Where Are They Now? The 2015 KC Star Scholar-Athletes, Both Pro Athletes Today

As The Star honors its 2025 Scholar-Athlete award-winners, we continue another long-standing tradition: catching up with our honorees from a decade ago.

In 2015, The Star’s Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year were
Dalton Schoen of Blue Valley Northwest
and
Dorian Bailey from St. Teresa’s Academy
.

Here’s what each is doing now – with a spoiler alert: They’re both professional athletes in 2025:

Dalton Schoen

BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST

Residence:

Overland Park, Kansas; Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Currently:

Wide receiver with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

Family:

Both of Schoen’s parents attended K-State; Dalton followed in their footsteps. By the time his career in Manhattan was over, he ranked seventh all-time in school history in yards per reception (17.05) and 15th in career receiving yards (1,569).

High school:

Schoen was a Friday night terror on the football field, setting a Kansas high school record with a 12-catch, 380-yard, four-touchdown performance against Bishop Miege. But he was a true three-sport star for the Huskies, winning state titles and all-state honors in basketball and baseball, too.

College:

Schoen’s story is a good one – he walked on at Kansas State, redshirted in 2015 and then became a go-to starter for legendary football coach Bill Snyder, and current KSU coach Chris Klieman, from 2016-19. After starring for the Wildcats, a career in pro football beckoned … but to attain it, Schoen would have to keep proving doubters wrong. Off the field, he earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, then pursued a master’s in data analytics.

Sports now:

A decade on from winning Boys Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Schoen is still going strong. After signing with the L.A. Chargers of the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2020, he had two brief stints with the Chiefs in 2021, signing a reserve/future contract that April and (after being released) rejoining the KC practice squad for six days in December. In between, he was briefly on Washington’s practice squad.

The CFL came calling in 2022 and stardom awaited north of the border. After signing with Winnipeg, Schoen eclipsed 1,400 receiving yards with 16 touchdowns and earned the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie award in 2022. That led to offseason workouts with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals, but Schoen stayed in the CFL and turned in another standout season (1,233 yards/10 TDs in 2023).

A two-time CFL All-Star (2022, 2023), he signed a contract extension with Winnipeg early last year but was injured for much of the 2024 season. So he signed another one-year contract and earlier this month had four catches for 46 yards in the Blue Bombers’ 2025 season opener.

Dorian Bailey

ST. TERESA’S ACADEMY

Residence:

Mission, Kansas/San Francisco Bay Area.

Currently:

Midfielder for Bay FC, the National Women’s Soccer League club in San Jose, California.

Family:

The daughter of Lisa and Bryan Bailey, Dorian has an older sister and younger brother.

High school:

Bailey was a four-year starter at St. Teresa’s, winning a Missouri Class 3 championship (and KC Star Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors) in 2015 after runner-up state finishes in 2013 and 2014. She was Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015.

College:

Bailey played in 86 games (49 starts) for the North Carolina Tar Heels, scoring 17 goals and providing 17 assists. She helped national powerhouse UNC to an NCAA championship in 2017; the Heels returned to the national title game the next year, too, with Bailey earning first team All-American, All-Region and All-ACC honors.

Sports now:

Bailey returned to Kansas City as a pro soccer player most recently in May, when Bay FC fell 4-1 to the KC Current. This season’s return trip – KC Current at Bay FC – awaits in September in San Jose.

Bailey will no doubt factor into that result, too, as she’s a mainstay for Bay FC, a second-year NWSL expansion team. She previously spent five seasons with the Washington Spirit after being selected No. 8 overall out of UNC in the 2019 NWSL Draft. She made her pro debut in April of that year.

Bailey’s time in Washington included a league championship in 2021. She appeared in 97 matches (74 starts) with the Spirit, recording one goal and three assists, then made the move west when acquired by Bay ahead of its inaugural campaign.

Bay FC general manger Lucy Rushton said then that, “Dorian is a highly technical player … Her versatility to play multiple positions in midfield and defense is a huge asset, but her biggest asset is her want to be on the ball and her ability to be a game changer … She is a problem solver on the field.”

