The Austin area had a fair share of state championship teams and individuals in the 2025-26 academic year. Led by Taylor tennis player Rylee Michna and Bowie swimmer Rowan Cox, Central Texas athletes were successful in almost every UIL sport. State team champions included Cedar Park volleyball, Wimberley and Round Rock girls soccer and the boys and girls golf teams from Westlake.
Each year, the American-Statesman identifies the top 50 athletes from Central Texas schools for that academic year. In all, this year’s top 50 list is comprised of 26 boys and 24 girls from 23 different schools. Lake Travis placed five athletes, which led the Austin area, followed by four selections each from Anderson, Dripping Springs and Westlake.
Our list was selected by Rick Cantu and Colby Gordon, the Statesman’s primary high school sports reporters. We count down the top 10 athletes first, followed by the remaining 40 in alphabetical order.
John Gutierrez / Special to Austin American-Statesman
A force at the plate and on the mound, Hansford was one of the big reasons Lake Travis reached the Class 6A DI state championship game for the first time. Not only was he among the team leaders with a .355 batting average, he finished with a 9-1 pitching record and an ERA of 0.96.
Sport: BaseballSchool: Lake Travis
Mikala Compton / Austin merican-Statesman
One of the nation’s leading home run hitters with 23, the Tigers junior has committed to Texas softball. She helped carry her team to a 32-8-1 record with massive numers at the plate that included a batting average of .574, 60 RBIs, 13 doubles and 4 triples. Feared by opposing teams, she walked 58 times.
Sport: SoftballSchool: Dripping Springs
Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
After leading Cedar Park to the state championship in Class 5A Division II, Udoye was named Central Texas’ player of the year by the Statesman after finishing with spectacular numbers: 581 kills, 364 digs, 34 aces and 30 blocks. She was the leader of a team that went 39-12.
Sport: VolleyballSchool: Cedar Park
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
The Bulldogs junior won the discus and shot put at the Texas Relays and did the same at the UIL state track and field championsips in May. She set Class 2A state records in the discus and shot put. Her discus toss of 152 feet, 9 inches was exactly 23 feet further than her closest competitor.
Sport: Girls Track and FieldSchool: Thorndale
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Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
Bound for Abilene Christian, the Central Texas offensive player of the year led the area with 2,300 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns. His spectacular season came one year after suffering multiple fractures in his big left toe during an early-season game. He was named the Statesman’s Central Texas newcomer of the year as a sophomore.
Sport: FootballSchool: Cedar Park
Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
The Tigers senior wrapped up another great season by winning a Class 6A wrestling championship at 120 pounds in February. Almost perfect, he finished the year with a 47-1 record. In the state finals, he defeated James Murray of Lake Travis 19-3. During the state meet, he also avenged his only loss of the year by beating Allen’s Oliver Putnam 5-3.
Sport: Boys WrestlingSchool: Dripping Springs
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
After averaging 21.6 points and 9.2 assists a game, the Chaparrals senior was named “Mr. Basketball” by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. The American-Statesman Central Texas boys player of the year led Westlake to the state championship game in Class 6A. He will follow his dad Chris, a former Longhorn and UT’s general manager for men’s basketball, by playing for Texas in the fall.
Sport: Boys BasketballSchool: Westlake
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
A state champion in both cross-country and track and field, the future Texas Longhorn won the state cross country meet in Class 5A in the fall. He earned his first career state gold medal in track and field by winning the 800 meters in 90-degree heat in May. He later triumphed in the 1,600, winning the race by a split second after trailing at the midway point.
Sport: Boys Cross-Country, Track and FieldSchool: Anderson
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Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
A dominant force at the UIL state swimming and diving championships, the Bowie star finished first in the 100-meter backstroke with state-record time of 46.27 seconds,. The senior later added his second gold medal in the 100 butterfly with a time of 45.47, nearly three seconds ahead of the silver medalist. He has signed to swim for Texas.
