Lauren Harris is ITG Next’s 2026 Sumter County High School Female Athlete of the Year, presented by South Georgia Technical College.
The senior is a three-sport athlete, having played basketball, volleyball, and tennis.
Harris was a four-year starter for the Lady Panthers basketball team at power forward, earning First-Team All-Region honors in three of those years. She was a team captain during her junior and senior seasons, leading the team with both her character and her on-court performance.
According to Sumter County girls basketball head coach Sherri Harris, Lauren Harris pulled down over 1,000 rebounds and scored over 800 points over the course of her career.
Her volleyball and tennis coaches each praised her for being an all-around standout athlete and teammate.
“Lauren was one of the key leaders of our volleyball program this season and consistently set the standard for what it means to be a great teammate, student-athlete, and person,” said Ernest Scott, Sumter County head volleyball coach. “Lauren played outside hitter, but her impact on our team went far beyond statistics or wins and losses. She helped build a culture of accountability, togetherness, and positivity that made our team stronger throughout the year.”
Sumter County head tennis coach Debra Hughes also pointed out Lauren Harris’ leadership skills as one of the many traits that make her deserving of the Athlete of the Year award.
“Lauren is an outstanding athlete and has been able to go undefeated this season as our No. 1 singles player,” Hughes said. “She has been a team leader for us this season, and it has been such an honor to coach such a great and witness her growth over these past four years.”
In addition to her athletic achievements, Lauren Harris is ranked in the top four of her senior class academically, achieving a 4.4 GPA throughout her high school career while balancing dual-enrollment courses through Georgia Tech, where she will enroll following graduation.
