2017 Gazette Athletes of the Year: A clean sweep for Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon fans have seen up close what the rest of Iowa learned at state tournaments: Tristan Wirfs and Libby Ryan are athletes with Division I talents and multi-sport capabilities.

Today, The Gazette has named Wirfs and Ryan its 2017 Athletes of the Year.

Click here to read more about Wirfs, who starred in football, wrestling, track and field and baseball for the Mustangs. He will play football at the University of Iowa.

Click here to read more about Ryan, who lettered 17 times on the Mustangs' volleyball, basketball, track and field and softball teams She'll play softball at Drake University.

The awards were inspired by the longtime sportswriting career of Jack Ogden. Athletes of the Year are chosen based on exception athletic and academic achievement.

This is the first time in the 35-year history of the award that both recipients hail from the same school in the same year.

Wirfs joins Jacob Craig (2004) and Aaron Reasland (2001) as Mount Vernon male winners, while Ryan becomes the third MV female winner, along with Nikki Nelson (1998) and Joy Jordan (1987).

Winners of the Gazette Male Athlete of the Year:

2017 — Tristan Wirfs, Mount Vernon

2016 — Jalen Rima, Cedar Rapids Prairie

2015 — Drew Cook, Iowa City Regina

2014 — Elias Nissen, Springville

2013 — Jeremy Morgan, Iowa City West

2012 — Marcus Paige, Linn-Mar

2011 — Derrick Loveless, Solon

2010 — James Morris, Solon

2009 — Keenan Davis, Cedar Rapids Washington & Matt Morrison, Solon

2008 — B.J. Hermsen, West Delaware

2007 — Barney O'Donnell, Cedar Rapids Washington

2006 — Ben Lamaak, Cedar Rapids Kennedy

2005 — Jay Borschel, Linn-Mar

2004 — Jacob Craig, Mount Vernon

2003 — Eric Sanders, Oelwein

2002 — Calvin Davis, Iowa City High

2001 — Aaron Reasland, Mount Vernon

2000 — Ryan Kedley, North Cedar

1999 — Chris Richardson, Iowa City West

1998 — Michael Claeys, HLV

1997 — Casey O'Donnell, Cedar Rapids LaSalle

1996 — Casey Estling, Center Point-Urbana

1995 — Nate Frese, Benton Community

1994 — Tim Dwight, Iowa City High

1993 — Nick Gallery, East Buchanan

1992 — Ryan Driscoll, Linn-Mar

1991 — Mike Kleppe, Cedar Rapids Prairie

1990 — Bruce Wall, Maquoketa Valley

1989 — Jason Olejniczak, Decorah

1988 — Pat Williams, Decorah

1987 — Todd Fredrick, Washington (Iowa)

1986 — Cal Eldred, Urbana

1985 — Shawn Stolte, Clarence-Lowden & Matt Zuber, Iowa Valley

1984 — Marv Cook, West Branch & Al Lorenzen, Cedar Rapids Kennedy

1983 — Todd Twachtmann, Marion

Winners of the Gazette Female Athlete of the Year:

2017 — Libby Ryan, Mount Vernon

2016 — Amanda Ollinger, Linn-Mar

2015 — Nicole Miller, North Linn

2014 — Abbey Meyer, Cascade

2013 — Kayla Armstrong, Cedar Rapids Xavier

2012 — Shelly Stumpff, Iowa City West

2011 — Kiah Stokes, Linn-Mar

2010 — Jessica Gehrke, Iowa City West

2009 — Sara Stoakes, North Tama

2008 — Kelly Krei, Iowa City High

2007 — Ashley Miller, Tipton

2006 — Sara Clancy, Cedar Rapids Xavier

2005 — Ellen Ries, North Linn

2004 — LaNeisha Waller, Cedar Rapids Washington

2003 — Erin Sheeley, Postville

2002 — Jeni Frudden, Iowa City West

2001 — Stephanie Rich, Washington (Iowa)

2000 — Maureen Head, Iowa City West

1999 — Teesa Price, Iowa City High

1998 — Nikki Nelson, Mount Vernon

1997 — Kristi Johnson, Alburnett

1996 — Monica Huelman, Vinton-Shellsburg

1995 — Erica Cronk, Center Point-Urbana

1994 — Tammy Brauer, Cedar Rapids Kennedy

1993 — Christy Hebert, Cedar Rapids Jefferson

1992 — Kara & Kate Galer, Iowa City West

1991 — Rhonda Gardemann, Cedar Rapids Kennedy

1990 — Heidi Butz, Cedar Rapids Jefferson & Jaye Donlea, Jesup

1989 — Mary Holmes, Cedar Rapids Regis

1988 — Robin Threatt, Cedar Rapids Jefferson

1987 — Joy Jordan, Mount Vernon

1986 — Kim Sheda, North Tama

1985 — Katie Abrahamson, Cedar Rapids Washington

1984 — Marta Floyd, Vinton

1983 — Lisa Becker, Cedar Rapids Jefferson