Vote: Who should be the Texas high school Athlete of the Week? (08/26/2025)

We narrowed down the top fall sports performers of last week. Now, we want to hear from you!

AOTW

Each week, High School On SI scoured the Lone Star State for fall sports standout. This poll is for games or events during the week of Aug. 18-23.

The fall slate for UIL and TAPPS includes volleyball, water polo, cross country, team tennis and football. This list will focus on all sports except football, which will be a separate poll this year. 

Congrats to last week's winner, Ava Collins from Montgomery. She won last week's poll with 72% of the vote.

The senior had at least 18 assists in every game last week for the Bears, including 34 against Willis. She finished with 268 assists in 11 games and added 83 digs — 12 each against Clear Springs and Fulshear in the John Turner Classic.

Scroll down, read up on the nominees and cast your vote for your winner. Voting closes Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 11:59 p.m. Central time.

If you would like to make a nomination in a future weeks, email butler@scorebooklive.com

TEXAS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES

Sienna Acuff, Prosper girls water polo 

The Eagles went 5-2 last week and the senior was a big reason why with 28 goals and 9 assists. She had 7 goals and 3 assists in a 13-6 win over Highland Park on Aug. 22.

Gentry Barker, Austin Lake Travis volleyball 

The Lucas Lovejoy transfer recorded career kill No. 1,000 in a three-set win over Buda Johnson on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at home. She finished with 16 kills in the match.

Madison Carroll, Fort Worth Brewer girls cross country 

The sophomore ran 18:44.92 to win the Burleson Centennial "Green Monster" Spartan Invite on Aug. 23. A year ago, at the same race, she was 23rd and ran 22:40.60.

Meridian Edwards, San Antonio Alamo Heights girls water polo

The freshman tallied 8 goals and 2 assists in a 20-13 win over San Antonio Davenport on Aug. 23. She finished last week with 27 goals and 10 assists. 

Andrew Esparza, Round Rock boys cross country 

The Dragons’ junior standout won the Vista Ridge Cross Country Invitational on Aug. 22, his second win of the year. He ran 15:50.

Fernanda Espinosa, Mission Sharyland girls cross country

The Rattlers got a win from the junior on Aug. 23 at the Sharyland Pioneer Cross Country Invitational on Aug. 23. She ran 20:20.20, a 9-second victory.

Emma Goetz, Tyler Grace Community girls cross country

The junior, a third-place finisher at the TAPPS State Championships last, took first place at the Tyler Legacy XC Invitational on Aug. 23. She ran 18:16 in her first race of the year.

Kalysa Humbles, Arlington volleyball 

The Colts’ standout had three double-doubles last week: vs. Clear Creek (12 kills/12 digs), vs. Houston Incarnate Word (18 kills/13 digs) and vs. Grand Prairie (17 kills/14 digs).

Kaio Huseth, Conroe Grand Oaks boys water polo 

For the third time this season, the senior had 6 goals in a game. In a 10-3 win over Houston Westside, he sparked the Grizzlies to the win on Aug. 22.

Dane Johnson, Carrollton Hebron boys water polo

The Hawks posted a 4-1 record last week and the senior scored 17 goals in those 5 games.

Keegan Kleiber, Mumford volleyball 

The 6-foot-0 freshman had 32 kills, 17 service points and 15 digs against Normangee. In 9 games last week, she had 11 kills or more in 8 games for the Mustangs.

Kim Kulow, Fort Bend Austin girls water polo 

The junior had back-to-back games with 9 goals and 3 assists for the Bulldogs. First was in a 19-15 win against Deer Park on Aug. 19 and then the same in a 19-11 win over Houston Memorial on Aug. 23.

Paisley Mendez, San Antonio Harlan girls water polo

The senior goalkeeper went 3-1 in the net last weekend and posted 42 saves and 4 assists for the Hawks.

Madi Molinar, New Braunfels Canyon girls cross country

At the San Antonio Friday Night Lights XC race on Aug. 22, the junior ran 18:27.46 to win the 5K race for the 5A-6A girls. 

Anthony Morales, La Feria boys cross country 

The 2025 season started with a win for the senior at the Edinburg High Invitational on Aug. 23. Morales ran the course at Ebony Hills Golf Course in 15:20.8.

Maya Ogbogu, Allen volleyball

The sophomore tallied at least five kills in each set on Tuesday and finished with 32 in a 3-2 win over Plano East in a District 6-6A contest.

Homer Pillsbury, Tomball boys water polo 

The Cougars went 2-1 last week and the senior came up big with 41 saves in those three games. He had a season-high 24 saves in a win against Grand Oaks on Aug. 22. 

Ace Shirley, Cypress Ranch girls water polo

The Mustangs got a pair of 6-goal games from the senior against Flower Mound (Aug. 22) and Denton Guyer (Aug. 23). The 6-foot-1 Shirley had 28 goals, 10 assists and 16 goals in 6 games last week. 

Shepherd Steen, Fulshear boys cross country 

The Class 6A state qualifier opened the season with a win at the BFND 4K Invitational on Aug. 23 in Tomball. He ran 12:20.70.

Brylee Weddle, Whitesboro girls cross country 

The senior led the Bearcats to the team title at the 40th Annual Greenhill Luke’s Locker 6-mile Relay on Aug. 23 in the 4A and under race in Dallas.

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Voting polls are intended to be a fun way to create fan engagement and express support for your favorite high school athletes and teams. Unless expressly noted, there are no awards for winning the voting. Our primary focus is to highlight the abilities and accomplishments of all the athletes and teams included in our poll.