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POSTSEASON HONORS
McDowell's Joyner named conference girls basketball player of the year
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Alexander Central's Malayah Adams (21) drives past Northern
Guilford's Aliyah Settle (1) in the Nighthawks' 62-59 win
over Alexander Central in the NCHSAA 6A West Regional final at
Lenoir-Rhyne University.
WALT UNKS, WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL FILE
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
McDowell High School's Khloe Joyner was named to the All-District 10 girls basketball first team.
Clara McCartha joined Joyner, taking second-team honors while Sanai Corpening was named to the third team.
The 4A state champion Maiden High School girls basketball team and the 6A West Region runner-up Alexander Central also racked up numerous postseason awards.
Three Maiden players and two Alexander Central players were named to all-district teams. Maiden head coach Stephen Hensley was District 10 Coach of the Year and Alexander Central's Jon Presnell won coach of the year for District 11.
Maiden's Khiara Culliver was named to the first team while Ava Anderson took second-team honors and Raegan Rembert made the third team.
East Burke's Belle Gwyn was also selected to the all-district third team.
Alexander Central's Meredith Wike earned first team All-District 11 honors and Malayah Adams was named to the second team.
Pesnell and Hensley also won conference coach of the year honors in the Northwestern Conference and the Western Foothills Athletic Conference, respectively, while Wike and Joyner were named co-Northwestern Conference Players of the Year.
Malayah Adams, Addie Jack and Ava Head of Alexander Central along with South Caldwell's Holland Weisner, Ava Cooke of Freedom, Ady McHenry of St. Stephens and McCartha and Corpening of McDowell made the all-conference roster.
Seven players named to academic all-district teams
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Lenoir-Rhyne’s Aaliyah El (2) puts up a shot against pressure
from Coker’s Kamari Thompson (20) during a game at Shuford Arena in
Hickory on Feb. 18.
ERNEST MASCHE, RECORD FILE
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Lenoir-Rhyne women's basketball's Aaliyah El has been named an honorable mention All-American by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
The junior from Charlotte led the team with an average of 17.6 points per game on 50% shooting from the field. She scored in double figures in all but three games this season and posted 20 or more points 13 times. El was also the team leader with 71 steals. Her 545 total points ranks fifth on Lenoir-Rhyne's all-time single-season list.
The Bears won the South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Championship for the first time since 2013-14 and advanced to their first NCAA Division II Regional Championship game in program history.
Seven players academic all-district
Lenoir-Rhyne men's basketball players Sam Martin, Junior Hodnett and Tyler Burraston were named to the College Sport Communicators Academic All-District Team.
The award honors top student athletes for excellence in academics and athletics across all collegiate divisions. To qualify, athletes must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and either have started in 66% or participated in 90% of their games during the season.
Lenoir-Rhyne finished the year with a 26-9 (17-5 South Atlantic Conference) record and advanced to its second consecutive NCAA Southeast Regional Championship game.
Lenoir-Rhyne women's basketball placed Amiya Porter, Tatum Bowen, Elyseia Brown and Lauren Arnold on the women's academic all-district team.
Lenoir-Rhyne finished the year with a 26-6 (20-2 SAC) record and advanced to the NCAA Southeast Regional Final for the first time in program history.
Top StorySpotlight
BASEBALL
24 Crawdads baseball players to return to Hickory for 2026 season
jason.koon
The Texas Rangers announced the break camp roster for the Hickory Crawdads baseball team on Wednesday.
A large majority of players will be familiar to fans, with 24 of 31 having played with the Crawdads at some point during the 2025 season.
On the pitching staff, the returners are Angel Anazco, Aidan Deakins, Jake Jekielek, Jesus Lafalaise, Frank Martinez, Aneudis Mejia, Jormy Nivar, Geury Rodriguez, Evan Siary, Michael Trausch and Wily Villar. They are joined by newcomers Alejandro Chiquillo, Louis Marinaro, JD McReynolds, Moises Morales, Luimy Munoz, and AJ Russell.
The Crawdads will have a trio of returning backstops with Josh Springer, Juan Sulbaran and Jhocsuanth Vargas.
The infield will be covered by Angel Arredondo, Yolfran Castillo, Pablo Guerrero, Luis Marquez, Esteban Mejia and newcomer Carter Garate.
All five outfielders spent time in Hickory last year. Braylin Morel, Hector Osorio, Paulino Santana, Marcos Torres and Deward Tover will man the outfield.
Righty A.J. Russell will arrive in Hickory for his professional debut after being selected in the second round of the 2025 MLB draft. He is a product of the University of Tennessee. Russell is the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Rangers’ system, according to MLB Pipeline. Yolfran Castillo (No. 8) and Paulino Santana (No. 22) are also ranked among the organization’s top 30 prospects.
The Crawdads represent four countries (the United States, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Mexico) and eight U.S. states.
With 31 players headed to Hickory, a player is expected to be inactive come Opening Night on April 2 as the roster limit is 30.
Crawdads shortstop Yolfran Castillo (3) tracks down a ground
ball during a 2025 game at L.P. Frans Stadium.
Ernest Masche, Record file
The Crawdads will host the Hub City Spartanburgers (Rangers High-A) on March 30 and then visit Spartanburg on March 31 in an exhibition series. The regular season will open on April 2 at home against the Columbia Fireflies.
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