Whitley Rogers from Little Rock Christian Academy has recently been honored as the 2024-25 Arkansas girls basketball Gatorade player of the year, following an impressive junior season.
With this accolade, Rogers joins an elite circle of athletes who have captured the Arkansas girls basketball Gatorade player of the year award in the past decade.
Anna Trusty (2023-24)
The region of Northwest Arkansas has consistently produced award-winning basketball talent, and Trusty is among those glowing examples from this area.
During her senior year at Greenwood High School, she recorded averages of 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 3.6 steals per game, leading the Bulldogs to a third consecutive 5A championship and a stellar 28-4 record. Trusty concluded her high school career with a total of 1,963 points, setting the record for the most points by a Greenwood female player.
Trusty received numerous offers for collegiate basketball, including from Central Arkansas, Newman, Long Beach State, Abilene Christian, Drury, Southern Nazarene, and Texas-Rio Grande Valley. Ultimately, she chose to remain close to home, signing with the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.
As a freshman with the UAFS Lions, she made a significant impact, starting in 24 of her 27 games and averaging 14.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Her shooting was impressive as well, with 45.2% from the field, 38.9% from three-point range, and 87.7% from the free-throw line. Trusty demonstrated her scoring prowess by reaching a career-high of 27 points on two occasions, once against Northeastern State and again against Missouri Western.
Trusty’s accomplishments led to her being named to the all-MIAA third team and awarded MIAA Freshman of the Year, as she played a vital role in guiding her team to an 18-11 overall record and a commendable 12-7 conference standing.
Next season, Trusty aims to lead her team even further in the MIAA Tournament.
Chloe Clardy (2022-23 & 2021-22)
Clardy from Conway distinguished herself by winning consecutive Gatorade awards during her junior and senior years. In her junior season, she tallied an impressive 23 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 3.4 steals per game, while also leading her team to a remarkable 29-1 record.
Her senior year was equally stellar, as she averaged 24.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.2 steals per game, further elevating Conway to a 25-5 record while securing a 19th national ranking according to MaxPreps. Clardy also surpassed the 2,500-point mark during her time in high school.
Regarded as a 4-star prospect and the 39th-best player nationally by ESPN HoopGurlz, Clardy committed to Stanford by the start of her senior season.
During her freshman year at Stanford, she appeared in 34 games, averaging 2.0 points and 0.9 rebounds per game. Clardy showed notable improvement in her sophomore season, starting in 18 contests and playing in 31 games, while posting averages of 10.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Her shooting percentages also saw significant growth, with her field goal percentage rising from 34.1% to 43.4%. Clardy made two three-pointers in her freshman year but excelled significantly in her second year, knocking down 36 of 95 shots from beyond the arc (37.9%).
Her second season of collegiate basketball reflected improvements across all areas of her game, signaling that she is poised for even greater advancements as she prepares for her junior year at Stanford.
Jersey Wolfenbarger (2020-21 & 2019-20)
Fort Smith Northside has seen success with two boys basketball Gatorade award winners, and now, they boast a girls player who has received the honor twice.
During Wolfenbarger’s junior season, she averaged 18.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, guiding the Grizzlies to a 25-3 record while being named MVP of the 6A state tournament in her sophomore year. Her stellar performance made her a fitting choice for this award.
In her senior year, Wolfenbarger reportedly grew from 6-4 to 6-6, and her statistical output reflected this physical development.
She averaged 19 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game, playing a pivotal role in Northside’s journey to the championship match in the 2020-21 season, which also earned her a selection to the McDonald’s All-American game. Wolfenbarger was recognized as a Top 10 recruit nationally by ESPN and was a finalist for the Naismith High School Girls Player of the Year.
As a five-star recruit, she committed to the University of Arkansas, solidifying her status as one of the most coveted recruits in Razorback history.
Wolfenbarger had a productive freshman season with Arkansas, earning a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team after averaging 7.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. She shot 40.5% from the field, making 17 three-pointers.
However, her sophomore season was less fruitful as she averaged 3.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks. Following that year, Wolfenbarger made the decision to not return to Arkansas and sat out the 2023-24 season after transferring to LSU.
In her time at LSU, Wolfenbarger showed slight improvements, averaging 4.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.6 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. Her approach to the game changed, focusing on efficient finishing inside the arc rather than attempting three-pointers; her shooting percentage from the field jumped to 63% while taking all her shots within the paint.
Despite her steady progress and announcements regarding her return to LSU for her senior season, Wolfenbarger entered the transfer portal, joining three other Tigers during this recent transfer cycle. At this moment, she has yet to find a new team but remains an enticing transfer option for programs seeking talent.
Sasha Goforth (2018-19)
Goforth was a junior when she won this award. In 2018-19, Goforth had an impressive season with Fayetteville High School, where she averaged 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. This stellar performance led the Bulldogs to a 20-5 record and a spot in the 6A semifinals. By her junior season, she earned recognition as the 6A West MVP, and was named a three-time all-conference and all-state player. She continued her success with another all-conference and all-state accolade during her senior year.
Following a remarkable high school journey that included being named a McDonald’s All-American and an invitee to the Jordan Brand Classic, Goforth chose to pursue her college career at Oregon State University.
In her solitary season with Oregon State, Goforth took part in 20 games amid the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. She averaged 11.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and just below one block per game during her freshman year. Goforth’s efforts earned her a spot on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team, and she was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on two occasions.
However, Goforth did not remain in Oregon for long; she transferred back to her home state to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks. As a sophomore, she started all 32 games and averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game. Her total of 66 blocks that season ranks fourth for a single season in Arkansas history.
