The top athletes and sports moments from the past school year were honored Sunday evening at Houston High School’s annual ESPYs held inside Hiett Gymnasium.
The event featured a catered meal and guest speaker, Thayer boys’ basketball coach and athletic director Matt Pitts. The fourth annual event was hosted by the H Club.
D.J. Riley and Kayla Wagner received the top honors as the 2025-26 male and female athletes of the year. HHS cross country coach Justin Brown was named the coach of the year.
Here are the recipients and recognitions from the event:
- FOUR-YEAR LETTER WINNERS: Katy Evans, Gracyn McNiell, Wagner, Kynlee Weaver, Mason Dodson, Riley, Jack Sandberg and Jack Sawyer.
- UNSUNG HERO AWARD: Kallyn Tune and Alyssa Wolfe.
- TIGER FLEX: Claire Benoist and Aaron McCarthy.
- MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Aristea Melroy, girls’ basketball.
- ACADEMIC ALL-STATE: Claire Benoist (volleyball), Carli Cummins-Drake (volleyball), Hannah Ennis (volleyball), Araianna Flores (volleyball), Millie Manier (volleyball), McNiell (volleyball and girls’ basketball), Hally Scheets (volleyball), Wagner (volleyball), Weaver (volleyball), Kane Crawford (football), Oliver Greiner (football), McCarthy (football), Dillon Shelton (football), Cason Woosley (football), Elliot Barbagiovanni (football), Riley (football), Wolfe (cheerleading) and Emery Christeson (cheerleading).
- ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: Benoist and Crawford.
- MS/MR TIGER: McNiell and Tucker Venn.
- THREE-SPORT ATHLETES: Benoist, Isabella Cook, Manier, McNiell, Volk, Caden Guerra, Riley, Blake Sanders and Shelton.
- ROOKIE/NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Mainer and Venn.
- INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: Aaden Scantlin, baseball.
- TEAM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: Houston girls track & field wins the Mount Vernon Mountaineer Relays.
- BEST DRESSED: Lizzy Ross and Tune.
- ASSISTANT/MIDDLE SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR: Heather Copley, cross country.
