CHEBOYGAN Talk about a difficult list tocome up with.This was it, as it took me through the middle of the night to figure out the greatest Cheboygan-area female athletesIvecovered over the course of my 15 years or so up here.TOP AREA MALE ATHLETES OF LAST 15 YEARS: The best male athletes I've covered in the Cheboygan area | GreenleafGREATEST U.P. MALE ATHLETES: Looking at greatest male athletes from Michigan's Upper PeninsulaGREATEST U.P. FEMALE ATHLETES: Looking at greatest female athletes from Michigan's Upper PeninsulaHeresa look at those elite athletes, some of which came during my early years, others whom I covered during the middle of my career, and those who competedrather recently.Mandy Paull, Cheboygan In a soccer career that saw her net 174 career points 79 goals and 95 assists PaullearnedMichigan High SchoolSoccer Coaches Association all-state first team honorsin her junior and senior seasons and was named to the all-state squad in all four seasons she played with the Chiefs.Paull continued her career at Ferris State University.Thatsnot all. In addition to an elite soccer career, she was a stellar cross-country runner who picked up all-state accolades.Cloe Mallory, Inland Lakes The greatest softball pitcherIvecovered, Mallory, an all-stater multiple times in her career, lifted the Bulldogs to the 2017 Division 4 state title and was a part of 2016s state runner-up squad. In addition to the 416 strikeouts and career earned run average of 0.60 in high school, Mallory hit .495 with 20 career home runs.After Inland Lakes, Mallory pitched and earned all-MAC honors at Central Michigan University.Aspen Williams, Cheboygan Anothersoftball superstar who earned Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association all-state first team honors with the Chiefs in 2013.A prolific offensive player and an elite defender, theoutstanding Williams continued her career at Western Michigan University, where she earned all-MAC accolades.Natalie Wandrie, Inland Lakes Earning all-state in four different sports was Wandrie, who led Inland Lakes volleyball to an MHSAA Division 4 state title game appearance in 2021.In softball, her powerful hitting and strong defensive play helped her secure all-state first team accolades.In basketball, she became I-L's all-time leading scorerwith 1,301 total points. To top her high school athletic career off, Wandrie won D4 state titles in the discus and shot put in track and field. Currently, Wandrieis now a member of the Lindsey Wilson University (Kentucky) volleyball and softball squads.Madison Smith, Mackinaw City A superb basketball and volleyball player with the Comets, Smith earned all-state accolades in both sports. Smith wasa major part of Mackinaw Citys 2023 regional title-winning basketball squad.In that senior basketball season, Smith averaged 16.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists, 3.6 steals and 3.5 blocks. After Mackinaw City, she spent time as a member of Saginaw Valley State Universitys volleyball teamandMid MichiganCollege basketball.Tayler Friend, Pellston I only got to cover this Pellston star for one season in 2010, but it was an incredible one for Friend, who earned Class D all-state first team honors as a senior. Friends exceptional play helped the Hornets who reachedthe statechampionship game a year prior to a second consecutive trip to Battle Creek for the state semifinals. Friendplayed two years of volleyball at Grand Rapids Community College following her Pellston career.Larissa Huffman, Mackinaw City Another athlete who earned all-state honors in multiple sports, Huffman was a star on Mackinaw Citys first-ever regional title-winning basketball team in 2023. As a co-op member of Inland Lakes state runner-up track and field team in 2023, Huffman claimed all-state in the 100 and 300 hurdles. Over the last few years, Huffman has competed as a member of theSt. Norbert College (Wisconsin) basketball and track and field teams.Megan Murphy, Cheboygan A three-time district champion in soccer, Murphy was a sensational midfielder who earned all-state honors during her senior campaign with the Chiefs. Overall, she finished with 101 career points.During what was asuccessful golf career, Murphy was a state qualifier.Emily Estep, Onaway Though I didnt arrive in Northern Michigan before Esteps elite pitching spearheaded the Cardinals to a Class D state runner-up finish in 2010, I did get to watch the final three seasons ofher athletic career, which saw her star in softball as well as volleyball, as she was a tremendousliberowho helped the Cardinalsreach the 2012 Class D semifinals.After Onaway, Estep played multiple seasons with Lake Superior State University softball.TOP SPORTS MOMENTS: Reliving best Cheboygan-area high school sports moments from 2025-26MAYBANK QUALIFIES FOR US AM: Cheboygan native, OU's PJ Maybank III qualifies for 2026 U.S. AmateurChloe Robinson, Inland Lakes One of the best three-sport performersIvewatched, Robinson is one of themost decoratedathletes on this list, having earned all-state honors in basketball twodifferent times. In basketball, Robinson won district titles in each of her four seasons and liftedthe Bulldogs to their first-ever regional title in 2026. Duringa highly successfulfour-year track and field career, Robinson was a part of three I-L teams that won regional championships and two that captured Ski Valley titles.Robinson will continue her basketball career at Bay College. Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf atjgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter@sportsCDTThis article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: The best female athletes I've covered in Cheboygan area | Greenleaf