Published on February 18, 2026 1:18 pm
Last Updated on February 18, 2026 1:18 pm
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.
Named from Effingham High School was Max Buzzard and from Effingham St. Anthony High School was Liv Hoene.
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
Liv Hoene | St. Anthony High School | Effingham
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
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
Max Buzzard | Effingham High School
Tessa Bowers | Shelbyville High School
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
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
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