Which high school girl across the country produced the single most impressive performance between April 20 and 26? Readers will decide: voting is open now and closes on Sunday, May 3 at 11:59 p.m. PT, with the winner revealed in next week’s post.
Every week during the season, High School on SI collects standout efforts from coaches, fans and staff. Below are the 18 athletes nominated for National High School Girls Athlete of the Week for April 20–26, summarized so you can compare performances before casting your ballot. The voting widget appears after the profiles.
Before the new poll, a quick note: last week’s winner was **Natalya Horton** of La Salle (N.Y.), who delivered a 13-strikeout perfect game in a 3-0 victory.
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National nominees (April 20–26)
- 1. Kate Buesing, Sr., Hebron (Texas) — Softball. Pitched a 10-strikeout game, allowing one hit in a 3-0 Class 6A Division I bi-district playoff win over Allen.
- 2. Jillian Cianfrocca, Sr., Mount St. Dominic (N.J.) — Softball. Hit for the cycle in a 15-5 win over Cedar Grove, scoring four runs and driving in three; a Villanova signee.
- 3. Felicia Connolly, Sr., North Penn (Pa.) — Softball. Threw a perfect game with 15 strikeouts in a 2-0 shutout of Quakertown; committed to Villanova.
- 4. Jessie Crye, Sr., Avon (N.Y.) — Softball. Recorded a six-inning perfect game, fanning 14 of 18 batters, and later notched her 1,000th career strikeout; headed to Florida Gulf Coast.
- 5. Kensley Davis, Sr., Alexander Central (N.C.) — Softball. Hit .778 for the week with four homers, two doubles and eight RBIs; her 13 homers this season set a new single-season program mark. Committed to North Carolina.
- 6. Abby Edwards, Sr., Snohomish (Wash.) — Softball. Threw a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts and contributed two home runs at the plate in a 9-0 win; an Idaho State signee.
- 7. Dallas Guy, Sr., Dacula (Ga.) — Track (hurdles). Won the Region 8 6A titles in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles (13.53 and 43.08). Her 100H time ranks among the top 10 nationally this spring; headed to Cal.
- 8. Bailey Hensgens, Jr., Incarnate Word Academy (Mo.) — Track (high jump). Cleared 6’0.75″ to set a Missouri meet record at the GISL Conference Championship — the best high-jump mark in the nation this season.
- 9. Taryn Hermansen, Sr., Aberdeen Central (S.D.) — Track (shot). Won the shot at the Watoma Relays with a 48-11 throw, a mark inside the national top 10 for the spring.
- 10. Kylee Hill, Jr., Burlington (Iowa) — Track (shot). Claimed gold at both the Don Newell Relays (51-1) and Drake Relays (47-9.75); she sits among the nation’s leaders in the event.
- 11. Jerrica Hughes, Fr., Arnold (Fla.) — Flag football. Scored three touchdowns, including a 94-yard reception, as Arnold captured the Class 2A-2 district title with a 19-6 win.
- 12. Marley Hughes, Jr., Dow (Mich.) — Softball. Hit three home runs across a doubleheader sweep of Coloma to surpass her school’s career home run record; she now has 23 career long balls.
- 13. Ellery Lincoln, Jr., Lincoln (Ore.) — Track (mile). Set a meet record at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays with a 4:30.00 mile — the fastest mile recorded in the country this season.
- 14. Samantha Maleck, Jr., Marlboro (N.Y.) — Softball. Struck out 15, went 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs in a 12-3 victory; a Quinnipiac commit.
- 15. Emma McGuire, Jr., Blackfoot (Idaho) — Softball. Hit for the cycle in an 18-2 win over Idaho Falls, driving in four and scoring three runs.
- 16. Ava Sweeney, So., Spring-Ford (Pa.) — Flag football. Completed 27 of 30 passes for 276 yards and five touchdowns to clinch the Pioneer Athletic Conference title in a 40-7 win.
- 17. Drea Watts, Sr., Cabell Midland (W.Va.) — Softball. Threw an eight-inning no-hitter with 21 strikeouts as Cabell Midland edged Ironton 2-0; she is committed to Bowling Green.
- 18. Brooke Zuluaga, Sr., Seton Catholic (Ariz.) — Track (javelin). Won Chandler City with a top throw of 157-8, a mark that ranks among the top five nationally this spring; a Miami (Ohio) signee.
The list includes multiple pitchers who delivered dominant outings, position players who set program records, and several athletes whose marks are nationally ranked — a strong showing across softball and track. That variety is what makes the weekly selection meaningful: performances matter in context, from playoff wins to national-leading marks.
- Notable national marks this week:
- Bailey Hensgens — country’s top high jump this season.
- Ellery Lincoln — nation’s fastest mile time this spring (4:30.00).
- Brooke Zuluaga — top-five national javelin mark this spring.
How to vote: use the poll embedded below the athlete summaries. Voting closes May 3 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. The athlete who receives the most votes will be announced in next week’s National High School Girls Athlete of the Week post. The polls are intended to celebrate performances and engage fans — there are no prizes tied to the vote.
If you have a candidate we should consider for a future week, send a short note with the athlete’s name, school and the performance to bob.lundeberg@gmail.com.
— Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports
