Athletes making noise in 2026
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Hardin Valley’s Logan Holbrook (41) is one of our Athletes to Watch in 2026 after he led the Hawks’ special teams unit last season to become the sole area All-State selection for Division I. He tallied 18 touchbacks and a punt average of 43.8 yards as a junior and went 100% on PATs and nailed four field goals on five attempts through nine games.
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In November, several Farragut student-athletes signed to continue their careers at the next level. Whether their next time on the field or court will be in a college uniform or in the Admirals’ navy, all will be worth checking out this year. Back row pictured from left to right: Will Dickens (Baseball- Eastern University), Travis Brummitt, Jr. (Baseball- Pellissippi State), Jake Harris (Baseball- Eastern Michigan), Aidan Flagg (Baseball- Lipscomb), Daniel Lanning (Lacrosse- Tusculum). Front Row (L to R): K.J. McNealy (Basketball- Grand Canyon University), Bella Ekeler (Volleyball- Georgia Southern), Ava Barczak (Track and Field- Lincoln Memorial), Rowan Unger (Soccer- Samford), Kennedy Dade (Soccer- Tennessee Tech).
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After starring for Bearden, former Bulldog soccer standout Jayla Blue should make an immediate impact in the Tennessee women’s soccer program.
Across the Farragut area, plenty of individuals made noise throughout the course of 2025.
With 2026 sports already unfolding, here are several athletes to keep an eye on in the New Year.
On the hardwood, Justin Nordin and Parker Lane are just a couple guys to watch for Bearden and Farragut, respectively.
Nordin was named All-State in the 2024-25 season, while Lane recently set a new Farragut record for 3-pointers in a single game (10). He also poured in 84 points in three games during the Loudon Christmas Tournament.
Missouri signee and 2025 Miss Basketball finalist Natalya Hodge is once again one of the area’s top players after averaging 22.7 points per game as a junior, while Grand Canyon signee KJ McNealy has led Farragut as a senior after reaching the 1,000-point mark at the end of last season.
Clemson signee and reigning Miss Basketball winner Meeyah Green has continued to produce for Webb, and on the soccer pitch, the Lady Spartans will once again look to utilize the skills of 2025 All-State selections Mary Mac Emery and Lauren Newell.
Together, those two helped lead the Lady Spartans to a second straight runner-up finish in the Division II-AA state tournament, while Green paced Webb to a Division II-AA state title in hoops.
On the diamond, Farragut will be led by Jake Harris, Aidan Flagg, Travis Brummitt Jr. and Will Dickens in the senior class.
All four recently signed to continue their careers at the next level. This spring, they will look to once again mesh with standout underclassmen such as Braxton Tye — who knocked a grand slam in the season finale last year — as the Admirals pursue a fifth straight state championship.
Farragut football standout Anderson Glover also lands on this list, having earned Underclassman of the Year in Region 2-6A. He caught 22 passes for 238 yards and two scores — both against Bearden in a crucial region rivalry. Defensively, he accumulated 15 tackles on the season and was named All-Region at wide receiver and defensive back as a sophomore.
Farragut’s Nathan Jacobs also earned All-Region honors as a freshman. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season and returned two kickoffs for a total of 42 yards.
2027 punter Logan Holbrook will be another gridiron standout to watch in 2026, as he paced the Hardin Valley special teams unit with 18 touchbacks and a punt average of 43.8 yards last season. He also went 100% on PATs and nailed four field goals on five attempts through nine games, becoming a first-team PrepXtra selection.
At Catholic, sophomore receiver Xavier Bowman should shine again this fall. The 3-star 2028 wideout has offers from Tennessee, East Tennessee State, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Indiana, among several others.
Baxter Johnson, a Webb lacrosse standout, will a senior to watch in 2026 before he heads to West Point to help continue his family’s legacy with the program. He led the Spartans to the Division II-AA state championship game this past season and was named the PrepXtra Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year for the 2025 campaign.
FHS senior Daniel Lanning, a Tusculum signee, will look to pace the Admirals in a similar output after helping the team reach an 11-2 mark last season. He has scored 43 goals in 33 outings through his career so far, totaling a .338 shot percentage.
Catholic volleyball standout Mia Kinney will be another one to watch this year before she goes west to Vanderbilt as a Libero or defensive specialist. She was named the 5 Star Preps Player of the Year, racking up 274 kills with a 40.7 kill percentage this past season. She also tallied 65 assists through her junior year with 206 digs, 76 aces and top-notch passing to pace the Lady Irish in a Division II-AA Final Four run.
Hardin Valley’s Hayden Hall is coming off a state championship in the 200-yard freestyle, while Bearden’s Sarah Griffith will try and clinch a third straight state title in the 1-meter dive competition.
At 6-foot-6, Catholic sharpshooter Malachi Brown will be one to watch before he writes his next chapter at Michigan. So will his teammate, Cade Murphy, an Eastern Kentucky commitment.
Christian Academy of Knoxville sophomore Tate Campbell is poised for another big spring on the tennis court. As a freshman, he went 12-2 while advancing to the Division II-A state quarterfinals where he fell to eventual state champion Jack Veazy. Campbell took home the District 1 title and finished runner-up in the region, while in team play he helped lead CAK to a state-runner up finish.
Hardin Valley’s Madison Huffman will look to finish her senior year in style, as she finished as the Class AA state runner-up last season.
She remained unbeaten until the championship match and will look for a similar result in the New Year.
Bearden keeper Sophie Keener will be another top name to watch, as will Hardin Valley midfielder Dane Hammer, Farragut defender Lincoln Unger, Hardin Valley senior Anna Ogle and Webb junior Lauren Newell.
Keener contributed to 17 shutouts last season, allowing nine goals overall while not giving up a single one in Bearden’s final seven games. Hammer racked up 14 goals and 18 assists for HVA, while Unger earned District 4-AAA Defensive Player of the Year honors for FHS. Ogle played a big role in 11 shutouts and posted two goals and two assists, helping the Lady Hawks advance to the District 4-AAA semifinals. And Newell allowed just 14 goals on the season to help Webb reach the title match.
Catholic sophomore Drew Gerken placed eighth in the Division II-AA girls state cross country meet, so she should be in for another big year as a junior.
Aside from high school athletes, the Farragut area will also see several notable products who are looking to start off strong at the college level.
Bearden girls soccer alumni Jayla Blue, Claire Jenkinson and Tyler Roth will suit up for Tennessee, Roane State and Western, Kentucky, respectively, this year, while Farragut’s Ryan McCue will look to earn collegiate interest after becoming an All-State selection for his kicking prowess.
Fellow Farragut senior Rowan Unger will play soccer for Samford after becoming the District 4-AAA Player of the Year, and Cole Draper will continue his baseball career at Wofford after starring for the Admirals on the baseball diamond.
Webb products Calysta and Jazzlyn Garmer will look to follow standout cross country careers at Furman with KCHS tennis champion Lillie Murphy looking to do the same on the court.
Also, Hardin Valley products Ruby Hill and Ben Brophy will be continuing their careers with Oklahoma rowing and Maryville College soccer, respectively.
These are just a few of the standout athletes who have made names for themselves across the area in 2025, so plenty more should be in store from these athletes and others in 2026.
