Daily Chronicle 2025 Girls Athlete of the Year: Genoa-Kingston’s Ally Poegel

Ally Poegel spent the winter rewriting Genoa-Kingston’s basketball record book, breaking 10 records in a monster senior season for the Cogs.

When spring rolled around and she moved on to the soccer field, she wasn’t done.

This time, it wasn’t individual records that fell. She scored 19 goals for a G-K team that won its first regional in 15 years and obliterated its single-season wins record.

“As much as my personal achievements are very high up there and impressive, getting a team record then extending it by six games, it was really impressive,” Poegel said. “I feel like my basketball mindset, breaking all those records, transferred over into soccer.”

The Cogs soccer team went 21-3 this season after the program never had won more than 15 games. They had a 19-game winning streak at one point and went undefeated in Big Northern Conference play.

And with a basketball season in which she averaged 17.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.3 steals and 2.6 assists, Poegel was named the Daily Chronicle 2025 Girls Athlete of the Year.

“It was great to boost my teammates,” Poegel said. “We can break records too. It’s not all about individual records. Team records are just as important.”

Poegel has committed to play basketball at Wartburg, which went 26-3 last year and reached the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament.

She’ll leave Genoa as the record holder for points in a game, season and career; steals in a season and career; free throws made in a season and career; and field goals made in a game, season and career.

She produced those numbers playing point guard for the first time and under first-year head coach Doug Brewington.

“She really welcomed me,” Brewington said. “She’s the leader of the program before I come in, so she was excited to have me and I was excited to have someone of her caliber. Coming in right off the bat it was just mutual excitement.”

Brewington said it was a combination of her work ethic and enthusiasm that made her such a great player.

Her results weren’t an accident, he said.

“Every day after practice she’s staying and getting shots,” Brewington said. “I know you hear that, ‘Oh, if you want to be great stay after practice.’ This is a kid that’s the embodiment of that.”

And that’s the biggest part of the legacy she’s leaving behind, Brewington said. He’s seen it this summer with players putting in extra work just like Poegel did.

“When Ally Poegel asks you to stay and get up shots with her, you’re staying and getting up shots with her,” Brewington said. “You can see it spread, even into this summer.”

Genoa-Kingston soccer coach Holly Lippold said that enthusiasm isn’t just reserved for the basketball court. In addition to tying for the team lead in goals, Poegel had three assists and was an all-BNC selection.

“It’s been so fun to have her,” Lippold said. “She always brings the energy and the positivity. She’s a well-rounded student-athlete and a great teammate to have. I hope she carries that through with her in everything she does in the future.”

Poegel said her expectations before each sport were basically the same - have some fun in her final time donning orange and blue.

The records were just a bonus.

“It was my last time playing in a G-K jersey, so I really wanted to soak it all in,” Poegel said. “We just took that and ran with it. With Ayva Hernandez, the freshman at center-mid, she helped boost the energy and we went along with it.”

Lippold said it was evident that Poegel was looking to have fun in her final soccer season.

 Brewington said she was a key component in helping the team adjust to a new coach and a new system. The Cogs went 18-13, their best record since an identical mark in 2022.

Poegel said it was a great close to a wonderful high school experience.

“I feel like I lived it to its fullest, even outside of sports,” Poegel said. “I had fun, went to all the football games and all that. I really enjoyed my four years at G-K.”