The News Tribune’s 2026 All-Area girls basketball team
Each year, with input from local coaches, The News Tribune selects its All-Area girls basketball team.
This year, 10 high schools from the South Sound are represented by players and coaches selected to the first and second teams.
The 12 spots, broken down by leagues, are 4A South Puget Sound League (five), 4A North Puget Sound League (three), 3A Puget Sound League (two), 3A North Puget Sound League (one), and 1A Nisqually (one).
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
OLIVIYAH EDWARDS
Lincoln | Forward, 6-4, sr.
Edwards first made headlines as a 15-year-old freshman who could dunk more than three years ago, and it wasn’t long before the 6-foot-4 forward cemented herself as one of the nation’s premier talents. After two years in Issaquah, the No. 2 player in the nation’s 2026 class rejoined the Abes for her senior season and carried Lincoln to the doorstep of the Tacoma Dome, averaging 30 points, 22 rebounds, five blocks and four assists per game. Five-star Tennessee commit and McDonald’s All-American is a two-time TNT All-Area selection. 3A PSL Narrows MVP and Defensive MVP.
COACH OF THE YEAR
KATIE HYPPA
Sumner
Hyppa guided the Spartans to back-to-back 4A championship appearances and runner-up finishes at the Tacoma Dome, including a quarterfinal win over No. 2 Union and semifinal win No. 6 Lake Washington. Sumner finished 27-5 and captured its sixth-straight 4A SPSL title, five of them under Hyppa’s direction.
FIRST TEAM
KAWEHI BORDEN
Sumner | Guard, 6-0, jr.
The smooth scorer with offers from the likes of Kansas, Oregon and Utah put Sumner on her back at the Tacoma Dome, dropping a 4A tournament-high 87 points to lead the Spartans to a second-straight championship game appearance and runner-up finish. The 6-foot combo guard averaged 16.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and three assists per game. 4A SPSL North MVP and two-time TNT All-Area selection.
AVERY HANSEN
Auburn | Guard, 5-6, jr.
When Hansen wasn’t cruising to the rim or facilitating for teammates, the 4A NPSL MVP was locking down her opponent’s best player. The relentless, high-motor point guard powered Auburn to the state tournament in Tacoma for a third-straight year, averaging 22 points, nine rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.5 steals per game for the league-champion Trojans. Three-time TNT All-Area selection.
SHAYLA CORDIS
North Thurston | Guard, 5-8, sr.
The 3A PSL Nisqually MVP quickly asserted herself as one of the South Sound’s most-electric scorers, averaging 26.6 points per game all the way to the 3A state tournament at the Tacoma Dome. The 5-foot-8 guard wrecked opposing game plans on both ends, adding eight steals, seven rebounds and five assists per game.
MAGGEE SCHMITZ
White River | Guard, 5-9, jr.
The two-time 3A NPSL MVP was the focal point of White River’s run to the fourth-place 3A state trophy at the Tacoma Dome. Schmitz averaged 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals per game, a two-time TNT All-Area selection.
JAYDEN FITZGERALD
Kennedy Catholic | Guard, 5-6, soph.
Fitzgerald doesn’t consider it a “Cinderella” run, but the 5-foot-6 point guard was the driving force of No. 11 Kennedy Catholic’s rally to the 4A semifinals at the Tacoma Dome. Sophomore floor general led the Lancers past No. 3 Chiawana in the Round of 12 and dropped 32 points in a quarterfinal win over No. 5 Gonzaga Prep. 4A NPSL first-team selection averaged 14.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.4 steals and 4.1 assists per game.
SECOND TEAM
Azy Jackson, Bonney Lake, jr.
Raymiah Jackson, Sumner, jr.
Sawyer Schaff, Olympia, jr.
Bailey Nettleton, Tahoma, sr.
Aaliyeh Martin, Annie Wright, sr.
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
