2026 University Interscholastic League 4A State Championships
- Feb. 13, 2026
- San Antonio, TX
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
It was a final high school state meet of sacrifice and records for twin sisters Jaylee and Averie Hager.
Seniors at Great Hearts Monte Vista who have committed to Notre Dame, the twins combined to set multiple records at the University Interscholastic League 4A State Championships.
Their performance helped lead the Monte Vista girls squad to a third-place finish.
The Midland Young Women Leadership Academy girls claimed their first-ever state title, finishing 69 points clear of runner-up Andrews.
In the boys’ meet, Great Hearts Monte Vista and Monahans tied for the state title, with Monte Vista winning the 400 free relay by just 16 one-hundredths of a second over Monahans to erase their six-point deficit and finish the meet in a deadlock.
It was the first title for Monahans in program history, while Monte Vista extended its streak to three straight..
Girls’ Recap
Both Averie and Jaylcee Hager decided to focus more on relays at this year’s state meet, in the process forgoing events in which they won individual titles in last year. A. Hager didn’t swim the 100 butterfly after winning it last year, while J. Hager skipped out on defending her title in the 200 free.
Instead, the two were a part of a 400 free relay team that broke a state record with a time of 3:35.96, nearly three seconds faster than the previous record of 3:38.34 set in 2024 by Monte Vista.
A. Hager opened the relay with a split of 49.81, followed by Glory Sansano (55.99) and Abby Mueller (1:00.45). J. Hager then swam an anchor leg of 50.11 to help the team set the record. J. Hager told the San Antonio Express-News that she had never swuam in the relay before.
“It was probably one of my favorite relays, it was so much fun to do it as a team,” Jaylee said. “To watch my sister go 49 was crazy, and I was really motivated. And everyone who swam on that relay, we all did an amazing job and helped us get that record as a team.”
The two didn’t go home empty-handed individually, though..
After setting the 4A state record in the 50 free last year (23.02), A. Hager broke that record with a swim of 22.81 in prelims, and then broke that record by winning the final in 22.62.
J. Hager won the 100 free in 50.53, which was just short of a state-record time of 50.42 in prelims. She broke her old record of 50.61 set last year.
With 17 seniors lost to graduation last year, Monte Vista coach Jennifer Jones told the San Antonio-Express News that the Hagers came up to her volunteering to give up individual events to focus more on relays to net more team points.
“They have that kind of heart and they are about team first,” Jones said.
While it was a memorable high school conclusion for the Hagers, the Girls Swimmer of the Meet was Great Hearts Northern Oak sophomore Madeline Griffeth.
First, Griffeth won the 200 IM in a time of 2:08.93, winning by nearly five seconds. She then later set a state record in the 100 back, coming in with a time of 55.24 to break the mark of 55.34 she set in prelims. The record prior to that was 56.36, set in 2024 by J. Hager.
Another state record was broken by Canyon Lake sophomore Emma Grace Risien, who swam a time of 1:06.73 in the 100 breast. Risien actually broke her own record of 1:06.91 set in prelims. The previous record was 1:07.91, set in 2023 by Lainey Lewis of Burkburnett.
Other event winners were:
- Midland Young Women Leadership’s team of Katie Bitnerowska (27.45), Emily Phillips (32.35), Elizabeth Bitnerowska (26.91) and Olivia Muscroft (24.63) won the 200 medley relay in 1:51.34.
- Celina senior Reagan Hix, a Southern Indiana commit, won the 200 free in 1:55.40.
- Grace Waldschmidt, a junior from Celina, won diving with 404.40 points.
- Claire York, a junior from Great Hearts Northern Oaks, won the 100 fly in 57.93.
- Emily Phillips, a freshman from Midland Young Women Leadership, captured the 500 free in 5:02.19.
- In the 200 free relay, the Andrews team of Rebecca Jays (25.76), Hannah Montoya (24.79), Kalyee Bros (25.89) and Tatum Holley (25.07) took 1st in a time of 1:41.51.
Girls Team Standings — Top 5
- Midland Young Women Leadership, 281
- Andrews, 212
- Great Hearts Monte Vista, 186
- Frisco Panther Creek, 174
- Great Hearts Northern Oaks, 137
Boys’ Recap
It was as dramatic of a finish as could be, as Great Hearts Monte Vista narrowly beat out Monahans in the 400 free relay to create a tie for the state title.
The Monte Vista team of Jax Smith-Rutan (48.64), Calan Wilson (51.11), Carsten Mueller (49.24) and Braeden Hager (47.18) touched the wall in 3:16.17, just 16 one-hundredths ahead of Monahans (3:16.33).
Monte Vista also won the 200 medley relay in 1:38.61 behind the team of Hager (24.47), Jimmy Piper (26.56), Jack Parsons (24.73) and Wilson (22.85).
The 200 free relay was taken by Davenport’s team of Caleb Bristow (21.36), Dillon Coston (22.73), Jackson Finney-Green (22.24) and John Kreitz (22.27) in 1:28.60.
The Individual standouts were Bristow and Pineywoods senior Bryan Campbell.
Bristow won the 50 free 21.47 and the 100 free in 46.86, defending titles in each event.
Campbell first won the 200 individual medley in 1:52.99, and then later won the 100 breast in 56.74. Both were personal best times for Campbell, who was the top seed in the 100 breast and the 2nd seed in the 200 IM.
Other individual winners were:
- Smith-Ruttan swam a personal best time of 1:44.57 to win the 200 free.
- Johan Shelton of Corpus Christi – London won the diving event with 396.20 points.
- Gavin Lopez, a senior from Tuloso Midway, won the 100 fly in a personal best 50.13.
- Randolph sophomore Will Bickley won the 500 free in a personal best time of 4:40.57.
- Hager, a sophomore for Monte Vista, swam a personal best 51.96 to capture the 100 back.
Boys Team Standings — Top 5
t-1. Great Hearts Monte Vista, 279; Monahans 279
- Andrews, 279
- Davenport, 210
- Richland, 126
FINALLY 4A getting some recognition!!!!