By LARRY VAUGHT
Record-setting receiver Wan’Dale Robinson had a historic homecoming after transferring from Nebraska to UK this season and was the recent winner of the Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sports Figure of the YearHe beat two-time Olympic gold medalist and world record-holder Sydney McLaughlin — who had more first-place votes — for the top award.Herald-Leader columnist Mark Story oversees the nominees and voting for the award.“This award belongs to the sports media in the state,” Story said. “What makes it special is that it is the best in a given year. People that spend the most time covering sports and thinking about sports vote on it.“Richie Farmer won in 1988 and second place was Pat Riley of the Lakers but you could understand why Richie was the right choice. Tom Couch won it after his great high school career at Leslie County.“I like to have a wide diversity of winners but college sports is our biggest deal in this state. However, I like it when people break the mold.”Story knew there would be no clear-cut winner this year because so many athletes and coaches with Kentucky ties had fabulous years, including Olympians.“There were so many Olympic athletes who did great with ties to our start. Then you had Madison Lilley win national player of the year in volleyball and lead Kentucky to the national championship,” Story said. “It was just an incredible sports year in Kentucky.”