Each week, The Herald-Tribune staff will select nominees for the Herald-Tribune Girls Athlete of the Week poll sponsored by Central Florida Behavioral Health 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 April 13-18, 2026, was Cardinal Mooney lacrosse player Kaitlin Carolan, who won the poll with 50% of the vote.

A poll will be posted at heraldtribune.com each Monday, and voting will end at 10 a.m. Friday each week.

To vote, scroll to the bottom or CLICK HERE.

The nominees for the Girls Athlete of the Week for April 20-25, 2026 are:

Beach Volleyball

Kelsey Jerome, Bradenton Christian

Highlights: Jerome helped the Panthers top Cardinal Mooney for their fourth straight district title and has been reliable, dependable, and one of the hardest workers on the team.

Aubrey Mocherman, Riverview

Highlights: Mocherman teamed with Izzy Costanzo for a comeback, three-set win on the No. 1 court in their regional quarterfinal vs. Venice.

Lacrosse

Juliana Bartz, Bradenton Christian

Highlights: Bartz had 4 goals and 6 assists in the Panthers' regional quarterfinal win over Canterbury.

Kayleigh Bergstrom, Cardinal Mooney

Highlights: Bergstrom scored six goals, an assist, and 13 draw wins in a regional quarterfinal vicotry over Gulf Coast.

Gigi Haines, Lakewood Ranch

Highlights: The junior scored six goals in the Mustangs' Region 2A-3 win over Palm Harbor University.

Flag Football

Ariyana Kirksey, Manatee

Highlights: The junior caught six passes for 156 yards and the game's only touchdown in the Hurricanes' 7-0 win over East Lake.

Softball

Rylan Goar, Saint Stephen's

Highlights: Goar hit a triple, a home run, drove in 3, and scored twice in a win over Sarasota Christian.

Linzie Hamilton, Lakewood Ranch

Highlights: Hamilton went 7 for 12 with 5 RBI and 4 runs scored in three Mustangs wins.

Morgan Meeks, Venice

Highlights: Meeks went 3 for 4 with a double and a home run, with 4 RBI and 2 runs scored in a win over reigning Class 1A state champion Evangelical Christian.

Track & Field

Zoe Buller, Out-of-Door

Highlights: The seventh-grader won the District 1A-11 pole vault championship.

Editor's Note: We reserve the right to disqualify a candidate or declare a vote "no contest" if tampering such as bots or offering to pay for voting is evident. Please respect the integrity of the vote the way these athletes respect the integrity of the game.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Vote for CFBHN/Herald-Tribune Girls Athlete of the Week for April 20-25