High school athletes, coaches honored at 2026 Next Up Sports banquet

[ASFN Admin]

Next Up Sports partnered with Piedmont Orthopedic and Sports Medicine and the Carlos Strong Foundation to honor student-athletes and coaches across the Athens-area for their successes on the field (and court, diamond, track, etc.) during the 2025-26 school year on May 17.

Here is the complete list of student-athletes and coaches that took home an award:

Girls Athlete of the Year​

Riley Freeman, Cedar Shoals

Boys Athlete of the Year​

RJ Knapp III, Jackson County

Players of the Year​

Fall sports​

Girls cross country: Jane Wangari, Athens Christian

Boys cross country: Aaron Brodrick, Oconee County

Flag football: Catherine Cooper, North Oconee

Football: RJ Knapp III, Jackson County

Volleyball: Elizabeth Cook, Oglethorpe County

Softball: Jenna Rapp, Jefferson

Winter sports​

Girls swim and dive: Alyssa Pace, Jackson County

Boys swim and dive: Joseph Rhine, North Oconee

Girls wrestling: Ella Hughes, Jefferson

Boys wrestling: Dallas Russell, Jefferson

Girls basketball: Ella David, Oconee County

Boys basketball: Jerrin Samuel, Winder-Barrow

Spring sports​

Girls tennis: Mary Linda Viet, Oconee County

Boys tennis: Weston Smart, Athens Academy

Girls golf: Kathryn DeLoach, Athens Academy

Boys golf: Cole Rosich, North Oconee

Girls track and field: Sole Bailey, Jackson County

Boys track and field: Christian Hubbard, Athens Christian

Girls soccer: Nolyn Herron, North Oconee

Boys soccer: Henry Payne, Clarke Central

Baseball: Garrett Smith, Madison County

Coaches of the Year​

Cross country: Jake Forrester, Oconee County

Flag football: Nicole O'Mara, North Oconee

Football: Korey Mobbs, Jackson County

Volleyball: Brianne Harrison, Oglethorpe County

Softball: Kristin Croteau, Jackson County

Swim and dive: Savana Thompson, Athens Academy

Wrestling: Kyle Baird, Jefferson

Girls basketball: Katie David, Oconee County

Boys basketball: Sherrard Brantley, Commerce

Tennis: Jimmy Blose, Oconee County

Golf: Josh Dillard, North Oconee

Track and field: Tim Cummings, Athens Christian

Girls soccer: Molly McCarty, Jefferson

Boys soccer: Tyler Pineda, Jefferson

Baseball: Eric Bounds, North Oconee

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens-area athletes, coaches honored in 2026 Next Up Sports banquet

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