Vote now: Who should be SBLive's Illinois High School Athlete of the Week (April 24-30)?

Here are the candidates for SBLive's Illinois High School Athlete of the Week as nominated by fans, readers and SBLive’s staff.

Read through the nominees and cast your vote at the bottom of the page. Voting will conclude on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. and the winner will be announced the following week. If you would like to nominate an athlete in the future, please email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.

THIS WEEK’S SBLIVE ILLINOIS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES:

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

Emma Andrews, Grayslake Central softball

The sophomore shortstop hit .444 with a home run, a double, and eight RBIs to help the Rams win three out of four games last week.

Austin Brown, Triad baseball

A 6-foot-5 senior right-hander, Brown had a dominant performance on the mound against Mascoutah on Monday. He allowed just two hits and struck out 14 in a complete-game shutout. Triad won, 3-0, and Brown picked up his sixth win of the season.

Karli Dant, Highland softball

Dant starred at the plate for Highland on Monday during their 9-5 conference victory over Civic Memorial. The senior had three hits and a career-high four RBIs. Her two-run double in the fifth inning turned out to be the game-winner.

Dakota Dixon, Homewood-Flossmoor girls soccer

Dixon provided a major offensive spark for the Vikings during their 4-1 victory over Mother McAuley on Wednesday as the junior recorded all four of her team's goals.

Jaden Fauske, Nazareth Academy baseball

A sophomore committed to Louisville, Fauske provided the Roadrunners with a spark both at the plate and on the mound during their 11-1 conference win over Benet. She had two RBIs and a run scored and struck out 11 over four innings.

Connor Freeze, Breese Central baseball

A senior committed to Quincy University, Freeze paced the Breese Central offense during a 13-4 win over Litchfield on Wednesday. The infielder/catcher was 3-for-5 with a home run and a team-high five RBIs.

Dillon Head, Homewood-Flossmoor baseball

A senior outfielder and Clemson recruit, Head went 8-for-13 with two home runs, nine RBIs, three runs scored, and three stolen bases over four games.

Nate Mabry, Hersey boys gymnastics

Mabry had an impressive all-around effort at the boys Mid Suburban League championships. The sophomore won the conference all-around title with a score of 56.85 after finishing fifth as a freshman last year.

Charlene Mendoza, Bloom girls soccer

A senior forward, Mendoza recorded a hat trick in a 5-1 win over Marian Catholic and became the program’s all-time leader in goals with 119.

AJ Payton, Burlington Central baseball

A first baseman, Payton was a force at the plate on Wednesday during a 14-6 Fox Valley Conference win over Jacobs. The junior went 3-for-4 with a home run (his fourth of the season), five RBIs, and two runs scored.

Trey Reinburg, Nashville baseball

Reinburg had a masterful outing on the mound against Triad on Monday. The senior right-hander threw 8 1/3 innings, struck out 10 batters and allowed just one run as Nashville won 2-1 in 12 innings.

Maddie Royer, St. Charles East softball

A junior outfielder, Royer enjoyed a great day at the plate during the Saints 12-4 victory over DuKane Conference opponent, Batavia. She went 4-for-5 with a home run – the first of her career – and four RBIs.

Colin Ryder, St. Charles North baseball

A 6-6, 235-pounder, Ryder led the North Star offense during their 13-0 DuKane Conference victory at Geneva on Thursday. The junior first baseman was 3-for-3 with a double, a home run (second of the season), four RBIs, and three runs scored.

Libby Saloga, Rosary girls track and field

A senior who signed her letter of intent to the University of Indiana earlier on Thursday, Saloga cleared her career best in the pole vault with a jump of 12 feet 6 inches at the 46th Kane County Meet. The jump tied a 17-year-old county record.

Katie Schneider, Mascoutah girls track and field

Schneider made some history at the Lady Kahok Invitational at Collinsville on Friday. The senior Murray State commit took home first place in the pole vault event with a height of 3.65 meters that set a new school record.

Noah Shapo, New Trier baseball

A junior, Shapo had a stellar performance on the mound during his start against Highland Park on Saturday. The lefty tossed a no-hitter as the Trevians won 11-0.

Jayden Spann, Thornton Fractional South baseball

Spann was solid on the mound for the Red Wolves against Shepard on Friday. The sophomore picked up the win and was honored as TF South’s MVP of the contest after going 6 2/3 strong innings with 7 strikeouts.

Charlie Taczy, Cary-Grove baseball

A sophomore, Taczy was a major factor at the plate and on the mound in Cary-Groves 7-6 win over Huntley. Taczy hurled 4 1/3 innings in relief and did not allow a hit while striking out four. He also delivered the game-tying hit with an RBI single that set up a walk-off hit in the next at bat.

Roos Van Roekel, Barrington girls soccer

Van Roekel provided the Fillies with all of the offense they needed during the championship of the Naperville Invitational on Saturday. Her first half goal was the deciding factor as Barrington won 1-0 and brought home the title.

Jude Warwick, Downers Grove North baseball

Warwick set the tone for the Downers Grove North offense during a rainy matchup with crosstown rival Downers Grove South on Saturday. The leadoff hitter had two singles, a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored as the Trojans won 13-3.

Cam Williams, Glenbard South boys track and field

Williams had an impressive showing at the Jim Arnold Invitational on Saturday. The Notre Dame football commit took home first place medals in the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.97 and in the long jump with a distance of 6.85 meters.

St. Rita's Louie Sisto voted SBLive's Illinois High School Athlete of the Week (April 17-23)

Previous winners: Benet's Nina Pesare (April 10-16), Lemont's Cannon Madej (April 3-9), Lincoln-Way East's Amanda Martineck (March 27-April 2), St. Charles North's Leigh Vande Hei (March 20-26), Mascoutah's Austin Musso (March 13-19), Benet Academy's Brayden Fagbemi (March 6-11), Benet Academy's Samantha Trimberger (Feb. 27-March 4), Loyola Academy's Harlee Hiller (Feb. 20-25), Aurora Central Catholic's Riley Cwinski (Feb. 13-18), Geneva's Leah Palmer (Feb. 6-11), Kennedy's Brett Gomez (Jan. 30-Feb. 4), Oswego East's Bryce Shoto (Jan. 23-28), Benet Academy's Brady Kunka (Jan. 16-21), Lincoln-Way East's Lilly Dockemeyer (Jan. 9-14), St. Francis' Tea Rubino (Jan. 2-7), Libertyville's Will Buchert (Dec. 26-31), Rich Township's Diondre Henry (Dec. 19-24), Montini Catholic's Shannon Blacher (Dec. 12-17), East St. Louis' Macaleab Rich (Dec. 5-10), Butler's Xamiya Walton (Nov. 21-26), East St. Louis' TaRyan Martin (Nov. 14-20), Lake Zurich's Tyler Erkman (No. 7-12), St. Rita's DJ Stewart (Oct. 31-Nov. 5), Stevenson's Matt Projansky (Oct. 17-22), Prospect's Brad Vierneisel (Oct. 10-15), Brother Rice's Owen Lyons (Oct. 3-8), Bolingbrook's Jonas Williams (Sept. 19-24), Benet Academy's Aniya Warren (Sept. 12-17), Bolingbrook's I'Marion Stewart (Sept. 4-10), Lemont's Nate Wrublik (Aug. 29-Sept. 3) and Highland's Travis Porter (Aug. 22-28).

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