Sport: Boys SwimmingSchool: Bowie
Mikala Compton / Austin American-Statesman
Literally almost unbeatable, the Taylor Ducks tennis standout finished her incredible high school career with her fourth UIL Class 4A state championship in May. With a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Prosper Richard’s Amanda Tanaka in the title match, she improved her four-year record to 99-1. The valedictorian of her senior class, Michna will enroll at Texas this fall to study environmental science.
Sport: Girls TennisSchool: Taylor
Rounding out the top 50, alphabetical order
Mikala Compton / Austin American-Statesman
A Texas signee, she finished her high school career with 261 kills and 107 blocks as a senior for a team that reached 6A state championship match.
Sport: VolleyballSchool: Dripping Springs
Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
A Vanderbilt signee, he made the All-Central Texas football team and was a valued veteran on the LBJ track and field team.
Sport: Football, Track and FieldSchool: LBJ
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Henry Huey / Special to Austin American-Statesman
The San Diego State pledge had 572 kills this year earned MaxPreps All-America honors.
Sport: VolleyballSchool: Lake Travis
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
A senior, Bircher struck gold in the 1-meter diving event at state, the first medal in her four years of high school.
Sport: Girls DivingSchool: LASA
Bryant (39-3) won state in the 5A 165-pound division.
Sport: Boys WrestlingSchool: Leander
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
The TCU signee broke a Cavaliers single-season record with 22 sacks and earned Statesman Central Texas defensive player of the year honors.
Sport: FootballSchool: Lake Travis
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Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
After being named Central Texas’ newcomer of the year in volleyball, Westlake’s star freshman helped the Chaparrals reach the state title game in basketball.
Sport: Volleyball, Girls Basketball School: Westlake
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
One of the area’s most dynamic players, the Vipers senior led Central Texas with 114 catches and 14 TDs last fall.
Sport: FootballSchool: Vandegrift
Provided by Joe Kirksey
After winning a state title last year as a freshman, the Tigers’ sophomore standout went 31-1 this year and reached the semifinals at the UIL state meet.
Sport: Girls wrestlingSchool: Dripping Springs
Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
The Cavaliers senior who will play at UTSA tallied 18 goals and 17 assists to finish off a career in which she became the program’s all-time scorer.
Sport: Girls SoccerSchool: Lake Travis
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Provided by Brian Comeau
Signed by Texas A&M, he is projected to be taken early in the MLB draft this summer.
Sport: BaseballSchool: Anderson
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
After winning the Class 5A state, the senior standout won a pair of medals at the UIL state track and field meet.
Sport: Girls Track and FieldSchool: LASA
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
Bound for Stephen F. Austin, he set the career rushing record for Austin ISD with 5,430 yards.
Sport: FootballSchool: Anderson
Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
Only a freshman, she won the state golf meet in 4A and won 10 tournaments during the season.
Sport: Girls GolfSchool: Taylor
Provided by Will Schneringer
The junior quarterback passed for 34 touchdowns and ran for 10 more and earned the Statesman’s Central Texas private school player of the year honors.
Sport: FootballSchool: Regents
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
The Texans freshman was named MVP of the 4A DII state championship game, scoring Wimberley’s first goal of a 3-1 win over Sunnyvale.
Sport: Girls SoccerSchool: Wimberley
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
The Central Texas player of the year finished her senior season with 40 goals, including one in the Class 6A DI state championship victory over Keller.
Sport: Girls SoccerSchool: Round Rock
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
After winning a gold and silver medal at state as a sophomore, she earned gold and bronze medals this year.
Sport: Girls SwimmingSchool: Leander
Provided by Sonny Zepeda
The District 25-5A MVP hit .379 and also went 8-2 on the mound with 50 Ks and a 2.03 ERA.
Sport: BaseballSchool: Rouse
Paul Knight / Special to Austin American-Statesman
The Lions senior led the team to the Class 5A DI state semifinals with a batting average of .625 with 12 home runs and 74 RBIs.
Sport: SoftballSchool: Leander
Mikala Compton / Austin American-Statesman
The Wolves senior finished with a team-high 126 tackles, blocked three punts and had four INTs.
Sport: FootballSchool: Weiss
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
Won TAPPS gold in the 100 and 200 meters and took first in the 100 at the Texas Relays.
