Vote: Who Should be High School on SI National Girls Athlete of the Week? (4/27/2026)

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 April 20-26. Voting closes on Sunday, May 3 at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time). The winner will be announced in the following week’s National High School Girls Athlete of the Week post.

The poll is below the write-ups on each athlete.

Congratulations to Natalya Horton of La Salle (New York) softball for winning last week’s National High School Girls Athlete of the Week poll. Horton, a Lenoir Rhyne commit, whirled a 13-strikeout perfect game in a 3-0 victory over Voorheesville.

Want to nominate an athlete? Email Bob Lundeberg at bob.lundeberg@gmail.com

High School on SI National Girls Athlete of the Week nominees

1. Kate Buesing, sr., Hebron (Texas) softball

Buesing struck out 10 and surrendered just one hit in a 3-0 Class 6A Division I bi-district playoff victory over Allen.

2. Jillian Cianfrocca, sr., Mount St. Dominic (New Jersey) softball

Cianfrocca hit for the cycle with four runs scored and three RBIs in a 15-5 rout of Cedar Grove. Cianfrocca is a Villanova signee.

3. Felicia Connolly, sr., North Penn (Pennsylvania) softball

Connolly, another Villanova signee, whirled a perfect game with 15 strikeouts in a 2-0 shutout of Quakertown.

4. Jessie Crye, sr., Avon (New York) softball

Crye struck out 14 of the 18 batters she faced en route to a six-inning perfect game in a 13-0 win over Dansville. Later in the week, the Florida Gulf Coast signee recorded her 1,000th career strikeout in a 2-0 shutout of Williamsville South.

5. Kensley Davis, sr., Alexander Central (North Carolina) softball

Davis batted .778 for the week with four homers, two doubles and eight RBIs. The North Carolina signee belted the go-ahead homer in a 17-13 victory over South Caldwell and finished the game 3 for 4 at the plate. She has 13 homers this season, a new Alexander Central single-season program record.

6. Abby Edwards, sr., Snohomish (Washington) softball

Edwards, an Idaho State signee, threw a 13-strikeout no-hitter and hit two homers at the plate in a 9-0 shutout of Mountlake Terrace.

7. Dallas Guy, sr., Dacula (Georgia) track

Guy placed first in the 100-meter hurdles (13.53 seconds) and 300 hurdles (43.08) at the Region 8 6A Championships. The Cal signee’s 100 hurdles time ranks ninth nationally this spring.

8. Bailey Hensgens, jr., Incarnate Word Academy (Missouri) track

Hensgens set a new Missouri record in the high jump at the GISL Conference Championship with a clearance of 6 feet, 0.75 inches, the No. 1 mark in the nation this year.

9. Taryn Hermansen, sr., Aberdeen Central (South Dakota) track

Hermansen dominated the shot put competition at the Watoma Relays with a toss of 48-11, the eighth-best mark in the country this spring.

10. Kylee Hill, jr., Burlington (Iowa) track

Hill earned gold medals in the shot put at the Don Newell Relays (51-1) and Drake Relays (47-9.75). Hill ranks fourth nationally in the shot put this year.

11. Jerrica Hughes, fr., Arnold (Florida) flag football

Hughes scored three touchdowns—including a 94-yard TD catch—as Arnold captured the Class 2A-2 district championship with a 19-6 win over Godby.

12. Marley Hughes, jr., Dow (Michigan) softball

Hughes hit three homers during a doubleheader sweep of Coloma to break the Dow career home runs record. The junior has 23 career bombs and counting.

13. Ellery Lincoln, jr., Lincoln (Oregon) track

Lincoln set a new meet record in the mile at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays with a time of 4:30.00. It’s the top time in the country this season.

14. Samantha Maleck, jr., Marlboro (New York) softball

Maleck struck out 15 in the circle and went 3 for 3 at the plate with a home run and four RBIs as Marlboro blasted Saugerties, 12-3. Maleck is a Quinnipiac commit.

15. Emma McGuire, jr., Blackfoot (Idaho) softball

McGuire hit for the cycle with four RBIs and three runs scored in an 18-2 win over Idaho Falls.

16. Ava Sweeney, so., Spring-Ford (Pennsylvania) flag football

Sweeney connected on 27 of 30 passes for 276 yards and five touchdowns in a 40-7 rout of Pope John Paul II to clinch the Pioneer Athletic Conference title.

17. Drea Watts, sr., Cabell Midland (West Virginia) softball

Watts threw an eight-inning no-hitter with 21 strikeouts as Cabell Midland edged Ironton in extra innings, 2-0. Watts is a Bowling Green signee.

18. Brooke Zuluaga, sr., Seton Catholic (Arizona) track

Zuluaga won the javelin competition at the Chandler City Championships with a top throw of 157-8, the fourth-best mark nationally this spring. Zuluaga is a Miami (Ohio) signee.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting

High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

—

-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports

Download the SBLive App

Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school sports news.

To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App

Add us as a preferred source on Google