North Stonington — Two future Division I athletes. Two state championship high school basketball coaches.

The Day honored athletes in 26 sports Thursday night at its annual Athlete of the Year Awards Banquet at Lake of Isles, as well as naming its overall athletes of the year and coaches of the year for boys’ and girls’ sports.

Stonington High School’s Josh Mooney, who recently won the national championship in the 110-meter high hurdles and is headed to compete in track and field at UConn, was honored as the All-Area Boys’ Athlete of the Year for the second straight year.

New London’s Nalyce Dudley, who led the Whalers to the Class MM girls’ basketball state championship March 19 at Mohegan Sun Arena, was named All-Area Girls’ Athlete of the Year. She will play at Sacred Heart, which earned a berth in the 2023 NCAA tournament.

New London’s Tammy Millsaps, who coached the Whalers to that title despite having a roster of just seven players, was voted by The Day’s sports staff as the All-Area Coach of the Year for girls’ sports, while St. Bernard boys’ basketball coach Mark Jones was named All-Area Coach of the Year for boys’ sports. Jones also earned a state title, as the Saints took the Division II crown.

Named the Gatorade Connecticut Boys’ Track & Field Athlete of the Year earlier Thursday, Mooney won the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles and javelin at the Eastern Connecticut Conference, Class M and State Open levels and went on to win the New England title in the 110 hurdles.

He won the national championship in the hurdles in 13.48 seconds, setting the Connecticut record in the event. He was also the state decathlon champion for the second straight year.

Mooney is The Day’s 2023 All-Area Athlete of the Year in indoor and outdoor track.

“His personality is a huge part of it. He doesn’t get up, he doesn’t get too down,” Stonington coach Ben Bowne said of Mooney. “He doesn’t let things steer him off his path. He was really excited after winning (the national championship), still himself but definitely smiling and dancing a little bit.”

Dudley, meanwhile, is what Millsaps called “a shining light for the school.”

Dudley is The Day’s two-time All-Area Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year and a two-time all-state selection, who also earned ECC all-star honors in volleyball and track and field.

During New London’s state championship run, Dudley averaged 22.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 3.7 assists per game. She finished her career with 1,369 points and back-to-back ECC tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.

“She’s well-respected by the teachers in the building, well-respected by her peers,” Millsaps said of Dudley.

“She has the God-given talent to be great. From the jump, I don’t think she knew she could be great. You can see their confidence growing. It just builds them. She’s built to be great.”

Millsaps and Jones won state championships on the same day at Mohegan Sun.

The St. Bernard boys (25-3) toppled Staples 63-50, the program’s first title since 1982, moments before the New London girls’ (21-6) took the court against Mercy, finishing with a 57-47 victory. It was Jones’ first state championship as a coach, Millsaps’ fifth, her first at New London.

Both Dudley and Cedrick Similien, The Day’s All-Area Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year, had effusive praise for their coaches.

“Mark did a lot for me,” Similien said recently. “He helped me be a better player and even a better man. He was big on ‘moments.’ For example, there are moments on the court where you are down 10 but you made two 3s. Now you’re only down 4. Take advantage of that by playing even harder because at that moment the whole game can change.”

Dudley said that prior to her sophomore season, which was shortened by COVID, she thought about transferring. That’s right when Millsaps was hired to coach at New London.

“She said, ‘Give me a chance,’” Dudley said of a conversation between the two. “I knew she was gonna help my game grow.

“... Coach saw something in all of us and believed in us seven. To see what she’s done as a coach in just three years shows how true she is. She makes greatness out of her players, not just on the court but off the court. It was truly an honor to be coached by coach Millsaps.”

v.fulkerson@theday.com