Sport: Girls Track and FieldSchool: St. Dominic Savio
Andre Fuegner / Special to Austin American-Statesman
The Statesman’s Central Texas boys player of the year produced 20 goals and 10 assists as a senior. He’ll play Division I soccer at Lipscomb.
Sport: Boys SoccerSchool: Vandegrift
The MVP of the 6A DI state tournament, her two goals propelled the Dragons to their first championship and the school’s first team state championship in three decades.
Sport: Boys SoccerSchool: Round Rock
Mikala Compton / Austin American-Statesman
After catching 40 passes for 1,040 yards last fall, he earned gold and silver medals at the 4A state track and field meet in the spring. At state he joined teammates Javarlyn Smith, Josian Covington and Ladanian Green to win the 400-meter relay that finsihed 10 meters ahead of runner-up Stafford.
Sport: Football, Boys Track and FieldSchool: LBJ
Jay Janner / Austin American-Statesman
The Hawks’ senior standout averaged 19.2 points a game and finished her high school career with more than 1,400 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Sport: Girls BasketballSchool: Hendrickson
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
One of the top swimmers at the state meet, the Arizona State signee earned two gold medals and a silver.
Sport: Boys SwimmingSchool: Anderson
Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
The Statesman’s Central Texas girls wrestler of the year capped her spectacular junior season by going 31-1 and winning a Class 6A state gold medal at 120 pounds. She won silver in the same weight class in 2025.
Sport: Girls WrestlingSchool: San Marcos
Mikala Compton / Austin American-Statesman
The Central Texas girls player of the year averaged 18.7 points and 14.0 rebounds for the Chaparrals who went 40-1 and reached the Class 6A state title game. She will play for the Houston Cougars.
Sport: Girls BasketballSchool: Westlake
Marcial Guajardo / Special to Austin American-Statesman
With 32 goals and 14 assists this season, Kini led LASA to the Class 5A DII boys state semifinals.
Sport: Boys SoccerSchool: LASA
Provided by Katy Snell
A Texas Longhorns pledge, the Jaguars junior batted .441 and was 31-for-31 in stolen base attempts.
Sport: SoftballSchool: Johnson
The Hawks junior finished 10th in Class 5A cross country and earned silver and bronze medals at the UIL state track meet.
Sport: Girls Cross-Country, Track and FieldSchool: Hendrickson
Ricardo B. Brazziell / Austin American-Statesman
Made the All-Central Texas football team as a utility player and competed at the regional track meet in two events.
Sport: Football, Boys Track and FieldSchool: Liberty Hill
Provided by Cedar Park High School
The Timberwolves junior did it again, winning his third straight Class 5A state title by going 49-2. It was his third state championship at 120 pounds.
Sport: Boys WrestlingSchool: Cedar Park
Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
One year after earning a silver medal at state, she won gold at 235 pounds this spring as a junior.
Sport: Girls WrestlingSchool: Liberty Hill
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
After throwing 51 touchdowns and running for 10 more TDs, the Wolves’ sophomore standout was named quarterback on the Statesman’s All-Central Texas first team.
Sport: FootballSchool: Weiss
Provided by Michael Rome
The Chaparrals sophomore led Westlake to its 15th state golf championship and won the Class 6A state individual championship.
Sport: Boys GolfSchool: Westlake
Aaron E. Martinez / Austin American-Statesman
Bound to play baseball at Wharton College, the Panthers senior also was among the area’s top quarterbacks with 41 touchdown passes.
Sport: Football, BaseballSchool: Pflugerville
Sara Diggins / Austin American-Statesman
The future quarterback at Penn, the Vipers senior finished with a two-year total of 27 victories as the starter. He led the Vipers to the 2024 Class 6A DII state title.
Sport: FootballSchool: Vandegrift
John Gutierrez / Special to Austin American-Statesman
Signed by Texas, the right-handed pitcher who led the Cavaliers to the 6A DI championship game is projected to be taken in the second or third round of the MLB draft.
Sport: BaseballSchool: Lake Travis
July 11, 2026|Updated May 28, 2026 2:26 p.m.