TOP ATHLETE OF THE PAST 30 YEARS: AMANDA BROWN (COPAN)

By Mike Tupa

Oct. 27, 2025

BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT

During his nearly 30 years of covering area high school sports for either the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise or the Bartlesville Area Sports Report, Mike Tupa has enjoyed the opportunity to observe some incredible athletes.

This is an ongoing series highlighting each few days one of those athletes from the 1996-97 school year through the present. The list is not in chronological order. The athletes are presented in random sequence.

TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT

AMANDA BROWN (Copan)

Softball/girls basketball (late 1990s)

In another era Brown might have been the star female athlete for Copan. 

But her time coincided with some of the school’s all-time Lady Hornet giants, including Tiffany Paper, Jackie Jo Chaney and Tamera Wohlschlegel.

Even so, Brown still deserves respect as one of the top female athletes in the state in her time and one of the bestto play for Copan.

Brown’s versatility was stunning. Her contributions were outstanding — she was a starter on Copan’s three-straight state championship teams from 1997-99.

She excelled as a top-flight right-fielder for Copan — a crucial position because if anyone was to make contact with one Paper’s blazing fastballs it was likely to end up in right. Brown covered the outfield like an explosive gust of wind and she turned outstanding catches into commonplace.

After Wohlschlegel graduated, Copan needed to find a new catcher able to hold up under the barrage of nearly-70-hours-a-mile fastball fired from the cannon Paper called her pitching arm.

Brown, who didn’t possess a hefty frame, still filled the bill with gritty success.

Paper combined with Brown to hurl a 4-0 shutout in 1999 against Caney Valley — perhaps Copan’s most fierce regular season rival of that era.

On the offensive side she boasted one of the team’s top bats and basepath savvy.

In a 1-0 win in 1999 against Nowata, Brown reached on an error and scored on Tiffany Paper’s ground-rule double.

Brown finished with two hits in the game.

Also during that season, Brown dominated the Hominy tournament — three triples, a double and three singles to help power Copan to the title. She also caught a perfect game from Paper, which included 17 strikeouts against 21 batters.

Fast forward a few months to the 1999-00 basketball season and Brown pumped in a team-high 12 points in a 61-46 victory against Wynona. She also recorded five steals.

Those who watched Brown’s feisty play and considerable athletic skills know she belongs among the best athletes in Copan’s girls’ sports legacy.

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This series has featured the following athletes, listed in no particular order.

-Jena’ Williams, Bartlesville

-Eric Rolfs, Bartlesville

-Chris Smith, Caney Valley

-Jill Bryan, Copan

-Barron Tanner Jr, Bartlesville

-Hailey Tucker, Bartlesville

-Jeremy Dunkle, Dewey

-Whitney Metcalf, Bartlesville

-Tim Hamilton, Bartlesville

-Danielle Koster, Bartlesville

-Carson LaRue, Dewey

-John Hamman, Wesleyan Christian

-Jamie Elam, Caney Valley

-Sam Mitchell, Bartlesville

-Karissa Jones, Dewey

-Noah Hartsock, Bartlesville

-Tiffany Paper, Copan

-AJ Parker, Bartlesville

-Tiffany Eden, Caney Valley

-Henry Williams, Bartlesville

-Markell Carter, Bartlesville

-Rebecca Schluter, Wesleyan Christian

-Adam Hibdon, Barnsdall

-Tishuana Hunter, Nowata

-Nate Alleman, Bartlesville

-Jessie Burch, Dewey

-Joey McNair, Caney Valley/Bartlesville

-Michael Thompson, Bartlesville

-Kate Steward, Bartlesville

-Jarrett Rouse, Community

-Amanda Warehime, Bartlesville

-Trey Osborne, Dewey

-Heather Lanphear, Barnsdall

-Erin Epperson, Bartlesville

-Levi Wyrick, Caney Valley (Kan.)

-Spencer Magana, Dewey

-Jackie Jo Chaney, Copan

-Haley Downey, Bartlesville

-Cooper Fogle, Caney Valley

Amanda Brown