That’s been true internationally, as well: Bailey has represented the U.S. at the U-23, U-20, U-18, U-17, U-15 and U-14 levels.

Past winners

PREVIOUS MALE WINNERS

1984: Danny Bellus, Washington

1985: Marlon Washington, Schlagle

1986: Brad Hinkle, Olathe South

1987: Jeff Witkop, Blue Valley North

1988: Jeff Drbohlav, Cass-Midway

1989: Tom Kreamer, SM East

1990: Shaon Fry, Oak Grove

1991: Aaron Hodges, Harmon

1992: Mike Wilson, Center

1993: Nate Minnis, Blue Springs

1994: Matt Mendlick, Olathe South

1995: Steve Fein, SM Northwest

1996: Josh Alpers, Blue Springs

1997: Brandon Wier, Olathe North

1998: Daniel Parris, Lee’s Summit North

1999: Corey Crandall, Fort Osage

2000: Tommy Hottovy, Park Hill South

2001: Jeff Durbin, Olathe South

2002: Justin Dyer, Olathe South

2003: Adam Perkins, Liberty

2004: Larry Hall, Center

2005: Louis Caputo, Blue Springs

2006: Aaron Trigg, Blue Valley West

2007: Scott O’Donnell, Oak Park

2008: Riley Reynolds, Blue Springs South

2009: Rick Settle, Olathe East

2010: Roy Wedge, Lawrence

2011: Aaron Thornburg, SM Northwest

2012: Zach Herriott, Rockhurst

2013: Nathan Butler, Leavenworth

2014: Sam Guinn, Blue Valley Northwest

2015:
Dalton Schoen, Blue Valley Northwest

2016: Jacob Bohlken, Smithville

2017: Jacob Boyd, Smithville

2018: Jacob Sykes, Rockhurst

2019: Alex Totta, Blue Valley

2020: Hayden Gregg, Staley

2021:
Yaseen El-Demerdash
, Blue Valley Southwest

2022:
Ryan Thompson, Rockhurst

2023:
Carter McIntosh
, Blue Springs South

2024:
Colin McAlister
, Mill Valley

PREVIOUS FEMALE WINNERS

1984: Suzanne Meyer, Center

1985: Angela Cox, Olathe North

1986: Gretchen Prather, Liberty

1987: Tricia Lillygren, Raytown South

1988: Lisa Arel, Lee’s Summit

1989: Melanie Ornes, Lee’s Summit

1990: Amy Fowler, Bishop Miege

1991: Amy Cook, Lansing

1992: Angie Popek, SM Northwest

1993: Lisa Petty, Lawson

1994: Lisa Davies, Oak Grove

1995: Lindsay Thornton, SM West

1996: Kelly Andra, SM Northwest

1997: Elizabeth Baker, Pembroke Hill

1998: Lauren Jackson, North Kansas City

1999: Andrea Tietjen, Excelsior Springs

2000: Katherine Hoffman, Notre Dame de Sion

2001: Shea Swoboda, Winnetonka

2002: Jill Tyner, St. Pius X

2003: Tegan Stuart, Raymore-Peculiar

2004: Toni Picerno, Lee’s Summit

2005: Katie Martincich, Bishop Miege

2006: Erin Birmingham, Park Hill South

2007: Ali Pistora, Tonganoxie

2008: Allison Mayfield, St. Thomas Aquinas

2009: Morgan Johnson, Platte County

2010: Megan Yohe, Liberty

2011: Alexandra Keane, Notre Dame de Sion

2012: Lexie Oak, St. Pius X

2013: Cassie Wait, Gardner Edgerton

2014: Arianna Person, St. James Academy

2015:
Dorian Bailey, St. Teresa’s

2016: Jenna Gray, St. James Academy

2017: Carlie Queen, Summit Christian Academy

2018: Kate Walsworth, Barstow

2019: Alana Vawter, Staley

2020: Lexy Farrington, Blue Valley North

2021:
Kendra Wait
, Gardner Edgerton

2022:
Beatrice Culliton
, St. Thomas Aquinas

2023:
Taylor Cruse
, Basehor-Linwood

2024:
Zoey Hrabe
, Barstow