The first round of voting for Athlete of the Year has passed, and three boys and three girls have punched their tickets to next week’s final round of voting. 

This week, voting continues as 20 new nominees are up for consideration. Each round, the top three vote-getters in both categories will advance to a final vote.

Athlete of the Year voting will run each week starting at 10 a.m. on Monday until 10 p.m. on Sunday. You can cast one vote per category on each day during the voting period. 

Nominee information and a link to vote can be found on our website! 

https://www.lexingtonchronicle.com/athleteoftheyear

Here is how the voting process works:

• June 8-14: Vote daily for any athlete of your choice from 10 male and 10 female nominees; top three from each move on.

• June 15-21: Vote daily for any athlete of your choice from a new set of 10 male and 10 female nominees; top three from each move on.

• June 22-28: Vote for the male and female Athletes of the Year from the remaining nominees.

• July 2: Winners announced!

Below is a bit of information about each of last week’s winners. 

Rylan Bullis - Airport

Airport’s Rylan Bullis was the top boys vote-getter in the first round. 

Bullis was a crucial part of the 2026 Eagles baseball team that advanced to the SCHSL 4A state championship series. 

The rising senior was one of the top hitters and pitchers on Airport’s team all year. He finished 2026 with the second-most hits, third-most RBIs and had the second-best batting average. As a pitcher, he had the most appearances and the second-most wins. 

He was selected to the 4A All-State team by the other South Carolina coaches. 

Kendall Wright - Swansea

Kendall Wright is a multi-sport athlete at Swansea, playing football and baseball. 

The Tigers had solid years in both sports, finishing multiple games above 0.500 and in the top three in their region. 

Wright plays quarterback for the football team and was a 3A All-State selection for the baseball team. 

Kolton Rogers - Pelion

Pelion’s Kolton Rogers is also a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball and baseball at Pelion. 

Rogers helped guide both teams to winning records in 2026, including the basketball team’s best season in years. Rogers was often filling the stat sheet with double-doubles off points and rebounds. 

His efforts earned him a spot on the 2A basketball All-State squad. 

Cheyenne Love - White Knoll

White Knoll’s Cheyenne Love received the most overall votes in the first round of Athlete of the Year voting. 

The track and field star had one of the most successful seasons in Lexington County. She won state titles in the girls 200 and 400-meter dashes. She also earned a third-place medal as part of the school’s relay team. 

Love won the most medals of any Lexington County athlete at the 2026 Track and Field Championships. Her contributions helped White Knoll’s girls finish fourth overall. 

Kate Shealy - Batesburg-Leesville

Batesburg-Leesville’s Kate Shealy played volleyball and softball for the Panthers this past year. 

The rising junior was excellent at both, earning nods on the 2A volleyball and softball All-State teams. She was also the 2A Region 2 Player of the Year in volleyball. 

Shealy helped the Panthers’ softball team contend for a region title and finish the year (14-4) heading into the playoffs. 

Abby Daniel - American Leadership

American Leadership’s Abby Daniel is a three-sport athlete at the school. 

Daniel is a member of the school’s cross country, wrestling and soccer programs. She regularly contributed to all three teams.