Vote! Who is The Register-Guard freshman girls athlete of the year?

Jul 11, 2026 - 11:15

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Vote! Who is The Register-Guard freshman girls athlete of the year?

The Eugene-Springfield area featured some of the top freshman athletes in the state during the OSAA sports season.

Now, it's time for you to decide which local ninth-grader was the best of the bunch in 2025-26.

Vote for who you think should be The Register-Guard freshman girl athlete of the year, sponsored by Active Chiropractic.

Athlete of the Week

Nominees for the 2025-26 Register-Guard Girls Freshman of the Year are:

Nuari Filipe, Springfield basketball
Eva Johnson Hess, South Eugene cross-country, track and field
Jaylee Litten, Churchill softball
Lulu Mendoza, North Eugene soccer
Camila Gonzalez Montes, North Eugene track and field
Anna Sperley, Marist Catholic swimming
Nia Tuioti, Sheldon volleyball

Vote for your favorite at registerguard.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Sunday, July 19.

Springfield’s Nuari Filipe puts up a shot as Springfield faces West Albany in the OSAA 5A girls basketball state title game on March 14, 2026, at Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon.

Nuari Filipe, Springfield basketball

The top scorer on Springfield's Class 5A state runner-up squad, Nuari Filipe was the lone freshman to earn 5A first-team all-state honors.

The standout forward averaged 19.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game at the state tournament.

Oregon Track Club’s Evangeline Johnson Hess runs the closing leg of the distance medley relay during the Nike Outdoor Nationals on June 18, 2026, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Eva Johnson Hess, South Eugene cross-country, track and field

South Eugene's Eva Johnson Hess was the fastest freshman girl in the state of Oregon by a wide margin. Her 5,000-meter cross-country personal-best of 17 minutes, 40.9 seconds wasn't just the fastest among ninth-graders; it was the sixth-fastest in the state, full stop.

Johnson Hess took third at the Class 6A cross-country state championships. She finished second in both the 1,500 (personal-best 4:30.84) and the 3,000 (personal-best 9:47.08) at the track and field state championships.

At the June 7 Brooks PR Invitational — a meet featuring the fastest prep runners in the U.S. — Johnson Hess won the freshmen mile in 4:41.41.

Jaylee Litten, Churchill softball

Churchill's Jaylee Litten was named the Midwestern League pitcher of the year after striking out 211 batters in 132 2/3 innings.

Litten earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors.

North Eugene’s Lulu Mendoza chases the ball upfield as the Marist Catholic Spartans host the North Eugene Highlanders Sept. 4, 2025, at Marist Catholic High School in Eugene, Oregon.

Lulu Mendoza, North Eugene soccer

North Eugene's Lulu Mendoza received Class 5A honorable mention all-state honors after helping the Highlanders reach the state title game.

North Eugene’s Camila Gonzalez Montes competes in the 5A girls 800 meters on the third day of the OSAA track and field state championships on May 30, 2026, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Camila Gonzalez Montes, North Eugene track and field

North Eugene's Camila Gonzalez Montes surged to a fourth-place finish in the 800 at the Class 5A state championships with a personal-best time of 2:16.41.

Anna Sperley, Marist Catholic swimming

Marist Catholic's Anna Sperley took second place in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1 minute, 6.87 seconds at the Class 4A/3A/2A/1A state championships.

Sheldon’s Nia Tuioti sets as the South Eugene Axe host the Sheldon Irish on Sept. 30, 2025, at South Eugene High School in Eugene, Oregon.