The Texas High School basketball season came to a close, and it was a tremendous season for the Texas Panhandle. Here’s a look at the 2026 Press Pass Sports Girls Basketball Team. Compiled by Lee Passmore, Craig Sperry and Kale Steed.
Superlative honors
Coach of the Year
Eric Schilling, Nazareth
It’s easy to dismiss Eric Schilling as a coach of the year because he just won his ninth state title and that’s just what is expected at Nazareth. However, don’t dismiss the job the humble coach has done and that is what has earned him the Press Pass Sports Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.
A year removed from his eighth championship, Schilling found himself needing to replace a plethora of seniors led by last year’s state MVP, Brooklyn Birkenfeld.
“I knew coming off a year like we had last year where you had a big scorer like Brooklyn,” Schilling said. “We also had to find strong leadership in multiple players was going to be a tough job and left us with a lot of unknowns coming in.”
As they do every year, the Swiftettes were forced to find their roles quickly with a non-district schedule that was littered with eventual playoff teams in the higher divisions including the Class 3A state runner-up in Shallowater. That gauntlet was instrumental in Schilling’s squad improving quickly.
“This group grew more than any other group I’ve had in those aspects,” Schilling said. “They are such a good group and willing to be coached and willing to improve. They were hungry to improve to get to the point that they did. That was something that was very special. They did everything together and were a really tight-knit group that wanted it more for the person next to them than themselves”.
Nazareth, which finished the season at 33-6 overall, was never threatened in district play as their average margin of victory was 56 as the Swiftettes haven’t lost a district game since the 2012-2013 season. The early part of the playoffs was more of the same before back-to-back games against Texline and Gordon tested the mettle of Schilling’s squad.
In both games they ran out to big leads and held on for a ten-point victory over the Lady Tornadoes before a thrilling two-point win over the Lady Horns. It was that victory where Schilling saw his squad’s back against the wall and their response.
“We had every chance to panic, blame each other and get their heads down but that never occurred,” Schilling said. “We hit key shots when we needed them. The moxie they showed was the difference in the game”.
State title No. 9 came over Saltillo, 43-28, in a game that was never that close. That win tied Schilling with Skip Townsend for the third most state championships among girls’ coaching history and leaves him one behind Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer, Dean Weese.
In 15 years at the helm, Schilling has amassed 449 victories and leaves one to wonder where he goes from here. The answer to that question came quickly from the mild-mannered coach.
“The kids want it and that gives me the passion to do this every year,” Schilling said. “I’ve never had a group that wasn’t satisfied. They are always willing to work hard and that attitude spreads to me”.
– Craig Sperry
Player of the Year
Riley Segura, Panhandle, 5-10, guard, Jr.
It’s been a mission ever since Riley Segura suited up on varsity as a freshman to help lead a proud program like the Ettes back to a state championship.
Last season, that goal came up just short in the state semifinals.
Behind Segura, and a hungry Panhandle team, the Ettes were able to complete that mission this year and do it in dominant fashion. Panhandle finished an incredible year at 38-1 overall, ending the season on a 37-game win streak, while bringing home the programs third state championship with a 38-25 victory against Mason in the UIL Class 2A Division I state title game.
Segura was the floor general and leader for Panhandle all season and because of her stellar play all season, the junior has earned the 2026 Press Pass Sports Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
“It was a special year,” Segura said. “To win it all and get it done was so great. We’ve played with each other for so long and we’ve always dreamed about winning a state championship. We had a chip on our shoulder after falling short the year before to Nocona. I improved a lot this year. They gave me the fuel and the confidence to make the plays I needed to.”
Segura is as steady as the come and is sensational on both ends of the floor. The Abilene Christian University commit has also racked up quite the accolades. Segura was the state MVP of the victory against Mason, totaling 19 points to go with eight rebounds. She was the District 2-2A MVP, as well as a TABC All-Region and All-State selection.
“Riley is a winner,” Panhandle head coach Rob Schmucker said. “We felt with the ball in her hands she could attack the basket or find a shooter . She can rebound the ball and was just a leader in every single way. Her confidence on defense got so much better. She’d hit the floor for loose balls, and the team always has her back.”
