Several male athletes across Section 4 have dominated in their respective sports, creating headlines and outshining their competition this season. The question posed: What characteristics make a standout athlete?
These fan-picked athletes have shown up and shown out in their respective sports this year; some athletes breaking long-standing records, other athletes stepping up to lead a team, and a handful of newcomers that redefined what underclassmen could do.
Here are this year’s Athlete(s) of the Season in Section 4 boys’ basketball, swimming, wrestling, bowling and track:
Click below to see all nominees and their accomplishments.
All Nominees and Descriptions
Boys Basketball
This season’s nominees: Nolyn Proudfoot (Corning), Allan Eagles (Seton Catholic Central), Marco Konrad (Maine-Endwell), Brady Carr (Oneonta)
The fan-picked 2026 “Athlete of the Season” in Section 4 boys’ basketball is Corning’s Nolyn Proudfoot.
Proudfoot’s accomplishments this season: Proudfoot scored 50 points in early February, surpassing 1500 career points as a sophomore, ending the current season with 1,762 points and having averaged 29.6 points per game. The six-foot-two guard is considered one of the top prospects in the region and has been an integral part of Corning’s postseason victories, including claiming the Section 4 Class AAA title and its state final four appearance this year. He was also named STAC All-Conference, BCANY Class AAA Player of the Year, BCANY All-Conference, Star-Gazette Player of the Year, and recently, third team All-State in Class AAA.
Words from Head Coach Mike Johnston
“Nolyn’s work ethic is 2nd to none. He lives, breathes, eats, sleeps basketball. He is working on some facet of his game every day. Be it ball handling, shooting, footwork, or strength training, he is working to earn a chance to play at the next level. He is on track to be the all-time leading scorer in Section IV History in the next two seasons. The best is yet to come.”
More: High school sports results for the 2025-26 school year
Boys Swimming & Diving
This season’s nominees: Strati Anastos (Maine-Endwell), Joey Crisco (Corning), Carson Thaete (Watkins Glen/Odessa-Montour), Koen Anderson (Ithaca)
The fan-picked 2026 “Athlete of the Season” in Section 4 boys’ swimming & diving is Corning’s Joey Crisco.
Crisco’s accomplishments this season: Crisco broke the STAQ record in the 100 breaststroke and achieved his second consecutive Section 4 Class A individual title. Crisco’s efforts in the pool helped Corning to its second straight Class A title and put him in the top 20 swimmers in the state in his sophomore season. Joey defended his Section IV titles in both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke this season, placing 10th among NYS public high school swimmers in the 100 breaststroke at this year’s state championship meet. In addition, he was a key member of Corning’s top-10 public high school 200 medley relay, swimming the backstroke leg, as well as their 200 freestyle relay.
Words from Head Coach Anthony Furstoss
“Joey’s impact goes beyond his individual results. He gives us flexibility in championship lineups because he can contribute at a high level in multiple strokes and relay roles. He has been a consistent scorer, a reliable relay swimmer, and one of the athletes we can build a meet plan around. He has also been named to the STAC Metro-West All-Conference All-Star list in each of the past four seasons, starting when he was in seventh grade. That kind of consistency is rare, and he has been a major part of our team’s success for a long time.”
Boys Indoor Track & Field
This season’s nominees: Gavin Heath (Owego), Keegan Waltz (Oxford-Greene), Milo Wilson (Binghamton), Darren Rose (Oneonta)
The fan-picked 2026 “Athlete of the Season” in Section 4 boys’ indoor track and field is Owego’s Gavin Heath.
Heath’s accomplishments this season: Heath won the 300-meter dash at the Section 4 class championship with a 36.37 run–a new personal best–in early February and later secured a ticket to states with a first-place finish in the 600-meter run at qualifiers for another personal best, coming in at 1:22.89–a new school record. Gavin was undefeated in Section 4 competition this season in both the 300-meter and 600-meter events. His 300-meter time was later adjusted to 35.99, which also stands as a new school record.
Words from Head Coach Nancy Flynn
“Gavin’s impact this season extends well beyond his results. He has proven himself to be not only an exceptional athlete, but also a consummate example of sportsmanship. He is a polite, personable, and highly respected member of our team, consistently demonstrating respect for teammates, coaches, and competitors alike. His mature and professional approach to training, along with his unwavering commitment in every race, reflects the high-caliber individual he is. Beyond his athletic achievements, Gavin’s character truly stands out—he embodies the qualities of a thoughtful, disciplined, and very mature young man.”
Boys Wrestling
This season’s nominees: Gavin Lovell (Owego), Landyn Shaffer (Deposit-Hancock), Maverick Beckwith (Norwich), Anthony Valls (Chenango Valley)
The fan-picked 2026 “Athlete of the Season” in Section 4 boys’ wrestling is Owego’s Gavin Lovell.
Lovell’s accomplishments this season: Lovell became one of the program’s youngest champs after securing the 2026 STAC champion at 103 pounds. Despite only being in seventh grade and heading into a new state tournament, Lovell stood his own as one of the youngest in Division 2 at the NYSPHSAA boys wrestling championships, placing eighth at 103 pounds. Lovell was a finalist in six varsity tournaments, with over 30 wins.
Words from Head Coach Michael Daly
“Gavin had an amazing first varsity season. We saw improvement as the year progressed, which led to a state placing. Gavin and his family have committed a great deal of time, energy, and resources to helping him become the wrestler he is today. He has traveled the northeast and beyond for several years chasing top-level competition and training opportunities. These efforts had a large impact in Gavin being able to step into the varsity lineup in the seventh grade and have an immediate impact. We are excited as a program to have such a talented young wrestler with five more years to grow as an athlete.”
Boys Bowling
This season’s nominees: Landon Butenko (Chenango Forks), Dominick Bernthon (Binghamton), Alex Gublo (Elmira), Cayden Bowman (Horseheads)
The fan-picked 2026 “Athlete of the Season” in Section 4 boys’ bowling is Chenango Forks’ Landon Butenko.
Butenko’s accomplishments this season: Butenko topped the Division 2 series, games, and composite scores with a finish of 755, 279 and 2,186, respectively, at the Section 4 boys bowling championships, sending the Blue Devils to the state championships. Butenko ranked second in the Division 2 state championships–his third year in a row. He was also named All-Conference and named to the Section 4 First Team.
Words from Head Coach Mike Bender
“Landon is truly a student-athlete. He is a National Honor Society student who is looking to study engineering in college and continue his bowling career at the next level.
During his HS career, Landon continually tries to grow the sport by recruiting new members to the team and helping them improve their skillset. He models a quiet confidence to the sport allowing him to be extremely consistent. He is a student of the sport, always watching to see what is happening on the lanes and making effective adjustments.”
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Here are the 2025-26 Athletes of the Season for boys’ winter sports
Reporting by Aniya Sumner, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
