18-05-2025
Indianapolis high school sports: 3 finalists for Marion County Female Athlete of the Year
The Marion County Athletic Association will soon name its City and County Athletes of the Year, an award that dates to 1950 and grew to include girls' achievements in 1979.
The awards are geared toward athletic achievement, but almost every winner over the years has exhibited impressive credentials in and out of their athletic, academic and personal areas. Generally, multi-sport athletes are given consideration over single-sport athletes, though in some cases a single-sport athlete has been so outstanding that he or she has been selected as the winner.
Here are the three finalists for County Female Athlete of the Year (last year's winner was Maddie Rocchio of North Central):
Lampley, a Mississippi State signee, led Lawrence Central to a Class 4A state championship as a junior and went on to be the runner-up for Miss Basketball as a senior and earn Indiana All-Stars honors.
Lampley, a four-year letterwinner in girls basketball for the Bears, was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Indiana as a junior after averaging 18.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game in a 29-0 season. As a senior, Lampley averaged 21.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.8 assists per game for a team that finished 22-2, losing to eventual state champion Lawrence North in the sectional.
Lampley is the all-time leading scorer in school history with 1,802 points. She also set program records for rebounds (580) and steals (209). She was a four-time selection as a first teamer to the All-Marion County team. Lampley was twice named the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference Player of the Year.
Lampley, a distinguished honor roll student, has goals of playing in the WNBA and working in the medical industry.
Matthews, a six-time letterwinner in cross-country and track and field, won the 800 meters at the Marion County track meet as a sophomore and senior and helped her teams to county championships as a sophomore, junior and senior. She was also part of the 4x800 meter relay team that won the sectional championship as a freshman, sophomore and junior. That team also won regional titles in 2022 and '24.
Matthews' girls track team won a state title her freshman year, won the sectional every year of her first three years of high school and the regional championship twice. She won the 800 meters and 1,600 meters this spring at the MIC meet. Matthews also won the MIC indoor 3,200 championship. She is part of the school record holding relay teams in the 4x800 and distance medley relay.
In cross-country, Matthews is a three-time All-Marion County honoree and three-time All-MIC selection. Her cross-country teams won sectional titles in 2022 and '23, also winning a regional in '23.
Matthews plans to attend Marian University to run cross-country and track. She will major in mechanical engineering with a goal of working in motorsports as an engineer. Matthews is a member of the National Honor Society.
Thomas, an eight-time letterwinner in basketball and track and field, will play basketball at Northern Kentucky and study psychology.
The 6-1 Thomas, a two-time All-Marion County selection, averaged 12.3 points and 4.8 rebounds as a senior to help Lawrence North to a 19-8 season and Class 4A state championship. Her team as a sophomore reached the final game of the semistate and won the MIC basketball championship. Thomas was a three-time MIC selection.
In track and field, Thomas was a two-time MIC shot put champion and two-time MIC indoor shot put champion. She was part of three sectional championship teams in track and was twice named All-MIC track and field.
Thomas, a distinguished scholar and member of the distinguished honor roll, earned the Lawrence North physical education/health award. She volunteered her time for elementary reading programs at Mary Castle and Sunnyside Elementary. Thomas plans to use her psychology degree to help people overcome adversity and issues in their lives.
