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