The 2026 Texas high school track and field season was full of photo finishes, record-breaking performances and outstanding individual achievements.
Now with the high school track and field season officially in the books, it’s time to answer a major question – Who was the Big Country’s best girls track and field athlete during the 2026 season?
We want to hear from you! The Reporter-News has selected 16 of the top Big Country-area high school athletes as finalists for the 2026 Readers’ Choice All-Big Country Girls Track & Field MVP.
Finalists were selected based upon statistics, individual accolades, record-breaking performances and feedback from area coaches.
The Readers’ Choice All-Big Country Girls Track & Field MVP poll will open on Monday, June 15, and close at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 28.
Here is a closer look at every candidate for the Abilene Reporter-News’ Readers’ Choice All-Big Country Girls Track & Field MVP for the 2026 Texas high school track and field season:
Athletes listed in alphabetical order below.
Landri Adkins, Haskell, Fr.
Adkins capped off an impressive freshman season by claiming a silver medal in the high jump (5-05.00) at the Class 2A UIL State Track and Field Meet.
Reagan Barr, Eula, Jr.
Barr qualified for the Class 1A UIL State Track and Field Meet in three separate events, leading off Eula’s 4×200-meter relay team – which finished fourth (1:48.16) at state – and earning two medals: a silver medal in the long jump (17-07.25) and a bronze in the triple jump (36-08.25).
Ava Burrell, Roscoe, Sr.
Burrell finished a strong senior year by reaching the Class 2A UIL State Track and Field Meet in multiple events, collecting a fourth-place finish in the high jump (5-02.00) and an eighth-place finish in the long jump (16-07.00).
Reese Cave, Abilene Wylie, So.
Cave – one of the Big Country’s best pole vaulters – claimed first-place finishes at the 2026 Big Country Relays, won district and area titles, and secured a fifth-place finish in the pole vault (11-06.00) at the Region I-5A UIL Regional Track and Field Meet at Texas Tech.
Jace Chisum, Jayton, Sr.
Chisum – one of the Big Country’s most decorated distance runners – reached the Class 1A UIL State Track and Field Meet in three events for the Lady Jays, finishing fourth in the 3200-meter run (11:41.11), fifth in the 1600-meter run (5:24.08) and helping Jayton’s 4×400-meter relay team finish ninth (4:39.75) at the state meet.
Emma Clutz, Tuscola Jim Ned, Jr.
Clutz ran the anchor leg for both of the Lady Indians’ relay teams that qualified for the Class 3A UIL State Track and Field Meet, helping Jim Ned collect a silver medal in the 4×200-meter relay (1:42.90) and a sixth-place finish in the 4×100 (48.98).
Davis Etheredge, Roscoe Highland, Fr.
Etheredge’s breakout freshman season ended with a gold medal after winning the high jump (5-05.00) at the Class 1A UIL State Track and Field Meet. She also led off for Roscoe Highland’s 4×400-meter relay team that earned an eighth-place finish (4:31.50) at the state meet.
Lillian Fought, Cisco, So.
Fought qualified for the 2026 UIL State Track and Field in all three wheelchair division events – earning gold medals in the 100 meters (16.75) and 400 meters (1:05.82) as well as a fifth-place finish in shot pot (16-09.25). Fought also broke her own state record in the 100, which she had previously set as the UIL state meet record in 2025 (17.44).
Victoria Guerrero, Coleman, Jr.
Guerrero, one of the Big Country’s most elite distance runners, reached the Class 2A UIL State Track and Field Meet and claimed a bronze medal in the 1600-meter run (5:10.22), a fifth-place finish in the 3200-meter run (11:46.57) and a fourth-place finish in the 4×400-meter relay (4:06.03) to cap off a strong junior year.
Brinley Hall, Stephenville, Sr.
Hall – one of the Big Country area’s strongest throwers – narrowly missed out on the podium at the Class 4A UIL State Track and Field Meet after securing a fourth-place finish in the shot put (41-04.25).
Morgan Hardman, Cisco, Sr.
Hardman showed why she’s earned a reputation as an elite sprinter at the Class 2A UIL State Track and Field Meet, racing to a silver medal in the 200-meter dash (24.94), running as the anchor leg on the Lady Loboes’ 4×100-meter relay team that finished seventh at state (49.73) and serving as the leadoff leg of Cisco’s 4×400 relay team that earned a sixth-place finish at the state meet (4:07.06).
Abigail Kirkpatrick, Gordon, Jr.
Kirkpatrick helped the Lady Horns capture their second straight team state title at the Class 1A UIL State Track and Field Meet, earning a silver medal in the 100-meter hurdles (15.73) at state and helping Gordon win a gold medal as part of the Lady Horn’s 4×100-meter relay team (49.61) – which also broke the Class 1A UIL state meet record for the girls 4×100.
Kaya Phillips, Brownwood, Jr.
Phillips shined during her return to the Class 4A UIL State Track and Field Meet, winning a silver medal in the 200-meter dash (23.66) and running as part of the Lady Lions 4×100 and 4×200-meter relay teams that finished fifth (47.24) and sixth (1:39.91), respectively.
Grace Sparks, Brownwood, So.
Sparks finished a stellar sophomore season with a bang by taking home a silver medal in pole vaulting (12-09.00) at the Class 4A UIL State Track and Field Meet.
Kamden Tidwell, Breckenridge, So.
Tidwell – one of the Big Country’s most decorated pole vaulters – won a bronze medal in pole vaulting (11-09.00) for Breckenridge at the Class 3A UIL State Track and Field Meet.
Jamie Vassar, Early, Jr.
Vassar solidified herself as one of the Big Country area’s best throwers by winning a gold medal in shot put (44-01.75) at the Class 3A UIL State Track and Field Meet.
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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Fan Vote: Who should be the ARN’s 2026 All-Big Country Girls Track & Field MVP?
Reporting by Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News | USA TODAY Network
