These teams accomplished long postseason runs, and all made it to their state tournaments. Here are the nominees. This award is presented by BMO.
Naperville North Boys Soccer
The 2025-26 season was another memorable chapter for the Naperville North boys soccer program, as the Huskies combined disciplined defense, balanced scoring, and postseason grit to establish themselves as one of the top teams in the DVC and the western suburbs.
Naperville North opened the year with a challenging nonconference schedule, but the Huskies quickly found their identity. As conference play began, North steadily climbed the standings with key victories and finished the regular season as DVC champions. The Huskies’ success came from depth across the roster, and senior leadership anchored the defense. Goalkeeping was a major strength all season, with North recording multiple shutouts against ranked opponents and consistently keeping games within reach.
North had a senior-heavy roster loaded with talent, including All-State goalie Jack Bouska, midfielders Andrew Hebron, Dylan Healy, and Sam Hess, forwards Josh Pederson, Onkar Lidder, Anthony Flores, and Brian Biederman, and defenseman Colin McMahon.
In the IHSA tournament, Naperville North carried its momentum into regional play and advanced through a competitive bracket to reach the sectional stage. The Huskies battled through tight matches that highlighted the team’s composure and defensive toughness. The season was capped off by a state title win over St. Laurence via penalty kicks.
Benet Academy Girls Volleyball
The 2025-26 Benet Academy girls volleyball team once again proved why it remains one of the premier programs in Illinois, putting together a remarkable 39-3 season and capturing the East Suburban Catholic Conference championship with a perfect 6-0 conference record. Throughout the fall, the Redwings showcased a combination of talent, depth, and consistency, earning the No. 2 ranking in Illinois and finishing among the top 20 teams nationally.
The roster was packed full of stars such as middle hitter Lynney Tarnow, setter Ellie Stiernagle, outside hitters Sophia Chinetti and Brooklynne Brass, right-side hitter Molly Welge, libero Claire Weathers, and defensive specialist Abby Lee.
Benet dominated its way through the postseason, advancing to the IHSA Class 4A state series for the fourth consecutive season. The Redwings defeated Lockport Township in the state semifinals to earn another shot at a state championship and continued a postseason run that highlighted the program’s sustained excellence.
While the season ended one match short of a state championship, Benet’s accomplishments were substantial. A conference title, another state trophy, and a fourth consecutive appearance in the state championship match cemented the Redwings’ place among Illinois volleyball’s elite programs. The 2025-26 season will be remembered as another chapter in one of the state’s most successful volleyball programs.
Benet Academy Boys Basketball
The 2025-26 Benet Academy boys basketball team delivered another remarkable campaign. The Redwings compiled an outstanding 36-2 record, captured the East Suburban Catholic Conference title with a perfect 8-0 conference record, and was a force to be reckoned with all season long.
Setting a program record for most wins in school history, Benet established itself as one of the state’s most consistent teams. The Redwings dominated opponents throughout the regular season, winning 16 home games and averaging more than 60 points per game. Their success earned them the No. 1 ranking in the Class 4A poll and positioned them as a favorite entering the IHSA tournament.
All-State selections Jayden Wright, Colin Stack, and Ed Stasys returned from the 2025 state championship team and proved last year was no fluke. Newcomers Ethan MacDermot and Perry Tchienge Wandji played key roles alongside Aidan Renicker, Blair Fagbemi, and Ryan Walsh.
The postseason only added to Benet’s impressive résumé. The Redwings powered through the state tournament and earned a second straight trip to the IHSA Class 4A State championship game after clutch wins over Bolingbrook in the sectional final and DePaul College Prep in the state semis. In the state title game, Benet faced conference rival Marist. However, the Redwings were unable to overcome Marist’s defense and fell 44-28, finishing as Class 4A state runners-up. While the loss ended their title defense, Benet further cemented their place among Illinois basketball’s best programs and added another memorable chapter in their program’s history.