The versatile Segura, who did everything on the floor for Panhandle, finished her year pouring in 12.4 points a game, shooting 47.3 percent from the floor and 73.7 percent from the free-throw line. On top of those numbers, Segura pulled down 5.9 rebounds a night and dished out three assists.
“Riley didn’t have the most eye-popping stats,” Schmucker said. “But I can’t state enough how much she did for us, and she just plays at another level and we aren’t the same without her on the floor. Off the court, she’s a great kid. She is consistent in all she does. She always has a smile on her face, and she’s always ready to go. She comes to practice ready, she works hard in the weight room and in the classroom. It doesn’t matter what it is, she goes 100 percent and shows up.”
– Kale Steed
Offensive Player of the Year
Devaeh Johnson, Tascosa, 5-10, forward, Sr.
After accepting the job to lead the Tascosa Lady Rebels last summer, coach Zac Tabor had to take a good close look at the considerable talent he had inherited for the 2025-26 season, and it was no surprise that he paid some extra attention to senior Devaeh Johnson.
The Lady Rebels had plenty of talent returning from a team which had reached the Class 5A Division I region finals a year earlier under coach Chris Sumrall. Among those returners, Johnson in particular caught Tabor’s eye from the get-go.
“The first thing that jumps out about her is that she’s so gifted athletically,” said Tabor of Johnson. “She’s got great size and ability to get up and down the court. As far as offensive skills, she’s so multitooled. She can step outside with such a great shot and has a high release and can get to the basket downhill.”
Those skills were what made Johnson such a vital cog in Tascosa’s offense, and a huge reason they won District 3-5A, finishing 32-4 and returning to the 5A Division I region finals. Johnson was named the 3-5A Offensive Player of the year, and she doubles up on her pleasure awardswise, as she’s also the 2026 Press Pass Sports Girls Offensive Player of the Year.
While Johnson didn’t carry the offensive load alone, getting plenty of help from fellow seniors Kenzee Dickson and Nic’Liyah Fisher, she still established herself as the go-to player offensively once district started. Johnson led the Lady Rebels with 14 points a game and also averaged six rebounds a contest.
The ability to score both inside and outside was what made Johnson unique among the Lady Rebels, and that’s a big reason she’ll be playing at West Texas A&M next year. Tabor liked the matchup problems Johnson presented.
“We were playing four out and one in getting up and down and playing fast with all of our kids and that kind of allowed her to use her athleticism,” Tabor said. “It became pretty obvious as the season progressed that Devaeh would be our go-to person in a time of needing to get some points. If it was a kid she could post up we’d get her down there and run some plays in the paint. For those who watched us play a lot, you could see if there was any time we started to have a scoring lull in the game we’d run some stuff to Devaeh and that would help get everybody going.”
– Lee Passmore
Defensive Player of the Year
Jada Jackson, Frenship, 6-2, post, Jr.
Frenship’s Jada Jackson is the poster child when it comes to a complete player that college scouts want at the next level.
Standing at 6-foot-2, the long, athletic Jackson shows her pure athleticism by being able to play any position on the floor. However, when it comes down to it her presence in the middle can’t be outmatched and a big reason why the junior is garnering the 2026 Press Pass Sports Girls Basketball Defensive Player of the Year.
“She’s the only player I’ve ever coached that has been called for goaltending,” Frenship head girls coach Trent Hilliard said. “That’s how athletic Jada is. It’s incredible. She can handle the ball, and she is just a great all-around player.” She is a fantastic young person and she really came into her own this year, especially as a leader. She found her voice this past year and she’s earned the right to talk to the team and they respect her.”
Jackson and the Lady Tigers had a tremendous year. Frenship finished the season 30-9 overall and won a 10th straight District 2-6A title. Not only did the Lady Tigers accomplish that feat, the Lady Tigers ran a gauntlet through the Class 6A Division II playoffs, advancing to the regional championship for a second straight year.
