Sublette Native Lehning to Receive KSHSAA Hall of Fame Honor Feb. 2

Manhattan, Kan. (K-State Sports Information)–Prior to the start of the Feb. 2 K-State women’s basketball game against KU, former K-State All-American and current women’s basketball assistant coach Shalee Lehning will be honored by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) as a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2013. The ceremony will take place at the 12-minute mark of the pregame warm-ups during the 2 p.m., Dillons Sunflower Showdown game in Bramlage Coliseum.

“I am humbled and honored to be recognized by KSHSAA as a Hall of Fame inductee,” said Lehning. “I consider this a tremendous recognition, one which I share with so many wonderful coaches and teammates I’ve had the opportunity to compete with and for throughout my athletic career. Being a three-sport athlete in high school gave me incredible perspective about what it takes to be successful. I take a lot of pride in representing the state of Kansas and the great female athletes that have come before me and I hope I can continue to be an example for those athletes that are to come.”  

A three-sport athlete at Sublette High School, Lehning garnered numerous awards and accomplishments including: all-league first team recognition in volleyball (4 years); seven gold medals at state track and field: three gold medals in the 100-meter hurdles, two gold medals in the 300-meter hurdles and two gold medals in javelin. She shattered the state record books in her basketball career, as she is the: state all-time leading rebounder, assists leader and steals leader; fourth in state all-time points.

She helped lead the Larks to back-to-back undefeated seasons and Class 2A state championships in 2004 and 2005 and was named the Miss Kansas and Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year along with notching numerous all-tournament and all-state selections. She received Academic All-League recognition in volleyball, basketball and track for four years. She also excelled off the court, as she was class president for four years and was on the “A” Honor Roll four years.

At the conclusion of her K-State playing career in 2009, Lehning ranked first in school history and second in Big 12 history for career assists with 800, ranked first in school history for career minutes played with 4,271, ranked fourth in school history for career rebounds with 914 and 19th for career points with 1,189. She was the first player in Big 12 history to record 1,000 career points, 900 career rebounds and 800 career assists. Lehning was the eighth guard in school history to register 200 points in every season of her career and her final career point total was the 11th-highest by a guard in school history.

The 2009 Associated Press All-America honorable mention recipient finished her senior season as the Wildcats’ third-leading scorer at 10.7 points per game, the team’s top rebounder at 7.0 per game and the Big 12 leader and second in the nation in assists per game at 7.6 per contest.

Along with her All-American honor, Lehning was selected to the All-Big 12 first team for the second straight season by the league’s coaches. She also became the fifth player in school history to have her jersey retired and the first player in school history to record consecutive 200-point, 200-rebound and 200-assist seasons.

Her 229 assists during the 2008-09 season set a school record for assists in a season and set the Big 12 record for assists by a senior. She became the third player in Big 12 history to record consecutive 200 assist seasons.

During her senior season in 2008-09, Lehning was a candidate for a number of national All-American honors including: a candidate for the Wade Trophy, a State Farm/WBCA All-America finalist, a finalist for the Naismith Trophy, a finalist for the Wooden Award, a finalist for the Lieberman Award and a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. She garnered CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America third team honors, was selected to the Lowe’s Senior CLASS All-America first team and earned her third straight Academic All-Big 12 first team citation.

Lehning registered three triple-doubles during the 2008-09 season to set the Big 12 and school records for triple-doubles in a season and owns five for her career, which is tied for third in NCAA history for triple-doubles.

Photo courtesy of kstatesports.com.