Neuqua Valley Badminton
After capturing the IHSA State Championship in 2025, Neuqua Valley continued its winning ways into the 2025-26 season. Under head coach Kathleen Cervera, Neuqua quickly established itself as one of the state’s top teams, winning the DVC title and sectional titles. Defending state singles champion Ishi Reddy and her doubles partner Luna Han helped lead a roster that routinely overwhelmed opponents and positioned Neuqua for another deep postseason run.
The postseason was highlighted by another great showing at the sectional tournament. Neuqua successfully defended its sectional crown and sent multiple players to the state finals. Senior captains Katherine He and Amber Shi qualified for state once again as a doubles duo. Sristi Barnwal qualified for her first state tournament as the sectional singles runner-up.
At the IHSA State Finals in DeKalb, Neuqua battled against the state’s best programs and once again found itself in trophy contention. A dream season for freshman phenom Clarinda Jin delivered one of the tournament’s best performances, winning the IHSA singles state championship and giving Neuqua back-to-back individual state titles in singles competition.
The Wildcats earned the third-place team trophy, finishing behind state champion Stevenson and runner-up Fremd. While Neuqua fell short of repeating as team state champions, a conference title, sectional championship, individual state championship, and top-three state finish made 2026 another outstanding season for one of the state’s premier badminton programs.
Naperville Central Girls Soccer
The 2026 Naperville Central girls soccer team saw one of the most memorable seasons in program history with an undefeated run deep into the state tournament. The Redhawks spent the spring establishing themselves as one of Illinois’ top teams, finishing the regular season unbeaten and earning the top seed on their path through the Class 3A postseason.
Led by a multitude of stars, junior standout Emerson Burke emerged as one of the state’s most dangerous scorers, reaching the 40-goal mark during the state tournament. With a stout defense and senior goalkeeper Erin Hackett in the net, the Redhawks were in nearly every game this season. Including an ensemble of forwards, including senior captain Malia Shen, the offense always found its stride. Underclassmen like Natalie Liesch, Nicole Sacek, and Sophia Cochran were huge for the history Redhawk run.
The Redhawks’ postseason journey saw a sectional championship, supersectional title, and a state finals appearance for the first time since 1995. In the Class 3A state semifinals. Naperville Central defeated Gurnee Warren 5-0 behind another goal from Burke and a complete team effort, advancing to the third state championship game in program history. In the championship game, Naperville Central faced New Trier in a battle between two undefeated teams. The Redhawks fought hard, but New Trier emerged with a 2-1 win, leaving Naperville Central as the IHSA Class 3A state runner-up. Despite the loss, the Redhawks accomplished a historic season. Emerson Burke was eventually named both the IHSSCA Player of the Year and the Gatorade Player of the Year.
Naperville Central Baseball
Another Redhawk team that saw success this year, Naperville Central baseball, accomplished a historic season. Central finished with a record of 30-11 and 11-4 in conference play. Highlighted by a lights-out staff of pitchers, including Grant Umbright, Max Henson, Decker McDonald, Declan Boyce, and Bennett DeSantis, the Redhawks shut down batters all season long. They took their first regional title since 2015 in a 1-0 thriller over rival Naperville North. The team continued to roll all the way through the sectional, winning the final over Downers Grove North. In the supersectional round, Central returned to state for the first time since 2010, defeating Minooka 4-2.
The offense was led by a balanced attack at the plate from Mike Page, Cooper Page, Ryan Pall, Ryley Orlanes, Mark Williams, and Grant Umbright. Players like Casey Cooperkawa, Jermaine Kenady, Jackson Persin, and Dylan Martin were able to come through when called upon as well.
Despite falling to Maine South in the semifinals and Mt. Carmel in the third-place game, this talented group in red and white put together a historic season to remember for the program.
Naperville North boys soccer remains undefeated
The Team of the Year Award goes to…Naperville North boys soccer! It’s no surprise that our lone state champion takes home the honor as the top team of Season 19!
