The 2025-2026 school year included plenty of highlights, with tons of stars stepping up throughout the year.
Whether it was in football, volleyball, or any of the other fall sports; as well as basketball or competitive cheerleading, or any of the other winter sports; and including baseball, softball, or any of the other spring sports, the stars continued to shine.
And some shined brighter than others.
Some Rockford-area athletes stepped up in multiple sports, or just stepped up to another level in one sport and deserved to be recognized.
We will announce our Rockford Register Star Male MVP of the Year soon, but first it’s your turn. So go vote on the poll and name your Rockford-area Male Athlete of the Year for the entire school year.
Vote for one of the nominees below or choose “OTHER” and send an email to jtaft@rrstar.com with who you think not only belongs on the list, but belongs on the top of the list, and why.
The poll will stay open for two weeks. Please vote only once per day to keep the poll fair. Come back for the results some time after July 15.
Here are you Male Athlete of the Year nominees:
Male Athlete of the year nominees
- Brody Bruns, Rochelle
- Andrew Bucci, Belvidere North
- Ben Bucher, Belvidere North
- Brody Carlson, Rockford Christian
- Caden Considine, Byron
- Gannon Dunker, Lena-Winslow
- Kendall Erdmann, Forreston
- Braxton Fausett, Harlem
- Eli Larson, Stockton
- Brody Sendele, Hononegah
- Andrew Talbert, Byron
- Janardie Turner, Jefferson
- Alec Schlichting, Lena-Winslow
- Myles Smith, Winnebago
- Messiah Tilson, Guilford
- Aiden Wild, Lena-Winslow
- OTHER (email jtaft@rrstar.com)
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and sign up for the Rockford High School Sports Newsletter here at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks to local youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Who do you pick as Rockford-area Male Athlete of the Year for 2025-2026?
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