The time is now for the biggest South Bend Tribune poll of the 2025-26 academic year so far. It’s time to vote for the 2026 South Bend Tribune Girls Athlete of the Year.
Below are 24 nominees from 24 different coverage area schools, listed in alphabetical order by school. Nominees were limited to just one per school. Find the poll below the list of nominees, which is open with no voting limits until Wednesday, July 1 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
NOTE: this is a FAN VOTE. The South Bend Tribune’s staff pick for Girls Athlete of the Year will be unveiled Thursday, July 2.
Zaya Price, Brandywine
The freshman was a standout for the Bobcats’ MHSAA Division 3 regional championship team, named to the Detroit Free Press’ All-State Second Team for her efforts. In track and field, Price broke the Brandywine school record in girls high jump at 5-01 feet to qualify for the Division 3 state finals.
Emma Kincaid, Bremen
The senior Indiana Wesleyan basketball and track and field commit was a rare three-sport athlete for the Lions. For the 24-9 volleyball team, Kincaid led the squad in assists with 778, also collecting 274 digs, 45 blocks, 30 kills and 17 aces. She eclipsed 1,000 career points for the 24-3 2A semi-state runner-up basketball team, averaging 14.3 points, four rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Kincaid was also a state qualifier for the track team, winning a sectional championship in the 400-meter dash.
Catie Brenneman, Concord
The Notre Dame commit finished second in the 200-yard freestyle and third in the 100-yard freestyle at the IHSAA girls swimming and diving state finals, winning sectional and regional championships in both events. She tied a school record with 11 total sectional championships across her four years with the Minutemen.
Shaniyah Stout, Elkhart
The Kellogg Community College basketball commit was a two-sport standout for the Lions, first leading the 23-10 volleyball team with 69 blocks, also compiling 67 kills, 35 aces, 68 digs and three assists. Stout surpassed 1,000 career points with the 16-8 basketball team, averaging 13.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
Ivy Clapsaddle, Elkhart Christian Academy
Clapsaddle was one of the program-record 17-1 girls soccer team’s top goal scorers, and she surpassed 1,000 career points for the 23-5 1A semi-state runner-up girls basketball team. For the latter, Clapsaddle averaged 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.8 assists per game.
Madison Jones, Fairfield
The junior was a two-sport standout for the Falcons. First, Jones surpassed 1,000 career points for the 3A regional champion basketball team. Then, Jones won the 2026 South Bend Tribune Softball Player of the Year poll by leading Fairfield in batting average (.609), runs (53), hits (56), RBI (58), doubles (14), home runs (14), triples (3) and stolen bases (19).
Amari Lind, Goshen
The sophomore was the lone bright spot for the RedHawks’ winless basketball team, averaging 8.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.6 per game. On the track was where Lind truly stood out, finishing third at the state finals in the 200-meter dash and helping Goshen finish second in the 4×400-meter relay. She helped the RedHawks set regional records in each event the week before.
Brooklyn Gillespie, Jimtown
The senior two-sport athlete contributed to the volleyball and softball teams. First, she led the 14-19 volleyball squad with 53 blocks, also putting up 126 kills, 22 aces, 45 digs and 13 assists. For the 19-10 2A sectional champion and Indiana Northern State Conference champion softball team, Gillespie batted .217 with 20 runs, 15 hits, 12 RBIs, two home runs, one double, one triple, a .741 OPS and five stolen bases.
Payton Thomas, John Glenn
The senior helped lead the 21-10 Falcons’ softball team to their first-ever 2A regional championship, hitting .462 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs and an OPS of 1.477.
Claire Huber, La Porte
The sophomore set a Slicer record with 28 goals for the 5-9-2 soccer team, also compiling four assists and 60 points. Huber also won a girls tennis individual sectional championship at No. 2 singles.
Laniah Davis, Marquette Catholic
The senior Northern Illinois basketball commit ended her storied career with 2,100 points, the most in school history, boys or girls. Davis was named an Indiana All-Star, averaging 20.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 2.4 assists per game for the 23-4 1A sectional champion Blazers.
