Vote: Who should be High School on SI National Girls Athlete of the Week? (1/27/2025)

Which athlete had the best performance in the nation from Jan. 20-26?

Spring Garden's Ace Austin drives to the basket. / Dave Hyatt / Special to the Gadsden Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Each week during the high school sports season, High School on SI will gather the best performances across the country with the help of fans, readers and staff.

Now, it’s your turn to choose a standout among the pack, the best of the best.

Here are the nominees for High School on SI’s National High School Girls Athlete of the Week for Jan. 20-26. Voting closes on Monday, Feb. 3 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time). The poll is below the write-ups on each athlete.

Want to nominate an athlete? Please tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @SBLiveSports.

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

High School on SI National Girls Athlete of the Week candidates

1. Dee Alexander, sr., Purcell Marian (Ohio) basketball

Alexander, a Cincinnati signee, netted a single-game program-record 50 points in three quarters as Purcell Marian routed Roger Bacon, 95-49. 

2. Emily Arel, sr., Gilbert (Connecticut) basketball

Arel scored 29 points — including the 2,000th of her prep career — in a 57-45 victory over Housatonic. She is the 22nd girl in Connecticut history to reach 2,000 points. 

3. Ace Austin, sr., Spring Garden (Alabama) basketball

Austin poured in 43 points as Spring Garden took down state power Hazel Green, 63-46. The Alabama signee has more than 3,600 career points, the most in program history. 

4. Braylyn Birmingham, fr., Norwalk (Iowa) basketball

Birmingham netted 31 points as Norwalk downed Carlisle, 60-45.

5. Laney Cahoon, sr., Orangeville (Illinois) basketball

Cahoon scored her 2,000th career point in a 56-49 comeback victory over Rockford Christian. The senior finished the game with 30 points. 

6. Rylie Cother, sr., Jackson County Central (Minnesota) basketball

Cother became the Jackson County Central career scoring leader — boys and girls — in an 80-47 victory over Tri-City United. The senior had 42 points in the win, giving her 2,135 and counting for her career. 

7. Riley Cwinski, sr., Aurora Central Catholic (Illinois) basketball

Cwinski broke the Aurora Central Catholic boys and girls basketball scoring record in a 62-53 win over Fenwick. She had 23 points in the game and is sitting on 1,855 and counting for her career. 

8. Aubree Jeanotte, jr., Turtle Mountain (North Dakota) basketball

Jeanotte netted 33 points — including the 1,000th of her Turtle Mountain career — in a 75-67 victory over Northern Cass. 

9. Chloe Jones, jr., Willow Springs (Missouri) basketball

Jones erupted for 40 points in a 64-48 victory over Hollister. 

10. Rachel Jones, sr., Barlow (Oregon) basketball

Jones had 31 points, seven rebounds and two blocks as Barlow defeated Sandy, 77-18. 

11. Brynn Kossman, Eureka (Montana) basketball

Only an eighth-grader, Kossman exploded for 40 points in a 77-67 win over Troy. 

12. Leah Macy, sr., Bethlehem (Kentucky) basketball

Macy had 44 points and 16 rebounds as Bethlehem downed Bishop Brossart, 65-56. 

13. Alyvia McCorkle, jr., Bettendorf (Iowa) basketball

McCorkle scored 35 points — a new Bettendorf single-game record — in a 60-15 victory over Clinton. 

14. Ava Orlando, sr., Notre Dame Academy (Massachusetts) basketball

Orlando scored 31 points — including the 2,000th of her prep career — in a 79-44 victory over Longmeadow. The senior also had 10 assists and six steals. 

15. Bella Robinson, jr., Coral Academy (Nevada) basketball

Robinson did all she could in a 49-40 loss to Pahrump Valley, putting up 36 points, 11 steals and 10 rebounds.

16. Ciara Seifert, sr., John Marshall (Minnesota) basketball

Seifert piled up 32 points and 27 rebounds in a loss to Austin. 

17. Madison Sepeda, sr., Greeley Central (Colorado) basketball

Sepeda tallied 41 points as Greeley Central blew by Mountain View, 63-42. 

18. Allie Shenloogian, sr., Park Ridge (New Jersey) basketball

Shenloogian netted 34 points — including the 2,000th of her Park Ridge career — 58-35 victory over Cresskill. Shenloogian is the 126th New Jersey girls basketball player to reach 2,000 points. 

19. Addison Thornton, so., Stillwater (New York) basketball

Thornton scored 31 points in a 68-35 win over Mechanicville. 

20. Rainey Welson, sr., Hortonville (Wisconsin) basketball

Welson surpassed the 2,000 career points mark in an 84-49 rout of Appleton North. The Maryland signee had 43 points in the win. 

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports