Each week, the Herald-Tribune staff will select nominees for the Herald-Tribune Girls Athlete of the Week poll sponsored by Central Florida Behavioral Network, Inc. Nominees are derived from scores and stats emailed in by Sarasota and Manatee County coaches during the week to htincoming@gmail.com. Readers can then vote in the online poll to determine the Girls Athlete of the Week.
The Herald-Tribune Girls Athlete of the Week sponsored by Central Florida Behavioral Health Network for Sept. 28-Oct. 3, 2026, was Out-of-Door Academy golfer Brooklyn Cullen, who won the poll with 76 percent of the vote. Cullen tied for the second lowest score (37) against Lakewood Ranch and Manatee, helping the Thunder to a win.
A poll will be posted at heraldtribune.com
each Monday, and voting will end at 10 a.m. Friday each week.
The nominees for the week of Oct. 5-10, 2026 are:
Golf
Natalie Angelo, Parrish Community: Angelo shot a 74 at the Donald Ross Memorial Tournament, tying for ninth place. She helped Parrish to a first place finish.
Evyn Cannon, Venice: Cannon shot a 63 at the Donald Ross Memorial Tournament, the lowest score of the field, helping Venice to a fourth place finish and winning the individual title.
Athena Li, Pine View: Li finished 13th at the Donald Ross Memorial Tournament, shooting a 76.
Phoenix Scanlan, Parrish Community: Scanlan shot a 70, tying for third at the Donald Ross Memorial Tournament. She helped Parrish to a first place finish.
Brooke Stevens, Cardinal Mooney: Stevens shot a 72, tying for fifth at the Donald Ross Memorial Tournament. She helped Mooney to a fifth place finish.
Swimming
Sydney Hardy, Riverview: Hardy placed first in the 200 Free (1:54.23) and the 100 Free (57.27) at the Tri-County Invitational on Saturday.
Kaitlyn Gebhardt, Riverview: Gebhardt finished first in the 500 free (5:05.46) at the Tri-County Invitational. She also placed second in the 100 Fly (59.18).
Zoe Gruber, Out-of-Door Academy: Gruber finished first in the 100 Breaststroke with a 1:08.35 at the Tri-County Invitational. She also finished fourth in the 100 Free (55.05).
Brenna Kagels, Venice: Kagels placed first in the 100 Backstroke (59.51) and the 200 IM (2:11.99) at the Tri-County Invitational.
Allie Pearson, Riverview: Pearson placed first in the 50 Free, swimming a 24:00 at the Tri-County Invitational. She also placed second in the 100 Free (52.59).
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: VOTE: CFBHN/Herald-Tribune Girls Athlete of the Week for Oct. 5-10
