Stiles is regarded by most people as the greatest female athlete in Kansas history after her incredible accomplishments at Claflin High School from 1993 to 1997. In basketball, she scored 3,603 points and averaged 35.7 points per game (seventh all-time nationally), which includes a staggering 46.4 scoring average (fourth all-time nationally) as a senior. She set the state’s all-time single-game mark with 71 points in 1997. In track and field, Stiles helped Claflin to two state titles and set an all-state record with 14 gold medals and two silver medals (16 possible medals). She won four gold medals as a freshman and, as a junior, became the first female athlete to win the 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 – all in one day. She also competed on the cross country and tennis teams.
Stiles’ accomplishments continued at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University), where she led her team to a berth in the Women’s Final Four in 2001. Stiles is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history with 3,393 points and led the NCAA in scoring in 1999-2000 with a 27.8 per-game average. She is the school’s single-season scoring leader. Stiles was named WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2001 after averaging 14.9 points per game for the Portland Fire. She currently is assistant women’s basketball coach at Missouri State University.
“Jackie Stiles is a multi-talented, multi-sport Kansas athlete and honor student, most deserving of the NFHS Hall of Fame recognition,” said Cheryl Gleason, KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director. “We have been waiting 14 years to nominate her for the NFHS Hall of Fame (35 is the minimum age for the NFHS Hall of Fame). Her significant accomplishments and strong work ethic have inspired a generation of students to apply themselves and make her truly worthy of this prestigious honor.” Gleason sits on the NFHS Hall of Fame Screening Committee and administers the KSHSAA Hall of Fame which Stiles was inducted to in 2001.
Stiles becomes the 10th Kansan to be inducted to the NFHS Hall of Fame: Walt Shublom (Coach—1982), Jim Ryun (Athlete—1983), Ralph Miller (Athlete—1989), Lynette Woodard (Athlete—1989), Nolan Cromwell (Athlete—1991), Brice Durbin (National Administrator—1993), Nelson Hartman (State Administrator—1998), Susan True (National Administrator—2003) an most recently Joan Wells (Coach—2007).
Four athletes and five coaches, along with one contest official, one state association administrator and one in the performing arts, will be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame July 2 at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 33rd Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be the closing event of the 96th annual NFHS Summer Meeting.
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2015 NFHS Hall of Fame Inductees
Coaches
J.T. Curtis—Louisiana
David Barney—New Mexico
Rick Lorenz—Oregon
Dan Petranovich—Arizona
Charles “Corky” Rodgers—Florida
Athletes
Cindy Brogdon—Georgia
Nikki McCray-Penson—Tennessee
Lincoln McIlravy—South Dakota
Jackie Stiles—Kansas
Officials
Joseph Pangrazio—Ohio
State Administrator
Doug Chickering—Wisconsin
Performing Arts
Mike Burton—Washington
The 12 individuals were chosen after a two-level selection process involving a screening committee composed of active high school state association administrators, coaches and officials, and a final selection committee composed of coaches, former athletes, state association officials, media representatives and educational leaders. Nominations were made through NFHS member associations.