Brody Phillips Named News Leader Male Athlete of the Year

Record Vote Totals

Brody Phillips captured the honor with 55% of the nearly 78,000 votes cast by News Leader readers, making him the clear favorite among the field of candidates.

Riverheads Star’s Season

Phillips, a Riverheads baseball standout, earned multiple all‑state recognitions. He was named a first‑team all‑state shortstop in Class 1 and also made the first‑team all‑Region 1B and all‑Shenandoah District shortstop squads. In addition, he was placed on the second‑team all‑Region 1B and Shenandoah District pitcher list. His contributions were pivotal as Riverheads claimed the Region 1B championship and advanced to the Class 1 state semifinals.

Other Top Male Finishes

• Mason McWhorter – Wilson Memorial
• Dalton Coffey – Buffalo Gap
• Zyleke Shepherd – Staunton
• Baylor Graber – Stuarts Draft

The top five male athletes, in order of reader votes, filled out the rest of the podium behind Phillips.

Female Athlete of the Year

Readers also honored Rachel Showalter from Buffalo Gap as the female athlete of the year, highlighting her outstanding performance on the field.

What This Means for Local Sports

Phillips’ win highlights the growing strength of the Riverheads baseball program and reflects the competitive depth across valley high schools. The high voter turnout and decisive margin suggest a strong community interest in recognizing local talent.

Check out this video from The News Leader’s Patrick Hite and WHSV TV3’s Connor Burgan to see who they picked as male athlete of the year.