CHSAA Recognizes 2025-26 Coaches, Players of the Year, All-State Honorees - Colorado High School Activities Association

AURORA – The Colorado High School Activities Association recognized 114 coaches and 113 players of the year, along with its All-State Teams, during the 2025-26 school year. In total, 5,785 students earned all-state recognition in at least one sport or activity.

Among the all-state honorees, 1,510 students were first-team selections and 1,286 were second-team selections. In addition, 162 students earned all-state honors in at least two sports and 11 were honored three times.

Simla’s Carlee Cox, McClave’s Abrielle Gomez, Sedwick County’s Lainee Nein, Arvada West’s Layla Petz and Niwot’s Addison Ritzenhein headlined the list of multi-sport standouts, as Cox, Petz and Ritzenhein each earned two player of the year accolades, while Gomez, Nein and Petz each earned three first-team all-state honors during the year.

Cox, a junior, was named the 2A Girls Volleyball and 2A Girls Basketball Player of the Year after leading Simla to a pair of state titles, while Petz swept all five individual event titles at the CHSAA Gymnastics State Championships before winning the diving title at the CHSAA Swimming and Diving State Championships. The 5A Gymnast of the Year and 5A Diver of the Year also earned first-team all-state honors in track and field, giving her three first-team all-state selections for the year.

Ritzenhein won her third straight cross country title in the fall and then capped off her career with two more individual titles on the track, winning the 1600 and 3200. She was named both the 5A Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year and the 4A Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Gomez and Nein, both seniors, earned first-team selections in girls volleyball, basketball and track and field. Nein captured the Class 2A triple jump title at the CHSAA Track and Field State Championships, while Gomez helped McClave set Class 1A meet records in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays at the event. Gomez also led McClave to a second-consecutive Class 1A girls basketball state title.

Of the 11 three-time all-state honorees, five earned two first-team honors and one second-team honor. Battle Mountain’s Eden DeMino was a first-team selection in girls alpine skiing and cross country, while she earned a second-team honor in track and field. Simla’s Katie Gotschall earned first-team honors in girls volleyball and basketball and second team in track and field, while Pagosa Springs’ Colton Lucero was a first-team selection in football and track and field, and second team in wrestling. Merino’s Kya Piel earned first-team honors in girls basketball and track and field and second-team honors in volleyball. Coal Ridge’s Lexi Thurmon earned first-team honors in girls track and field and spirit and was a second-team selection in wrestling.

Finally, an additional three student-athletes earned one first-team honor and a pair of second-team accolades, as Simla’s Tatum Kocerha was a first-team selection in boys basketball and a second-team selection in baseball and football, Dayspring Christian’s Elijah Martin was a first-team selection in boys track and field and second team in wrestling and football, and Limon’s Keagan Mellot was a first-team honoree in football and second team in basketball and track and field.

Including honorable mention selections, three student-athletes earned all-state recognition in four sports. Eads’ Anna Wollert was a first-team selection in softball and girls basketball and earned honorable mention status in girls volleyball and track and field, while Wiley’s Grant Mauch was second team in baseball and honorable mention in football, basketball and track and field. Thomas MacLaren School’s Sara Christensen was first team in girls track and field and honorable mention in girls volleyball, basketball and soccer.

CHSAA recognizes all-state teams in each sanctioned sport, as well as esports. Selection criteria vary by sport.

2025-2026 Coaches of the Year

Baseball

5A: Matt Darr, Regis Jesuit
4A: Matt Eades, Pueblo County
3A: Casey Miller, University
2A: Luke Bradshaw, Monte Vista
1A: Tyler Pickens, Akron

Boys Basketball

6A: Kent Grams, Rock Canyon
5A: Bob Banning, Silver Creek
4A: Todd Schayes, Kent Denver
3A: Kyle Bollers, Strasburg
2A: David Guy, Simla
1A: Denis Bringelson, Prairie

Girls Basketball

6A: Caryn Jarocki, Highlands Ranch
5A: Robby Gabrielli, Lutheran
4A: Mike Quintana, Holy Family
3A: Christopher Bainbridge, Salida
2A: Doug Cox, Simla
1A: Kayla Daniel, Flagler

Boys Cross Country

5A: Kelly Christensen, Niwot
4A: Lisa Rainsberger, Coronado
3A: Matt Norton, The Classical Academy
2A: Amanda Gilmore, Golden View Classical Academy

Girls Cross Country

5A: Kelly Christensen, Niwot
4A: Matt Miltenberg, Timnath
3A: Matt Norton, The Classical Academy
2A: Trevor Peterson, Ridgway

Esports (Fall, Spring)

