2026 IHSA All-State Academic Team

The Illinois High School Association is excited to announce the 26 members who were selected to be a part of the 2026 IHSA All-State Academic Team.

Honorees will be recognized at a banquet in Bloomington on Sunday, April 12, 2026.

"The students named to the IHSA All-State Academic Team embody what education-based athletics and activities are all about," said IHSA Assistant Executive Director Stacy Lambert. "They have challenged themselves in the classroom, committed to their teams and organizations, and found ways to give back to their schools and communities. Excelling at such a high level in all of these areas requires discipline and heart, and we are incredibly proud to recognize them as representatives of the IHSA and the state of Illinois."

Every IHSA member school was invited to nominate one female student and one male student to be a part of this prestigious team. Nominees needed to possess a minimum 3.50 grade point average on a 4.0 scale after their 7th semester, have participated in at least two IHSA sponsored sports or activities during each of the last two years of high school, and demonstrated outstanding citizenship.

The nominations were evaluated by a committee up of IHSA principals, athletic directors, and activities directors. One male winner and one female winner from each of the seven IHSA Board of Directors Divisions were selected initially, while the final 12 spots on the team were then rounded out with at-large candidates from anywhere in the state.

---2026 IHSA ALL-STATE ACADEMIC TEAM---
Addison Lucht | Cissna Park High School

Aidan Kenney | Coal City High School

Andrew Naour | Normal Community High School

Braeden Bode | Riverdale High School | Port Byron

Cameron Powers | Triad High School | Troy

Connolly Nugent | Walter Payton College Prep | Chicago

Emily Downing | Cambridge High School

Emma Behrmann | Nashville Community High School

Henry McMurry | Mahomet-Seymour High School

Hunter Stepanich | York High School | Elmhurst

Jacob Barth | Auburn High School

Liam Schmidt | Father McGivney Catholic High School | Glen Carbon

Liv Hoene | St. Anthony High School | Effingham

Madeleine James | Washington Community High School

Madison Miles | Barrington High School

Margaret Andrzejewski | St. Francis High School | Wheaton

Mark Mattson | Hillsboro High School

Marshall Gallaher | Brown County High School | Mt. Sterling

Matthew Pikus | Brother Rice High School | Chicago

Meghan Donnell | Carl Sandburg High School | Orland Park

Mia Drzewiecki | Lincoln-Way East High School | Frankfort

Michael Whitacre | Marmion Academy | Aurora

Nathan Cichy | Prospect High School | Mt. Prospect

Owen Klein | Washington Community High School

Sarah Eckardt | Oregon High School

Xiomara "Xia" Nesbitt | University High School | Chicago

---2026 IHSA ALL-STATE ACADEMIC HONORABLE MENTION TEAM---
Adalyn Freihaut | Tri-Valley High School | Downs

Aiden Martin | United High School | Monmouth

Alex Davis | Taylorville High School

Anna Starr | Crystal Lake Central High School

Anvita Vinu | Hoffman Estates High School

Ava Stern | St. Ignatius College Prep | Chicago

Bryce Counihan | Lincoln-Way Central High School | New Lenox

Bryson Mossman | Routt Catholic High School | Jacksonville

Riley Wold | Buffalo Grove

Cale Kleinschmidt |Stillman Valley High School

Caroline Simmons | Carmi-White County High School

Caroline Tepe | Okawville High School

Charles Behringer | Sandwich High School

Charles Medlin | Schlarman Academy |Danville

Colt Bryson | Ottawa Township High School

Corbin Christopulos | Cornerstone Christian Academy | Bloomington

Elissa Scholtens | Fenwick High School | Oak Park

Elsie Cook | Mercer County High School | Aledo

Emma Jazbutis | Vernon Hills High School

Ethan Miller | Grayslake North High School

Gavin Hemminger | Tinley Park High School

Jacob Quintos | Glenbard West High School | Glen Ellyn

James Samples | Carterville High School

John Baldwin | Mercer County High School | Aledo

Joseph Costanzo | St. Patrick High School | Chicago

Joseph Erb Jr. | Winnebago High School

Kelly O'Connor | Herscher High School

Kylee Slayden | Roxana High School

Kylie Simpson | Hononegah High School | Rockton

Liam Brennan | St. Ignatius College Prep | Chicago

Lillian Furrow | Galesburg High School

Lillie Jones | Taylorville High School

Lily Rodebaugh | Orangeville High School

Lyndon Thies | Roxana High School

Mabry Benhoff | Central High School | Breese

Mabry Robeen | Carrollton High School

Madeline Cassidy | Batavia High School

Maurice Bush | Agricultural Science High School | Chicago

Max Buzzard | Effingham High School

Michael Hutchens | St. Francis High School | Wheaton

Naomi Roth | Metamora Township High School

Natalie Orbon | Andrew High School | Tinley Park

Owen Musenbrock | Mater Dei High School | Breese

Samantha Juelfs | Waterloo High School

Spencer Boesdorfer | University High School | Normal

Tessa Bowers | Shelbyville High School

Thayren Rigsby | Watseka High School

Tracy Jamison | Evanston Township High School

William Mercure | Lakes Community High School | Lake Villa

Wyndel Ellis | Mother McAuley High School