Here are the 2026 St. Paul Area Athena award winners

The 32nd annual St. Paul Area Athena Awards ceremony is set for Wednesday at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Wild in-arena host Kirsten Krull will serve as the event’s emcee, while sports reporter Cassidy Hettesheimer is the keynote speaker. The event will also feature a special tribute to the late Jessi Pierce and her family.

The Athena Awards “honor female athletes for their dedication and excellence in sports.”

Here are the honorees, with highlights of their athletic achievements.

Cassandra Gonzales

School: Apple Valley

Sport: Wrestling

Accolades: Four-time state champion, 98-0 career high school record, U17 world team member

Elena Hoecke

School: Centennial

Sport: Volleyball

Accolades: Miss Baden winner, All-State, All-State tournament team.

College: Minnesota

Vita Hochuli

School: Central

Sports: Soccer, track and field, gymnastics, basketball

Accolades: Soccer – two-time conference player of the year. Track and field – All-conference. Gymnastics – All-conference.

College: Virginia State

Amaya Harmening

School: Chatfield

Sports: Volleyball, basketball, trap

Accolades: Basketball – All-conference. Trap – Top female shooter of the year.

Kayla Larsen

School: Chisago Lakes

Sports: Volleyball, basketball, softball

Accolades: Volleyball – state entrant. Basketball – second in program history in steals. Softball – state entrant.

College: St. Mary’s in Winona

Robin Engman-Phiri

School: Como Park

Sports: Soccer, golf, basketball

Accolades: Soccer – All-conference. Golf – All-conference.

Sage Gilbert

School: Cretin-Derham Hall

Sports: Basketball, softball

Accolades: Basketball – All-State honorable mention.

College: Bethel

Lauren Boerger

School: Eagan

Sports: Cross country, basketball, track and field, softball

Accolades: Cross county – All-State. Track and Field – All-conference.

College: Iowa

Aliyah Kleven

School: East Ridge

Sports: Volleyball, golf

Accolades: Volleyball – Two-time state entrant. Golf – State entrant, All-conference.

College: St. Olaf

Ava Wood

School: Eastview

Sports: Dance, track and field, softball

Accolades: Dance – State champion, All-State, All-State tournament team

College: Minnesota

Lila Johannsen

School: Farmington

Sports: Softball, volleyball, basketball

Accolades: Softball – All-State, state entrant. Volleyball – Third in school history in set assists.

College: Wisconsin

Alexis Fahey

School: Forest Lake

Sports: Track and Field, wrestling

Accolades: Track and field – Two-time state champion, conference record holder. Wrestling – All-conference, team duals state champion.

College: Notre Dame

Samantha Hohn

School: Gentry Academy

Sports: Lacrosse, basketball, tennis

Accolades: Lacrosse – All-American, 2025 state scoring leader. Basketball – All-conference.

College: Clemson

Charlize McCharisma Laban

School: Harding

Sports: Wrestling, track and field, cross country

Accolades: Wrestling – All-state, third place at state. Track and Field – All-conference.

Elliana Magnus

School: Hastings

Sports: Soccer, basketball, track and field

Accolades: Soccer – All-conference. Track and field – All-state, conference champion, school record holder.

College: South Dakota

Ingrid Haaland

School: Highland Park

Sports: Cross country, nordic skiing, track and field

Accolades: Cross county – All conference, two-time team state champion. Nordic skiing – All-state, state participant. Track and field – All state.

Taylor Voigt

School: Hill-Murray

Sports: Tennis, alpine skiing

Accolades – Tennis – state participant. Alpine skiing – Two-time individual state champion, three-time team state champion.

College: St. Thomas

Hae Tha Paw

School: Humboldt

Sports: Soccer, track and field

Accolades: Soccer – All-state.

College: Dakota County Community College

Azelle Besemann

School: Irondale

Sports: Cross county, nordic skiing, track and field

Accolades: Nordic skiing: All-state, state participant. Track and field – All-state.

College: St. Benedict

Allyson Vue

School: Johnson

Sports: Soccer, track and field, unified soccer

Accolades: Soccer – All-state. Unified soccer – State champion.

College: Northern Iowa

Hayden Jansky

School: Lakeville North

Sports: Track and field, cross county, hockey

Accolades: Track and field – All-conference, state participant.

