SHS inducts alumni Jill Esely Durnin into their Athletic Hall of Fame
While living a lifetime of achievement, one can potentially lose track of where it all began. However, the greatest success stems from the ability to look back upon where one started and reflect on how far they’ve come throughout the years. This is precisely why Savannah High School welcomes SHS alumni Jill Esely Durnin into their Athletic Hall of Fame.
Throughout her years on the Savannah High School Basketball Team, Jill had a plethora of athletic achievements. These include four-time All-MEC honors, four-time All-District honors, earning class three First Team All-State honors in 1997 and 1998 and helping lead her team to second place in State in 1998.
“We went to the State semifinals our junior year and senior year, and Jill was a huge part of that,” SHS Activities Director Mr. Chad Dreyer, who graduated with Jill, said.
After her graduation in 1998, Esely would go on to attend William Jewell College to play basketball for the following four years. There, she would rack up even more impressive achievements, including, but not limited to, becoming William Jewell’s all-time leading scorer with 2,163 points, and becoming a two-time NAIA All-American. In 2012, William Jewell College would induct her into their Athletic Hall of Dame, followed by her induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame as a Filbert Five in 2019.
Nowadays, Jill works as the assistant principal of Camdenton Middle School, and enjoys spending her time with her husband of 17 years, Bryce, and her three boys, Kam, Kade and Karson, all three of which attend Camdenton schools. With her lifetime of impeccable athletic achievements and her beginnings here in Savannah, Savannah High School welcomes Jill Esely Durnin into their Athletic Hall of Fame with open arms.