Goforth sat out the 2022-23 season to receive medical treatment but made her return the following year for her redshirt-junior season. Unfortunately, during that limited stint, she played in just seven games, posting averages of 3.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game.
Ultimately, Goforth decided to medically retire rather than play one final season with the Razorbacks. She wasn’t quite ready to part ways with The Hill and opted to join the coaching staff as a graduate assistant.
Working under head coach Mike Neighbors, Goforth witnessed a shift in the coaching landscape when Neighbors stepped down after the 2024-25 season. Kelsi Musick was appointed as the new head coach for Arkansas, and it remains unclear if Goforth was retained within the coaching staff.
Goforth’s experience in developing talent, including helping nurture an AP All-American, alongside her successful high school and collegiate basketball career, could make her a desirable candidate for assistant coaching positions in the near future.
Christyn Williams (2017-18, 2016-17 & 2015-16)
Since Gatorade began honoring high school girls basketball players with this award in the 1985-86 season, only one athlete from Arkansas has won it three times: Christyn Williams.
Williams shone at Central Arkansas Christian, averaging 26.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.8 steals per game during her senior year. After guiding CAC to a 36-1 record and an appearance in the 4A state championship game, Williams didn’t just claim the award for the top player in Arkansas but also the title of best player in the nation, being named National Player of the Year in the 2017-18 season—the only player from Arkansas to receive that honor.
During her junior year, Williams maintained an impressive average of 26.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game, leading the Mustangs to the 4A quarterfinals while finishing with a 29-5 record and earning a spot on Team USA’s U17 National Team.
In her sophomore season, Williams averaged 29.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game, leading her team to the 4A championship game and a record of 24-13.
Following one of the most illustrious high school careers in the history of girls basketball, Williams chose to continue her athletic journey at the University of Connecticut. Throughout her four-year college career, she started in all but one game and consistently averaged no less than 11.7 points per game. This mark was recorded during her freshman year, where she also achieved averages of 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.
In her sophomore year, her averages rose to 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Her most productive scoring season came during the 2020-21 campaign, during which she averaged 16.3 points per game. As a senior, she improved her defensive statistics, raising her steal average from 0.9 to 1.5. She finished her final season with averages of 14.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
In recognition of her accomplishments, Williams received the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award for the nation’s best shooting guard and was named the Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player during her senior year. After her successful collegiate career, she entered the WNBA draft, where she was selected in the second round as the 14th pick by the Washington Mystics.
Unfortunately, during a practice session with the Mystics, Williams sustained a knee injury, requiring surgery that ultimately sidelined her for the 2022 season. Although she did not play for Washington, she later signed a rest-of-season hardship contract with the Phoenix Mercury, though she didn’t get the chance to play in their two games.
As of May 2024, Williams had yet to make an appearance in a WNBA game, but she was given a new opportunity when she signed a training camp deal with the Minnesota Lynx in February. In addition to her stints in the WNBA, Williams showcased her talents in the Athletes Unlimited Basketball league, where she made quite an impression by scoring 23 points in a game, hitting 10 of 14 shots from the floor, and nailing all three attempts from long range just before her signing with Minnesota.
Williams has also extended her playing career internationally, competing in the Saudi Basketball Federation.
As one of the most outstanding basketball talents to emerge from the Natural State, it will be fascinating to see how her professional journey unfolds.
Jordan Danberry (2014-15 & 2013-14)
Danberry distinguished herself as one of the most versatile players during her time at Conway High School.
She claimed the award in her senior year, 2014-15, averaging 14.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.6 steals per game, leading the Wampus Cats to a 24-6 record and a thrilling run to the state championship against Fayetteville.
Danberry received the same award again during her junior year, posting averages of 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. She was instrumental in leading
Conway has reached the state title game, facing off against another 7A West rival, Fort Smith Northside. That season, Conway recorded an impressive 25-5 tally.
Following high school, Danberry chose to join the Arkansas Razorbacks. In her freshman year, she started in 11 of the 29 games and had averages of 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.9 steals per game. During her sophomore campaign in 2016-17, she participated in six games, posting averages of 4.7 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting an impressive 42.1% from the field.
Danberry then made the decision to transfer from Fayetteville to another SEC institution, Mississippi State. Though she logged under 10 minutes per game in her initial year at Starkville, her performance took a significant upturn heading into the 2018-19 season.
She elevated her averages from 2.8 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.7 steals per game to 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals. In her second year with the Bulldogs, she was a consistent starter, appearing in all 36 games while shooting 48.3% from the field.
As she neared the end of her collegiate basketball journey, the Conway native averaged 12.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, achieving a career-best 51.7% shooting from the field, primarily from inside the arc. During her redshirt-senior season, she earned spots on the All-SEC second team, the SEC All-Defensive team, the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason team, and the SEC Community Service team, and she was also recognized as a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Her college career concluded with two SEC championships and numerous deep playoff runs at Mississippi State. After securing her degrees, Danberry transitioned to professional play. In 2022, she competed for the Mississippi Lady Lakers, a semi-pro team out of Canton, Mississippi. Following her standout performances with the Lady Lakers, Danberry landed a professional contract in Iceland.
In November 2023, she showcased one of the most remarkable performances in Icelandic professional basketball history, achieving a quadruple-double with 40 points, 12 rebounds, 13 assists, and 17 steals in a dominant 193-31 win. Throughout the 2023-24 season, she has averaged 25.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists.