College: Butler

Eva Welsch

School: Lakeville South

Sports: Track and field, tennis

Accolades: Track and field – All-state, state champion, national runner up. Tennis – All-conference, state entrant.

College: Duke

Harlow Berger

School: Mahtomedi

Sports: Soccer, football, track and field

Accolades: Soccer – Ms. Soccer finalist, All-American, two-time state champion. Football – Conference champion. Track and field – All-State.

College: North Dakota State

Sylvia Brood

School: Math and Science Academy

Sports: Cross county, nordic skiing, track and field

Accolades: Track and Field – state entrant.

Ellie Bina

School: Mounds View

Sport: Swimming

Accolades: Swimming – All-American, state champion.

College: Notre Dame

Brooke Giese

School: North Branch

Sports: Volleyball, gymnastics, track and field

Accolades: Volleyball – All-conference. Track and Field – All-conference, state entrant.

Anna Mishler

School: North St. Paul

Sports: Tennis, basketball, softball

Accolades: Basketball – All-conference.

Caley Graber

School: Northfield

Sports: Cross country, wrestling

Accolades: Cross country – All-State. Wrestling – Three-time state champion, three-time national champion, 2026 Ms. Minnesota Wrestler.

College: McKendree

Maria Odegard

School: Nova Classical Academy

Sports: Soccer, track and field

Accolades: Soccer – All-conference. Track and Field – All-State.

Ashley Davis

School: Park

Sport: Gymnastics

Accolades: All-State, State entrant.

Allie Gillette

School: Randolph

Sports: Basketball, softball

Accolades: Basketball – All-conference, program records in steals, assists. Softball – State champion, All-conference, All-State tournament team.

College: North Iowa Area Community College

Izzy Guetzlaff

School: Red Wing

Sports: Basketball, volleyball, softball, golf

Accolades: Basketball – All-conference. Volleyball – All-conference. Softball – All-conference.

College: Northern State

Sarah Labarere

School: Rosemount

Sports: Soccer, track and field

Accolades: Track and Field – All-State, state entrant.

Jayda Wilson

School: Roseville

Sports: Volleyball, track and field

Accolades: Volleyball: State participant. Track and Field: Two-time state champion, All-State.

College: Minnesota

Angela Proper

School: St. Agnes

Sports: Softball, weight lifting, soccer

Accolades: Softball – All-State, All-State tournament team.

College: Mary (North Dakota)

Maren Overgaard

School: St. Paul Academy

Sports: Cross country, nordic skiing, track and field

Accolades: Cross country: State entrant, All-conference, team section champion. Nordic Skiing – Team state champion, All-State. Track and Field – All-conference, state entrant.

Josie Johnson

School: Simley

Sports: Lacrosse, soccer, nordic skiing

Accolades: Lacrosse – All-conference. Soccer – All-conference. Nordic Skiing – All-conference.

College: Minnesota State-Mankato

Sarah Willy

School: South St. Paul

Sports: Soccer, track and field, weight lifting

Accolades: Soccer – All-State. Track and Field – All-State.

College: Wisconsin-La Crosse

Rylee Lawrence

School: Stillwater

Sports: Soccer

Accolades: Ms. Soccer finalist, All-American, All-State tournament team.

College: North Dakota

Anna Wilke

School: Tartan

Sports: Volleyball, track and field, flag football

Accolades: Volleyball – All-conference.

Rebekah Willard

School: Trinity School at River Ridge

Sports: Cross country, track and field

Accolades: Cross County – All-State. Track and Field – All-State.

College: St. Thomas

Charlotte Chandler

School: Two Rivers

Sports: Cross country, dance, track and field

Accolades: Cross Country: All-conference, state entrant. Dance – All-State, state entrant. Track and Field – All-conference, state entrant, school record holder.

College: Louisiana State

Abigail Hemauer

School: Visitation

Sports: Softball, hockey

Accolades: Softball – All-conference.

Charlotte Brown

School: Washington

Sports: Volleyball, basketball, track and field

Accolades: Volleyball – All-conference.

Josie Guidinger

School: White Bear Lake

Sports: Alpine skiing, tennis.

Accolades: Alpine Skiing – All-conference, state entrant. Tennis – All-conference.

Briella Huebsch

School: Woodbury

Sports: Soccer, hockey, track and field

Accolades: Hockey – conference champion. Track and Field – All-State, state entrant.

College: North Dakota