AURORA – This year’s Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Hall of Fame Banquet will feature a local Colorado legend as its master of ceremonies.
The CHSAA has announced that former ThunderRidge and Duke University basketball phenom Abby Waner Bartolotta will serve as host for the 35th annual CHSAA Hall of Fame Banquet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at DCSD Legacy Campus.
“It’s just such an honor for me to be able to be the one that formally welcomes these incredible athletes into the CHSAA Hall of Fame,” Bartolotta said. “I see my role as someone who can tell their stories for our youth and everyone else to hear. I feel fortunate to be able to represent CHSAA and all the fans, the athletes, the coaches, parents, families and everyone that’s been a part of high school sports in Colorado. It’s truly an honor.”
A Colorado product and CHSAA Hall of Fame Class of 2023 inductee, Waner Bartolotta has come up through the state’s ranks as an athlete, student and business professional.
Waner Bartolotta was an NCAA Division I All-American women’s basketball player at Duke, where she earned a degree in English, and was a three-time gold medal winner with USA Basketball, winning world championships in Tunisia, Puerto Rico, and Russia. She was drafted by the WNBA’s New York Liberty and spent several years as a sports broadcaster for ESPN. In 2005, she was the consensus National Player of the Year for girls basketball and is one of the best basketball players in Colorado’s history.
Following her successful athletic career, Waner Bartolotta began her career in commercial real estate eight years ago, and currently works for Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) in Denver. She participates on the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors and the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation Board of Directors.
“These are our roots and this is our home,” Bartolotta said. “At this stage of life, when I look back, it’s mostly on the relationships and the people who played and continue to play a role in what I consider a fulfilled life. Where I sit today, it’s less about the accolades and more about what this community has meant to me and my family.”
Waner Bartolotta remains engaged with her local community. She has been active with the CHSAA as a broadcaster for high school championship games, a public speaker for local high schools and participates on the ThunderRidge High School Hall of Fame committee.
Waner Bartolotta also was selected as the inaugural recipient of the CHSAA Female Participant Contributor Award for her success as a player and engagement as an alum, and has been an award winner and keynote speaker for the Sportswomen of Colorado.
“As a teacher at neighboring Highlands Ranch High School, back in the day, I remember watching Abby play. She is truly one of the best,” said CHSAA assistant commissioner Rashaan Davis, who oversees the Hall of Fame. “Abby has spent a lifetime around athletics and activities, she has worked as a sports broadcaster for ESPN, and in many of her other roles, she understands the level of excellence that our hall of fame represents. I am excited to have her host this event, and I look forward to her helping our association in other ways, as well.”
The CHSAA HOF Class of 2024 includes:
Kevin Land – Jefferson County School District Athletic Administrator
Jessika Stratton Caldwell (Coronado) – Girls Basketball
Katelyn Kaltenbach Conlon (Smoky Hill) – Cross Country and Track & Field
Megan Kaltenbach Burke (Smoky Hill) – Cross Country and Track & Field
Bob Caton – Boys Basketball Coach
Darryl Miller – Significant Contributor
David Hall – Official
In addition to the Class of 2024 inductees, CHSAA will also recognize the following special award winners:
RBG Impact Award: Cassandra Tafoya (Abraham Lincoln)
Bert Borgmann Distinguished Service Award: Darryl Abeyta (Primero) and Cindy Abeyta (Primero)
Tom “The Bomb” Robinson Award: George Demetriou
Colorado Tradition Award: SCHEELS
About CHSAA:
The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) is dedicated to the development of high school students through participation in interscholastic activities, including athletics, fine arts, and other school-based programs. Founded in 1921, CHSAA serves its member schools by fostering a culture of respect, integrity, and excellence in education-based activities.