
Chelsea and England defender Bright announces retirement
Chelsea captain Millie Bright to retire from football after this season.
Several female athletes in Section 4 have excelled in winter sports, earning the title of 'Athlete(s) of the Season.' Their achievements highlight the traits that define standout athletes.
Several female athletes across Section 4 have dominated in their respective sports, creating headlines and outshining their competition this season. The question posed: What characteristics make a standout athlete?
These fan-picked athletes have shown up and shown out in their respective sports this year; some athletes creating new legacies, other athletes stepping up to lead a team, and a handful of newcomers who changed the perception of the "underclassman" label.
Here are this year's "Athlete(s) of the Season" in Section 4 girls' basketball, wrestling, bowling and track:
Click below to see all nominees and their accomplishments.
This season's nominees: Ellisa Bly (Horseheads), Teagan McGuinness (Union-Endicott), Isabella Phelps (Sidney), Delaney Dixon (Windsor)
Union-Endicott's Teagan McGuinness won the 185-pound title at the Section 4 girls wrestling championships Feb. 13, 2026 at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton. She won the state title at 185 on Feb. 26, 2026 at MVP Arena in Albany.
McGuinness' accomplishments this season: McGuinness captured the girls’ wrestling individual state championship title at 185 and ended her senior season with an unbeaten record of 36-0 to become the first women’s state champion in Union-Endicott history. The senior also captured another individual title at the Section 4 wrestling championships.
This season's nominees: Maggie Warpus (Chenango Forks), Harper Eagan (Maine-Endwell), Ava Kariam (Susquehanna Valley), Nayla Miley (Sidney)
Kariam's accomplishments this season: Kariam scored 15 points against state-ranked Chenango Forks to claim the STAC championship title this season, claiming a spot on BCANY’s all-state first team and the STAC’s Central/East all-conference team as a freshman.
This season's nominees: Eva DiNunzio-Welch (Binghamton), Cella McLaughlin (Corning), Grace Walley (Walton), Tsadia Bercuvitz (Ithaca)
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DiNunzio-Welch's accomplishments this season: DiNunzio-Welch ranked among the top 10 female track athletes in Section 4. The senior took first place in the 800-meter event (2:23.39) at the Puma New York International Showcase, first in the 600-meter event (1:40.07) at the Section 4 Class Championships, and captured the state title in the 1000-meter event with a time of 3:03.64.
This season's nominees: Haley Peters (Binghamton), Madison Smith (Elmira), Aubriana Tyler (Windsor), Kylie Downing (Corning)
Aubriana Tyler of the Windsor girls bowling team.
Tyler's accomplishments this season: Tyler’s 1,236-pin finish captured the lead for Windsor in the Section 4 Division 2 team championships, resulting in the Black Knights’ second-place team score. A first-place finish from Tyler in the high series (596), high games (257), and overall finish (1,586) fortified Windsor’s number one overall score (6688) in Division 2 at the Section 4 state qualifier tournament.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: See the fan-picked Section 4 standout athletes in girls' winter sports
The Athletes of the Season include top performers in girls' basketball, wrestling, bowling, and track from Section 4.
Standout athletes typically exhibit leadership, skill, and the ability to create a legacy in their respective sports.
The Athletes of the Season were fan-picked based on their performances and contributions to their teams this winter.
The recognition includes athletes from girls' basketball, wrestling, bowling, and track.

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