Rocket League: Angie Wagner, Bear Creek
Splatoon: Randy Cameron, Chatfield
League of Legends: Alexandra Bak, Cherry Creek
Super Smash Bros: Kade Johnstone, Air Academy
Mario Kart: Nick Bidinger, ThunderRidge
Unified Mario Kart: Stephanie Sturm, Smoky Hill

Field Hockey

Unclassified: Hannah Jameson, Pine Creek

Flag Football

5A: Darren Pitzner, Legend
4A: Dale Meyerrose, The Classical Academy

Football

5A: Jared Yannacito, Ralston Valley
4A: Jeremiah Behrendsen, Dakota Ridge
3A: Nathan Johnson, Pomona
2A: Travis Peeples, Wellington
1A: Mike O’Dwyer, Limon
8-Man: JD Stone, Haxtun
6-Man: Toby Kechter, Idalia

Boys Golf

5A: Ryan Stevens, Cherokee Trail
4A: Mike Ward, Mead
3A: Caine Fitzgerald, Lutheran
2A: Erin Bley, Frontier Academy

Girls Golf

5A: Justen Byler, Valor Christian
4A: Matt Smith, Ponderosa
3A: Brooke Walser, Timnath
2A: Rick Meis, Resurrection Christian

Gymnastics

5A: Abby Anderson, Broomfield
4A: Marisa Purcell, Niwot

Ice Hockey

5A: Jeff Mielnicki, Cherry Creek
4A: Christopher Moses, Pine Creek and Jeff Chapman, Steamboat Springs

Boys Lacrosse

5A: Darin Denton, Lakewood
4A: Nick Gold, Air Academy

Girls Lacrosse

5A: Mike O’Neil, Kent Denver
4A: Rachel Sanford, Evergreen

Skiing (Alpine, Nordic)

Alpine: Karl Barth, Summit
Nordic: Eva Hagen, Summit

Boys Soccer

5A: Rick Wolf, Regis Jesuit
4A: Nestor Perez, Greeley Central
3A: Rob Bohlmann, Steamboat Springs
2A: Than Acuff, Crested Butte

Girls Soccer

5A: Cyrus Salehi, Fossil Ridge
4A: Peter Jeans, Evergreen
3A: Sean Stedeford, Colorado Academy
2A: Kinsey Bowdle, Buena Vista

Softball

5A: Kale Gilmore, Broomfield
4A: Moriah Nguyen, Holy Family

Spirit

4A/5A Game Day Cheer: Madison Berry, Arapahoe
5A All-Girl Cheer: Lauren Borgmeier, Douglas County
5A Co-Ed Cheer: Tatum Reel, Castle View
4A All-Girl Cheer: Samantha Murray, Windsor
4A Co-Ed Cheer: Alyssa Thurmon, Coal Ridge
2A/3A Game Day Cheer: Mandi Lopez, Arrupe Jesuit
3A All-Girl Cheer: Andrea Morse, Resurrection Christian
2A/3A Co-Ed Cheer: Sam Barton, DSST: Cedar
2A All-Girl Cheer: Gina Harris, Denver Christian

Boys Swimming & Diving

5A: Chris Loftis, Cherry Creek
4A: Amber Austin, Monarch

Girls Swimming & Diving

5A: Karin Olmsted, Cherry Creek
4A: Emily Austin, Broomfield
3A: Kim Garcia, Kent Denver

Boys Tennis

5A: Laura Jones, Regis Jesuit
4A: Noah Tondre, Colorado Academy

Girls Tennis

5A: Jazzy Gillette, Ralston Valley
4A: Dave Adams, Cheyenne Mountain
3A: Noah Tondre, Colorado Academy

Boys Track & Field

5A: Jeff Brennan, Fort Collins
4A: Maurice Henriques, Niwot
3A: Ben Kirk, Coal Ridge
2A: Richard Deems, Peyton
1A: Emily Ortiz, McClave

Girls Track & Field

5A: Kelli Kunz, Mountain Vista
4A: Maurice Henriques, Niwot
3A: Tim Daggett, The Classical Academy
2A: David Goodman, Lyons
1A: Kari Michal, Merino

Unified Bowling

Unclassified: Mike Merenda, Lakewood

Boys Volleyball

5A: Jaren Graham, Grandview
4A: Nick Brown, Lutheran

Girls Volleyball

5A: Jayne McHugh and Trisha Kroll, Valor Christian
4A: Jared Rudiger, University
3A: Annie Mortensen, Alamosa
2A: Kelly Kocerha, Simla
1A: Megan King, Fleming

Boys Wrestling

5A: Sam Federico, Pomona
4A: Tyler Lundquist, Pueblo East
3A: Tony Mustari, Eaton
2A: Jake Varra, Highland

