Vote: CSM Winter Athletes of the Week, Feb. 22-March 1, 2026

There’s no better time than deep into the postseason to deliver and that’s exactly what 10 Clutch Sports Media Winter Athletes of the Week nominees did last week. 

This week’s nominees include a handful of basketball players who led their teams to regional and sectional titles, a pair of state champions in boys swimming and two girls wrestlers who finished impressive seasons at the IHSA State Finals.

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Check out all of our nominees with information on their big performances below, vote for who you think should win and spread the word to vote before polls close at 11:59 PM on Friday!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Amarion Smith-Holley, Richwoods boys basketball

Smith-Holley’s electric play helped give Richwoods the Class 4A Minooka Regional title. The star sophomore put up 13 points in an 81-46 romp over Minooka on Feb. 25, then erupted for 31 points to help the Knights pull out a narrow 72-66 win over Rock Island in the regional title game on Feb. 27. 

Ethan Rocke, Normal West boys swimming

Rocke won four state titles at the IHSA State Finals in the Athletes with Disabilities competition. The Normal West freshman won the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle 200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke all by significant margins to become the second Wildcats’ state champion in program history and first since Andrew Loy in 2016. 

Quinton Kitt, East Peoria boys basketball

Kitt dominated in the Class 3A Galesburg Regional title game and led East Peoria to its first regional championship since 1997. The Raiders’ junior poured in 37 points in a 68-57 regional title win over Peoria High on Feb. 27 and added 15 points in a 58-51 regional semifinal win over Washington Feb. 15.

Jude Hill, Richwoods boys swimming

Hill won four state championships at the IHSA State Finals in the Athletes With Disabilities division, becoming the first Richwoods swimmer since Matt Elliott in 2011 to bring home gold. Hill won his division’s races in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free and 100 breast all by at least five seconds. 

Griffin White, Illini Bluffs boys basketball

White and the Tigers wrote one of the biggest underdog stories around the state in regionals last week, winning the Class 1A Galva Regional as a No. 9 seed. White’s efforts had a lot to do with it as he scored 30 in a 49-34 win over Princeville on Feb. 23, 11 versus Abingdon-Avon in a 43-43 regional semifinal upset on Feb. 25 and 27 in Feb. 27’s 55-46 regional title win over Galva.

Vote here!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll

• Amarion Smith-Holley, Richwoods boys basketball
• Ethan Rocke, Normal West boys swimming
• Quinton Kitt, East Peoria boys basketball
• Jude Hill, Richwoods boys swimming

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CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees 

Avery Tibbs, Washington girls basketball

Tibbs extended a remarkable season by becoming Washington’s all-time leading scorer — boys or girls — and surpassing Maggie Krick Mose’s record in the Class 3A Galesburg Sectional title game on Feb. 26. The senior scored 27 points in a dominant 61-37 win to give the Panthers their second straight sectional title and added 16 points in a 70-39 sectional semifinal win over Ottawa on Feb. 24.

Ava Mayer, Pekin girls wrestling

Mayer reached the consolation quarterfinals at the IHSA State Finals on Feb. 27 and 28, going 2-2 against some of the state’s top wrestlers to finish her freshman season at 28-8. Mayer won her opening matchup at 120 pounds with a pin against Lawrenceville’s Delaney Ledbetter and fell in the quarterfinals, but came back to beat Lincolnshire Stevenson’s Nastasia Kobets with a quick 26-second pin in the consolation bracket. 

Dalia DeJesus, Dee-Mack girls basketball

DeJesus didn’t stop making a big difference for the Chiefs in the Class 1A Iroquois West Sectional. The senior forward led Dee-Mack to its first sectional title since 2023 and its fourth consecutive 30-win season, scoring 28 points in a 44-26 win over Roanoke-Benson on Feb. 24 and 16 points in a 48-23 sectional title victory over Heyworth on Feb. 26. She also broke her own single-season scoring record, which previously stood at 647 points. 

Chloe Collins, Olympia girls wrestling

Collins finished out her freshman year strong at the IHSA State Finals in the consolation quarterfinals, one win shy of a top-six placement. Collins dropped her opening bout at 100 pounds but came back with a 13-3 major decision over Canton’s Abella Brown and a 7-6 decision over Woodstock’s Eva Hermansson. Collins finished the year with a 31-7 record.

Kayla Herron, Richwoods girls basketball

Herron finished out her season on a strong note by leading Richwoods to a Class 4A sectional title game. The Knights’ guard put up 13 points in a 62-49 sectional semifinal win over Moline on Feb. 24 and had 18 points to lead the way in a 58-48 defeat to Belleville East in the Class 4A Richwoods Sectional championship game on Feb. 26. 

Vote here!

CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll

• Avery Tibbs, Washington girls basketball
• Ava Mayer, Pekin girls wrestling
• Dalia DeJesus, Dee-Mack girls basketball
• Chloe Collins, Olympia girls wrestling

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