Loudonville’s own Corri Vermilya has been named as one of the 724 high school basketball players across the nation nominated to play in the McDonald’s All American Games in Houston on April 2.
“To be nominated for the McDonald's All-American game, not only do you obviously have to be a special player, but you need to have success over a sustained period of time,” Loudonville Coach Tyler Bates said. “Corri's consistency has been admirable. I am really proud of Corri and the great teammates that she has had over the years for making this recognition possible.”
Vermilya is enjoying as great as season as anyone, and in her senior year has set some wild milestones. This season she has hit the 2,000 career point mark, broke the Loudonville record for career rebounds, broke the Redbird career steals record, recorded a quadruple-double captured the Mid-Buckeye Conference title and is leading an undefeated Loudonville Redbird squad.
On the season she is averaging 26.9 points per game,11.6 rebounds, 7.6 steals, 4.6 assists and 0.9 blocks. These are all team highs.
“We have had a number of girls basketball players earn nominations for the McDonald's All-American game over the last decade,” Coach Bates said. “It is a great honor and Corri certainly deserves it. She has proven herself to be one of the best players in Ohio. She has always been a great representative of our state.”
According to a press release by McDonald’s, the game will include the top 48 girls and boys high school players nationwide to compete. This is an elite status, as huge names in professional basketball have previous played including NBA and WNBA stars Jayson Tatum and Candace Parker.
There were eight girls’ basketball players named from the state of Ohio including Vermilya; Kamryn Grant and Natiah Nelson of Columbus Africentric Early College High School; Berry Wallace of Pickerington Central; Bree Allen and Kylee Bruce of Fairland; Kendall Braden of Toledo Christian; and Sinai Douglas of Start High School.
Seven boys’ basketball players from Ohio were nominated including: Braylen Nash of New Albany; Damarius Owens and Royce Parham of Western Reserve Academy; Jesse Burris of Rutherford B. Hayes High School; Jesse McCullough of Lutheran High School; Tyler McKinley of Winton Woods High School; and Jonathan Powell of Centerville High School.
There were nominees from 43 states and Washington D.C., with Texas having the most nominations with 69 players. The nominations came from either a coach, athletic director, principal or member of the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee.
The McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee will choose top 24 boys and girls, which which will be announced on Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. on ESPN.