Girls Wrestling

5A: Chad Dare, Grand Junction Central
4A: Chris Gutierrez, Pueblo Central

2025-2026 Players of the Year

Baseball

5A: Cooper Vais, Arvada West
4A: Blake Swift, Pueblo County
3A: Damian Alvarez, University
2A: Bryce Love, Peyton
1A: Caleb Doughty, Flatirons Academy

Boys Basketball

6A: Eric Fiedler, Regis Jesuit
5A: Madden Smiley, Windsor
4A: Caleb Fay, Kent Denver
3A: Matthew Lebron, Banning Lewis Academy
2A: Tatum Kocerha, Simla
1A: Tuff Kelley, McClave

Girls Basketball

6A: Brihanna Crittendon, Riverdale Ridge
5A: Jojo Martin, Standley Lake
4A: Gracie Ward, Holy Family
3A: Braeden Johnson, Salida
2A: Carlee Cox, Simla
1A: Abrielle Gomez, McClave

Boys Cross Country

5A: Benjamin Adams, Mountain Vista
4A: Oliver Horton, Coronado
3A: Max Miller, The Vanguard School
2A: Ethan Kiptui, St. Mary’s

Girls Cross Country

5A: Addison Ritzenhein, Niwot
4A: Reagan McRae, Cheyenne Mountain
3A: Delaney Reuter, Eaton
2A: Natasha Hessler, Ridgway

Esports (Fall, Spring)

Rocket League: Jaxson Gralund, Bear Creek
Splatoon: Owen Lamb, Mountain Vista and Wyatt Dodd, Chatfield High
League of Legends: Joey Liang, Cherry Creek
Super Smash Bros: Gael Saldana Roa, George Washington
Mario Kart: Gennady Brown, ThunderRidge

Field Hockey

Offensive: Tatum Johnson, Kent Denver
Defensive: Riley Lesser, Smoky Hill

Flag Football

5A: Ariana Akey, Mountain Vista
4A: Kelsey Peterson, The Classical Academy

Football

5A: Jayden Fox, Cherry Creek
4A: Landon Kalsbeck, Dakota Ridge
3A: Luis Santana, Pomona
2A: Tanner Gray, Wellington
1A: Keagan Mellott, Limon
8-Man: Zach Statz, Haxtun
6-Man: Gabe Kechter, Idalia

Boys Golf

5A: Miles Kuhl, Fairview
4A: Hunter Simmons, Grand Junction
3A: Nicholas Brooks, Lutheran
2A: Noah Pearson, Swink

Girls Golf

5A: Ella Scott, Valor Christian
4A: Kaylee Meyering, Ponderosa
3A: Cheyanne Schrick, Timnath
2A: Addison Dorsey, Manitou Springs

Gymnastics

5A: Layla Petz, Arvada West
4A: Genevieve Saunders, Niwot

Ice Hockey

5A: Nolan Darlington, Denver East
4A: Rex Burstein, Colorado Academy

Boys Lacrosse

5A: Gavin Reinhart, Legend
4A: Emmett Windley, Evergreen

Girls Lacrosse

5A: Gia Bigelow, Valor Christian
4A: Ryn Gardner, Evergreen

Boys Skiing (Alpine, Nordic)

Alpine: Seth Montgomery, Summit
Nordic: John Ryan, Summit

Girls Skiing (Alpine, Nordic)

Alpine: Lauren Leffel, Summit
Nordic: Lucy Greenwood, Summit

Boys Soccer

5A: Ethan Orchard, Ralston Valley
4A: Jakob Methvin, Battle Mountain
3A: Kobe Thai, Kent Denver
2A: Shawn Moran, Crested Butte

Girls Soccer

5A: Reese Morgan, Fossil Ridge
4A: Gianna Weiner, Evergreen
3A: Lyla Kocher, Colorado Academy
2A: Mae Blazer, Buena Vista

Softball

5A: Ireland Heer, Broomfield
4A: Emmaline Humphreys, Holy Family

Boys Swimming & Diving

5A Swimmer: Spencer Greene, Regis Jesuit
5A Diver: Andrew Garrison, Highlands Ranch
4A Swimmer: Breck Boyd, Glenwood Springs
4A Diver: Henry Palmquist, Evergreen

Girls Swimming & Diving

5A Swimmer: Kate McKinnon, Cherry Creek
5A Diver: Layla Petz, Arvada West
4A Swimmer: Grace Perry, Lewis-Palmer
4A Diver: Reagan Annable, Windsor
3A Swimmer: Elsa Anderson, Kent Denver and Camryn Williams, Kent Denver
3A Diver: Mia Williams, St. Mary’s Academy

2025-2026 Coaches of the Year

Esports (Fall, Spring)

Skiing (Alpine, Nordic)

2025-2026 Players of the Year

Esports (Fall, Spring)

Boys Skiing (Alpine, Nordic)

Girls Skiing (Alpine, Nordic)

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