Bay State Games Announces 2025 Athletes of the Year
(L-R) Delaney Ochs (Baton Twirling), Dewey Hathaway (Archery), Ginny Richburg (Track & Field), Wayne Dickenson (Judo & Table Tennis)
Bay State Games is excited to announce they have selected its Athletes of the Year. This award is based on participation in the Games and other athletic achievements. The 2025 selections for Athlete of the Year are:
Female Youth Athlete – Delaney Ochs
Female Adult Athlete – Ginny Richburg
Male Youth Athlete – Dewey Hathaway
Male Adult Athlete - Wayne Dickenson
Delaney Ochs, 12, of South Hadley, MA has been twirling since the age of two and is the Feature Twirler for the South Hadley High School Marching Band. A seven-year Bay State Games competitor, she has earned 29 gold, 17 silver, and 6 bronze medals, along with numerous state, regional, and national honors, including the 2025 Pre-Teen Miss Majorette of Massachusetts and the 2022 Bay State Games Sportsmanship Award. A member of the award-winning Belchertown Twirlers, Delaney has overcome health challenges and continues to train daily with dedication and passion.
Ginny Richburg, 66, of York, ME has 40 years experience as a coach and educator. As an athlete at Brandeis University, she became the first woman to represent the school at the NCAA Championships and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2009. She coached successful high school track, cross country, and soccer programs, guiding Randolph Union HS cross country to four state titles. Ginny has earned multiple national titles in masters track and represented Team USA at the World Masters Championships. She has competed in Bay State Games in 2019, 21, 24 and won nine medals.
Dewey Hathaway, 18, of Chesterfield, MA is a freshman at Western New England University majoring in Electrical Engineering. He is a member of USA Archery’s U18 Team and captured gold at the 2024 World Archery Field Championships and the 2023 World Archery Youth Worlds. He has also won the 2025 JOAD Nationals Championship and numerous nationwide tournaments including Arizona Cup, Buckeye Classic in Ohio and the Vegas Shoot. Dewey has competed in the Bay State Games archery competition since 2018 and has won four golds and one silver medal.
Wayne Dickenson, 61, of Somerset, MA a 5th-degree black belt and Head Coach at Celtic Judo Club. He has competed in two sports at Bay State Games since 1995, earning 15 gold and 3 silver medals in Judo as well as bronze in table tennis. A 13-time Judo National Masters Champion, 5-time Pan Am Masters Champion, and 7-time World Masters/Veterans medalist, Wayne most recently won silver in Abu Dhabi in 2023. Wayne was instrumental in organizing Bay State Games judo events and served as commissioner for four years.
For more information on the Bay State Games Athlete of the Year program and past winners, go to www.baystategames.org/AOY.
