectional with a 68 and tied for second in the regional with a 73.

Boys Tennis

Patrick Fletchall, Carmel

Fletchall was 24-0 during his junior season, winning both the team state title with the Greyhounds and the individual singles championship. He was named to first team all-state singles and the All-District team for District 6 by the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association.

Brandon Wu, Evansville Memorial

Wu finished the season 21-1 and lost just four sets all year, leading Evansville Memorial to its third state finals appearance. The senior was named  first team all-state singles and the All-District team for District 7 by the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association.

Eli Steiner, Leo

Steiner lost just one match during his senior season and was named to all-state for the second consecutive season. The Indiana Wesleyan recruit set school records for wins in a career (89) and was 31-0 playing at home.

Boys Cross-Country

Gabe Fendel, Hamilton Southeastern

Fendel finished second in the state finals with a time of 15 minutes, 40.7 seconds. He was the top finisher in the sectional and regional. He set a school record at semistate on Oct. 22 with a time of 14:47, beating the old record of 15:19 held by Troy Reeder.

Curtis Eckstein, Oldenburg Academy

Eckstein won every meet he competed in during the season, winning the state finals with a time of 15:13.3. He became the first cross-country state champion in school history. His 27.4-second differential was the second-largest winning margin since 1968. Eckstein also claimed the Charles F. Maas Mental Attitude Award.

Skylar Stidam, Christian Academy of Indiana

Stidam finished third in the state finals (15:51.6) and placed second in sectionals, third in regionals and won semistate with a time of 15:29.1.

Girls Cross-Country

Sarah Leinheiser, Carmel

Leinheiser entered the state finals undefeated and led the state meet a third of the way through before faltering late. She won the regional by a 16-second margin and claimed the semistate title by a 25-second margin. Leinheiser won the Indiana Sports Awards girls cross-country runner of the year last season.

Maddie Dalton, Carmel

Dalton won the sectional title by eight seconds over teammate Phoebe Bates, came in second behind Leinheiser in the regionals and semistate and finished third in the state finals, 18 seconds behind the leader.

Tyler Schwartz, DeKalb

Schwartz claimed the girls individual state title, finishing nine seconds ahead of the runner-up with a time of 18:08.6. She also won sectional, regional and semistate titles.

Volleyball

Nia Robinson, Cathedral

Robinson, a Northwestern recruit, was named to all-state and led Cathedral to its second consecutive Class 4A state title. She had 588 kills on the season and 1,334 in her career (most in Cathedral history). She also was named IHSAA Mental Attitude Award winner.

Skyler Van Note, Wapahani

Van Note led the Raiders to their second consecutive Class 2A championship. She had 535 kills on the season and was named to the all-state team. She had at least 20 kills eight times, including 27 in the state finals.

Kenzie Knuckles, Yorktown

Knuckles had 467 kills on the season, including a career-high 30 in the team’s Class 3A state championship win over Providence. The sophomore was named to the all-state team and had at least 20 kills in four matches.

Boys Soccer

Levi King, North Central

King led the Panthers with 11 goals, scoring at least one goal in nine games. He was named first team all-district, All-Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, all-county and first team all-state.

Sam Bonano, Evansville Memorial

Bonano had 31 goals, including at least three goals in five games and a career-high five goals in the team’s 16-0 win on Aug. 30. The senior had 25 assists and was named the All-City Player of the Year. He was also named an All-American and helped lead Evansville Memorial to the Class 2A state title.

Owen Hallas, Chesterton

The C. Eugene Cato Mental Attitude Award winner, Hallas had 27 goals and nine assists, including five hat tricks. The senior had a goal and an assist in the Trojans’ semistate win and scored the team’s lone goal in the Class 2A state finals loss.

Girls Soccer

Alia Martin, Brebeuf

Last year’s Indiana Sports Awards’ girls soccer player of the year, Martin had 14 goals and a team-high 23 assists this season as the Braves reached the Class 2A state finals for the second consecutive season. She had at least one goal or assist in 20 of the team’s 25 games and received all-state and all-American honors.

Hope Van Wagner, Avon

Van Wagner had 11 goals and 10 assists for the Orioles and led the team to its fourth consecutive sectional title.

Kristina Lynch, Penn

Lynch led the state with 102 points, as she scored 38 goals and had 26 assists. She had multiple goals in 13 of the team’s 23 games and failed to score just three times – and in each of those three games, she had at least one assist. In the Class 2A state game, Lynch assisted on the first goal and scored Penn’s second in a 2-0 win over Brebeuf Jesuit.

 Want more information? Reach out to assistant sports editor Matthew.Glenesk@IndyStar.com for information about the sports awards; and to  Stephanie.Thompson@IndyStar.com for sports awards sponsorship opportunities.