This year, the Hall of Fame committee established the Alvin G. Quinn Sports Hall of Fame Rising Star Award to honor an individual or team, whose age/s are no older than 19, that has demonstrated exceptional accomplishments and contributions in their athletic field, and has brought honor to self and Frederick County during the past year. The Hall of Fame Rising Star committee unanimously voted to recognize Saylor Poffenbarger, a 16-year-old girls’ basketball standout from Middletown High School.

Saylor is currently a junior at Middletown High School. She was one of only 33 players who received an invitation to try out for the 2019 USA Women’s U16 National Team and in May 2019 was named to the 12-member roster. In June of 2019, Saylor helped led Team USA to a gold medal in the FIBA U16 Women’s Americas Championship, beating Canada 87-37 in the Gold Medal game. Team USA went 6-0 in Puerto Aysan, Chile, beating teams from Brazil, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. Saylor contributed significantly to the team’s success. She averages 18.4 minutes per game, 7.2 points per game and scored 10 points in the gold medal game against Canada.

Saylor has been recognized as a 2018 and 2019 All-State first-team selection, 2019 All-Area, and 2018-2019 Central Maryland Conference Player of the Year. She has compiled 1,109 points, 597 rebounds, 207 assists, 137 steals, and 149 blocked shot through her sophomore year at Middletown High School. Saylor verbally committed to play college basketball at the University of Connecticut, the most successful women’s college basketball program in the nation with 11 Division I national championships and 19 Final Four appearances since 1995.