On Friday, three UT signees were named the Gatorade Player of the Year for their respective states: Colorado’s Brihanna Crittendon, Missouri’s Addison Bjorn and Nevada’s Lizzy Spaight.
At the time of her selection, Crittendon was averaging 28.3 points and 6.7 rebounds for Riverdale Ridge High in Thornton, Colo. She was described in a Gatorade news release by a rival high school’s coach as a 6-foot-3 forward who “elevates her team every time she steps on the floor. Her team-first mentality is exceptional, but it’s her versatility that truly sets her apart. As a three-level scorer who impacts the game at both ends of the floor, she possesses a rare skill set matched only by the visible joy she brings to the game.”
This is the second straight season that Bjorn has been tabbed by Gatorade as Missouri’s top player. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 25.7 points and 14.3 rebounds as a senior at Park Hill South High in Riverside, Mo.
“She’s a great player,” Texas freshman guard Aaliyah Crump said of her USA Basketball teammate. “She can do all the little things. I think she’s going to contribute right away when she gets here. She just works really hard. She’s a great kid. She has so many skills and she just really works at her craft.”
Spaight, a 5-foot-7 point guard, won a Nevada state championship this winter at Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High while averaging 19.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and four steals per game. She was also named Nevada’s player of the year as a sophomore.
“She is a very dynamic player that can score at all three levels,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer has said of Spaight. “I’m really excited about her athleticism and quickness that she can bring to the floor both offensively and defensively. She sees the floor well and can run a team.”
Crittendon, Bjorn and Spaight were respectively ranked by ESPN as the No. 8, No. 10 and No. 20 prospects in the 2026 recruiting cycle. The three Texas signees will play together on the West team at the McDonald’s All-American game later this month.