​Sophia Borghese of Thomas Worthington field hockey has been named the high school girls Athlete of the Year for 2025-26 by Dispatch.com readers. Borghese, the Cardinals’ all-time leading scorer with 122 goals and 15 assists, propelled her team to its fourth consecutive state championship this season, adding 46 goals, 15 assists, and an impressive 101 steals to her already storied legacy. The 2025-26 award marks Borghese’s continued impact on the program as she prepares to continue her career at Miami University.
Borghese captured 93.3% of the vote, finishing far ahead of runner-up Campbell Heald, a standout lacrosse player from DeSales who earned 4% of the vote. Heald finished the season with 108 goals and 90 assists, helping the Stallions to a 22-1 record and their third straight Division II state championship. A Brown University signee, Heald is DeSales’ all-time leader in goals (317), assists (273), and points (590), cementing her status as central Ohio’s all-time points leader across genders.
Also highlighted in the voting were several other top local athletes: Elena Aldrink from Olentangy Liberty in cross country and track and field; Soleil Cordell from Olentangy Berlin in tennis; Olivia McCuen of Pickerington North in soccer; Sydney Mobley from Big Walnut in basketball; Kiera Powers of Upper Arlington in swimming; and Anna Wile from Hilliard Davidson in track and field. Aldrink dominated in Division I, sweeping the cross-country and 3,200-meter championships. She won the 3,200-meter title as a sophomore and has reached state competition three times with the 3,200 relay, remaining undefeated in six cross country races last fall.
Cordell, the top-ranked junior in the state according to TennisRecruiting.net, finished 27-0 en route to her first Division I state championship, dropping only one set during the journey. With a career 81 wins, Cordell also finished as the state runner-up as a sophomore, entering the fall as a standout talent. Kendall Owens of Columbus Academy was recognized as Girls Athlete of the Week on Jan. 31, representing the school’s ongoing successes.
Olivia McCuen led the Panthers (13-4-4) with 25 goals and 17 assists, guiding them to a Division I state semifinal. She was named OCC-Ohio, district, and state Player of the Year for her outstanding season. Sydney Mobley, central Ohio’s first Ms. Basketball winner since 2003, posted averages of 20.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks to push the Golden Eagles (23-5) to their second consecutive Division II state semifinal. Mobley also concluded her high school career as district and state Player of the Year before committing to Ohio State, reclassifying to the class of 2026 on July 3.
Kiera Powers dominated in the pool as well, sweeping the 200-yard individual medley and the 500 freestyle at the Division I state meet, helping the Golden Bears claim their third consecutive team title and 15th all-time. Powers also swept the district meet and was the top seed in both events at state. Anna Wile continued her success by repeating as Division I state champion in the 100-meter hurdles. These performances contributed to a season rich with achievement for athletes across Central Ohio, highlighting the depth of talent recognized by the Dispatch.com community and the broader high school sports landscape.