Jackson, a highly touted Division I prospect, ended her junior campaign registering a team-high 17.8 points a game with 13 rebounds a night to average a double-double, along with 2.1 blocks. Jackson shot 58 percent from the floor and was an excellent free-throw shooter at 83 percent.
“We play a zone,” Hilliard said. “That helped us matchup with the athletic teams we see in Class 6A. Having Jada in that role was great, because she can guard any position. She is very strong and if she isn’t blocking shots, she’s altering them. She is just a huge difference maker.”
– Kale Steed
Newcomer of the Year
Payton Merkel, Gruver, 5-8, guard, Fr.
Payton Merkel came onto the basketball scene and solidified her reputation as a top player in the Texas Panhandle and all of Class 2A in a hurry.
Because of Merkel and a group of young Lady Hounds, Gruver went from an unknown in November to a UIL Class 2A Division II state semifinal team by March, ending an exciting season at 30-6 overall.
Coming out of eighth grade, head coach Trent Lankford knew he had something special in Merkel, but wasn’t sure how fast her game would transition. As the early portion of the season went on, Merkel only got better and better not only earning the 2026 Press Pass Sports Girls Basketball Newcomer of the year, but she tallied a litney of accolades.
Merkel was the District 1-2A MVP as well as a TABC All-Region and All-State selection finishing her season pouring in 18.2 points a game to go with 4.4 rebounds, handing out 3.8 assists and nabbing 3.3 steals. Merkel shot 55 percent from the field and 82.1 percent from the charity stripe.
“I knew Payton was going to be good, but she was better than expected, “Lankford said. “I always knew she could score but she can also facilitate. Payton could effect the game on both ends of the floor and only kept getting better and better where she was our leader. I was very pleased and thrilled for the success she and the team had this year. Let’s just hope this is the start of something special to come.”
– Kale Steed
FIRST TEAM
Ambrosia Cole, Lubbock Monterey, 5-7, guard, Sr.
The prolific Lady Plainsman filled in for now Oklahoma sensation and former teammate Aaliyah Chavez as the next in a line of great players at Monterey. Cole, a Texas Tech University signee and District 3-5A MVP, had an outstanding year leading the Lady Plainsman to a Class 5A Division II regional championship by averaging an eye-opening 30.3 points a game and dished out five assists a night.
Kambrie Graser, Canyon, 5-11, forward, Sr.
Graser is a repeat selection for the Lady Eagles who lived up to her reputation as their top offensive weapon in her final varsity season. She averaged 17 points and six rebounds a game en route to being named District 4-4A MVP in leading Canyon to an unbeaten district championship season and the 4A Division I region finals. Graser was also a Texas Association of Basketball Coaches and Texas Girls Coaches Association all-state pick.
Nic’Kiyah Fisher, Tascosa, 5-9, guard, Sr.
Fisher was an all-around athletic force at both ends of the court for the Lady Rebels in helping them win the District 3-5A championship and reach the 5A Division I region finals. She averaged 11 points, six rebounds and two assists per game while leading Tascosa defensively with 2.6 steals a game. Fisher was the 3-5A defensive player of the year and kept opposing defenses on their toes as a productive 3-point shooter.
Berklee Billington, Bushland, 5-10, forward, Soph.
Last year’s Press Pass Sports Girls Basketball Newcomer of the Year took her game to another level as a sophomore. Coming off a run to the state title game on the volleyball court, Billington was a key cog in soaring the Lady Falcons to a 28-10 record and the programs first ever run to the UIL Class 3A Division I regional championship. Billington, a TABC All-Region and All-State selection, posted a team-best 20 points with a 11 rebounds to average a double-double per game, and added 3.5 steals a night.
Linley Wright, Shallowater, 5-2, guard, Sr.
Behind the hot play of Wright, especially throughout the playoffs, the Shallowater Fillies (29-8) advanced to the UIL Class 3A Division I state championship game before falling to Hitchcock 60-46. Wright was named District 2-3A Co-MVP as well as TABC All-Region and All-State finishing the year averaging 15.6 points a night while shooting 75 percent from the free-throw line, and took away four steals a game.
