With the 2025-26 IHSAA sports season at an end, it’s time for fans to make their voices heard with The Star Press East Central Indiana Athletes of the Year fan vote polls, brought to you by IU Health.
The Star Press will run two polls in the next two weeks for Female and Male Athletes of the Year, featuring one nominee from each East Central Indiana school. Nominees are selected based on their athletic performances in IHSAA events during the 2025-26 seasons, as well as any accolades they may have earned in the process. Multi-sport athletes had their entire athletic résumés considered.
Advertisement
The fan vote poll is only one part of the selection process and does not guarantee winning The Star Press staff pick for Athletes of the Year. Both the Female and Male Athletes of the Year will be announced by The Star Press in the near future.
This week’s poll will remain open until Friday, July 3, at noon. You may vote one time per hour, per device. Therefore, if you have a phone, tablet and laptop, you can vote three times every hour — once on each device. Please vote using the poll found by scrolling to the bottom of this story — votes submitted via email will not be counted.
Ladies first — here’s a quick look at the 15 nominees for Female Athlete of the Year, ordered alphabetically by last name:
-
Gwen Beavers, sophomore, Blue River Valley: Beavers stood out in volleyball and basketball for the Vikings. In the fall, she put up 186 kills, 30 aces, 24 blocks and 122 digs to help the volleyball team to a 13-15 finish. In the winter, she led the basketball team with 6.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1 steal per game to earn all-MEC honors and a Star Press all-area honorable mention.
-
Jordan Bunch, senior, Delta: Bunch helped lead Delta girls soccer to its greatest season in program history, scoring 23 goals and assisting on 34 more for an Eagles team that finished 19-2 and won its first regional title since 2002 before advancing to the state final four for the first time ever. She also helped the swimming team win its fourth consecutive sectional title, competed in three relay events at state and finished her career in the pool undefeated in dual meets. Bunch was one of 12 seniors statewide to receive the IHSAA’s prestigious C. Eugene Cato Memorial Scholarship and was named Female Athlete of the Year at the Delaware County Sports Awards.
-
Paislee Chambers, junior, Wes-Del: Chambers finished the season with a record of 27-4 and represented Wes-Del at the IHSAA girls wrestling state finals after winning a sectional championship and finishing as a regional runner-up in the 170-pound weight class.
-
Abe Ervin, sophomore, Monroe Central: Ervin was named The Star Press Girls Basketball Player of the year after leading the Golden Bears to their first sectional title since 2019 and first regional title ever with 15.7 points, 5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 4 steals per game. She was also crucial to the success of Monroe Central girls golf, helping the team qualify for a regional during the fall.
-
Savannah Hall, junior, Cowan: A three-sport standout for the Blackhawks, Hall was an all-Delaware County and all-Mid-Eastern Conference honoree in volleyball, basketball and softball. In the fall, she led the volleyball team with 196 kills (2.4 kills/set), 70 blocks and 237 digs. In the winter, she paced the basketball team in all major stats with 12.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 2.3 blocks per game. In the spring, she hit .433 with a team-high .687 slugging percentage and had four home runs for the softball team, which she helped win its fifth sectional championship in the last six years.
-
Marin Hopkins, senior, Wapahani: Hopkins posted 325 kills (3.3 kills/set), 38 aces, 17 blocks and 351 digs for the Lady Raiders to lead them to their first sectional championship since 2022 and earn all-county and all-MEC honors in the process.
-
Auden Hummel, junior, Winchester Community: Hummel posted 425 kills (4.6 kills/set), 42 aces, 45 blocks, and 204 digs for the Golden Falcons to lead them to a 26-6 season with a Tri-Eastern Conference championship.
-
Sydney Jackson, senior, Muncie Burris: Jackson capped off a pair of fantastic Burris careers with her soccer performance in the fall and basketball performance in the winter. She scored 31 goals and had 13 assists while leading Burris to a fifth-straight sectional title and finished her career as the program’s all-time leader in goals with 90 for her career. In basketball season, she averaged 16 points per game while helping the Owls to their first 10-win season since 1998 and was named Star Press all-area third team. Jackson was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the Delaware County Sports Awards.
-
Liv Jones, sophomore, Yorktown: One of the state’s best softball pitchers, Jones set a Yorktown school record and was fourth in the state for wins with a 20-3 record. She posted a 0.63 ERA with 257 strikeouts, which both ranked sixth in the state, and hit .420 with a team-high .986 slugging percentage and 10 home runs. She was named first-team all-state for Class 3A/4A and The Star Press Pitcher of the Year. Before softball season, Jones was also a crucial part of Yorktown volleyball’s final four run in the fall, finishing with 141 kills (1.2 kills/set) and a team-high 82 blocks at middle hitter.
-
Carlee Lanzer, sophomore, New Castle: Lanzer helped the Lady Trojans to their first winning season since 2021-22, averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals to lead the team to a 17-6 record. She earned an IBCA underclass all-state honorable mention and was named Star Press second-team all-area.
-
Gabbi Patrick, senior, Shenandoah: Patrick competed in volleyball, basketball and softball in her accomplished Shenandoah athletic career. She averaged 13.9 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 3.5 steals during basketball season to earn all-MEC, Star Press all-area second team and IBCA senior all-state honorable mention honors. In softball, Patrick hit .424 with 16 RBIs and earned all-MEC honors along with a Star Press all-area honorable mention.
-
Olivia Pratcher, junior, Daleville: Pratcher enjoyed a breakout basketball season for the Broncos with 15.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3.8 steals per game, earning all-county and all-MEC honors in the process. She also logged 252 assists (3 per set) for the volleyball team in the fall and was on Daleville’s cheer and track teams.
-
Hallie Schwieterman, junior, Jay County: An all-conference performer in volleyball, basketball and softball, Schwieterman was one of the area’s top all-around athletes once again as a junior. In the fall, she led the Lady Patriots’ volleyball team to a 21-11 record and an Allen County Athletic Conference title with 244 kills (2.5 kills/set) and 42 aces. In the winter, she was East Central Indiana’s leading girls basketball scorer at 19.5 points per game and an all-area first-team selection. In the spring, she finished seventh statewide in batting average (.653), third in slugging percentage (1.440), 12th in RBIs (51) and tied for fifth in home runs (14) en route to 3A/4A second-team all-state honors and Star Press Softball Player of the Year.
-
Grace Walker, senior, Muncie Central: Walker racked up 118 kills (1.3 kills/set), 49 aces, 275 digs and 622 assists for the Bearcats volleyball team that went 19-12 and won the North Central Conference for the first time since 2016. She also played No. 1 singles for the tennis team and was on the Bearcat cheer team as well.
-
Sara Yoho, senior, Blackford: Yoho went 21-11 on the mat in her senior season and won a sectional championship for the Bruins in the 125-pound weight class.
IU Health Athlete of the Week
Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@usatodayco.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
Advertisement
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: VOTE NOW for The Star Press IU Health Female Athlete of the Year