Ellie Adams, Mishawaka
The senior Purdue-Fort Wayne volleyball commit led the 25-8 Cavemen with 465 kills, 409 digs, 47 aces, 24 blocks and 35 assists.
Theresa Reynolds, Mishawaka Marian
The senior was a team captain and All-State defender for the 15-4-2 2A state champion girls soccer team, also pouring in two goals. Reynolds was also a team captain for the 11-11 basketball team, averaging 2.1 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. She played both sports after tearing her ACL in the Fall of 2024.
Maggie Duszynski, New Prairie
The senior Tennessee Tech beach volleyball commit led the 14-18 Cougars with 338 kills and 48 aces, and she also had 37 blocks, 194 digs and 18 assists. Duszynski also was a sectional champion on the No. 1 doubles tennis team alongside Morgan Setmayer.
Tanaya Brown, Niles
The senior Kalamazoo Valley Community College volleyball commit was a three-sport athlete for the Vikings, helping the volleyball team and basketball team win Division 2 district championships as a starter for each. Brown was also a flag football standout despite the sport not being officially sanctioned by the MHSAA.
Allison Ambers, Northridge
The junior was a two-sport standout with the Raiders, first averaging 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.5 assists per game for the 20-8 4A regional champion basketball team. Ambers also qualified for the track state finals in the 4×800-meter relay, which won sectional and regional championships.
Naima Ghaffar, NorthWood
The senior Grand Valley State wrestling commit finished her high school career by winning her second straight state championship in the 135-pound weight class. Ghaffar ends her time as a Panther with an 85-2 record.
Zoya Turk, Penn
The senior Ball State soccer commit was a true two-sport standout for the Kingsmen, helping lead the 12-5-4 soccer team to a 3A sectional championship. She had eight goals, 22 points and six assists. For the sectional and regional champion track team, Turk qualified for the state finals in the 400-meter dash and the 4×400-meter relay.
Jersey Hunter, Plymouth
The senior excelled in three sports, first leading the 20-12 volleyball team with 266 kills and 331 digs, also compiling 26 aces, 28 kills and 20 assists. She qualified for the gymnastics state finals, and she did the same for the track team, breaking school records in each sport. Hunter was a sectional champion in the 100-meter hurdles and 4×100-relay team as well.
Jaidyn Kimbrough, South Bend Adams
One of the few individual sport athletes to be nominated, Kimbrough was exceptional for the Eagles’ track and field team. The sophomore was a Northern Indiana Conference and sectional champion in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, as well as the 4×100-meter relay. Kimbrough qualified for state in all three events, also winning a regional championship in the latter. At the state finals, Kimbrough finished second in the 200-meter dash and fourth in the 100-meter dash. She holds the Adams school record in the 200.
Tinayja Summers, South Bend Riley
The junior was a two-sport standout for the Wildcats, first contributing to the 8-16 basketball team with 8.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game. Summers qualified for the track state finals in the long jump as well, alongside her twin brother, Valentino, who qualified on the boys side in the high jump.
Lydia Goodsell, South Bend Saint Joseph
The junior had four goals, two assists and 10 points for the Huskies’ 8-8 soccer team, but it was on the track where Goodsell truly made her mark. She won a NIC, sectional and regional championship in the long jump, finishing fourth at the state finals at 19-01.5 feet.
Adriana Swanson, South Bend Washington
The senior Indiana University commit ended her high school career as one of the greatest track athletes in South Bend history. She holds the Panthers’ records in the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles, and she is a four-time NIC, sectional and regional champion in both events. Swanson finished in third place in both events at the state finals after winning the 100-meter hurdles state championship as a junior.
Annika Lute, Trinity Academy
The junior qualified for the state finals in cross country and track, doing so in the 5k for the former and in the 1,600-meter run for the latter. In cross country, Lute placed third at the New Prairie invite in the Class 1A 5k and fifth in the 5k at sectionals. In track, she placed second in the 1,600-meter run at sectionals and regionals. She won the 1,600-meter run at the South Bend City meet.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: 2026 South Bend Tribune Girls Athlete of the Year fan poll is now open
Reporting by Kyle Smedley, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kyle Smedley, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