SECOND TEAM
Addisyn Bollinger, Frenship, 5-11, forward, Sr.
The Oklahoma State signee made a deadly 1-2 punch for the Frenship Lady Tigers along with Jada Jackson. Bollinger was a valuable weapon on the offensive end of the floor for a Frenship team that won a 10th straight District 2-6A title while making a second straight run to the Class 6A Division II regional championship. Bollinger ended her year registering 13.9 points a game while shooting 41 percent from 3-point land. Bollinger was named as a TGCA All-State selection as well as a TABC All-Region selection.
Ella Brown, Amarillo High, 5-9, forward, Sr.
Brown showed that basketball savvy runs in the family, as she followed in the footsteps of older brothers Zach and T.J. (sons of West Texas A&M men’s coach Tom Brown) in an Amarillo High uniform. A first-team 3-5A selection, Brown was the team’s co-leader in scoring with 10.4 points a game and shot 36 percent from 3-point range while pulling down 7.7 rebounds a game.
Tai Wright, Canyon, 5-8, guard, Sr.
Wright emerged as a more than viable scoring option to Graser in stepping up offensively as the occasional first scoring option in her final season for the Lady Eagles. She was a strong 3-point shooter who averaged 12 points and three rebounds a game and was named the 4-4A co-offensive MVP. Wright was also a TABC and TGCA all-state selection.
Abby Dallas, Lubbock-Cooper Liberty, 6-0, guard, Sr.
Dallas was the District 5-4A MVP as well as a TABC All-Region and All-State selection. Dallas helped paced the Lady Patriots all season that resulted in a district title and a run to the regional championship. She led Liberty by averaging 11.7 points a game along with 7.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Karsyn Lutrick, Idalou, 5-8, guard, Sr.
Lutrick has made a huge impact for the Lady Wildcats from the moment she set foot on the court, especially this season which resulted in a run to the Class 3A Division II regional championship. She was the Co-MVP of District 2-3A as well as a TABC All-Region and All-State selection. On the season, Lutrick, averaging 14.4 points a game with 5.2 rebounds a night.
THIRD TEAM
Tyler Held, Amarillo High, 5-5, guard, Sr.
Held was one of Amarillo High’s top shooters and was the team’s co-leader in scoring with 10.4 points a game as she was a first-team 3-5A selection. She shot over 40 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line, and was a first-team 3-5A selection.
La’Kenzee Dickson, Tascosa, 5-8, guard, Sr.
As Tascosa’s point guard, Dickson set the tone for the Lady Rebels offensively and defensively as an uptempo team at both ends of the floor, averaging 10 points and five rebounds a game and leading the team with five assists per game. Dickson was a first-team 3-5A and TABC Region I selection.
Kylie Cavalier, Canadian, 5-7, guard, Sr.
From a buzzer beating 3-pointer to beat Slaton in a bi-district game to being named District 1-3A MVP, the heart and soul of the Canadian Lady Cats put together quite the senior season. Cavalier followed in the footsteps of great lineage making a name for herself scoring a team-high 14.2 points a game and pulled down 5.7 rebounds a contest. Cavalier also earned a TABC All-Region selection.
Addison McCoid, Panhandle, 5-10, forward, Sr.
The Panhandle senior played her role in helping the Ettes to the UIL Class 2A Division I state championship. The quite, yet powerful play of McCoid on the inside always gave the Ettes the boost they needed. McCoid, a gritty player that wasn’t afraid to get in the paint, averaged 10.2 points a game to go with 5.3 rebounds. McCoid was steady from the field shooting close to 60 percent from inside the arc.
Madison Brockman, Nazareth, 5-5, guard, Sr.
The first-team TABC All-State guard was the catalyst to the Swiftettes unprecedented 27th UIL state championship. Brockman’s value wasn’t measured in points but her ability to direct the offense and lock down defense that earned her District 3-1A MVP honors. On the season, the quiet point guard dished out 5.1 assists while pulling down three rebounds while scoring 5.6 points per game. On the defensive side, Brockman averaged more than eight deflections and four steals per outing.