Kate Harpring of Marist School, a returning Gatorade Georgia Girls Basketball Player of the Year, not only led her team to its second 4A state championship earlier this month, but on March 17, she was named the 2026 Jersey Mikes Naismith Girls’ High School Player of the Year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Harpring, who scored 40 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the title game against Kell, is set to continue her basketball career with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Aundre Cummings from Ontario Christian School in California was named the boys’ winner, according to a release from the Naismith Awards website.
“Kate and Aundre have separated themselves this season through excellence, leadership, and an unmistakable impact on winning,” said Eric Oberman, president of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Kate authored one of the most memorable individual seasons in girls’ high school basketball, and Aundre guided his team through the kind of schedule that tests every part of a program. We are proud to honor them as our national award winners and celebrate the standard they have set for the game.”
Harpring finished her high school career with 3,435 points, breaking the state record of 3,399 held by Athens Academy’s Jill Razor since 1997.
Derek Waugh, Marist School director of athletics, and a 1989 graduate from the school, offered his congratulations.
“Kate has had an amazing career at Marist, athletically and academically,” Waugh said. “She has represented Marist in a tremendous way on and off the court during her time here, and the entire Marist family is so proud of her.”
“Kate is a once-in-a-generation player, but what makes her the Naismith Player of the Year isn’t just the 40-point games or the scoring records — it’s her heart,” said Kim Hixon, Marist School’s head girls’ basketball coach. “Even with the national spotlight on her, she remained completely focused on her teammates and bringing a state title back to Marist. She has set a standard for excellence and toughness that will be remembered here for a long time. We couldn’t be more proud to see her recognized as the best in the country.”
Harpring led her team to a 29-2 record at Marist, which was ranked No. 1 all season. The daughter of former NBA and Georgia Tech player Matt Harpring, she is the first female athlete from Georgia to win the award since Raven Johnson from Westlake High School in 2021.
During the 2025-26 season, she averaged 29.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.2 steals, and 4.1 assists while shooting 62 percent from the floor through 29 games.
“I’m honored to be among these finalists and incredibly grateful for this award,” Harpring said in the release. “Thank you to my coaches and teammates, without them I could not have achieved this. Winning the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy is a dream come true.”
