Elizabeth Ann Hobby is ITG Next’s 2026 Colquitt County High School Female Athlete of the Year, presented by Verren Sports Medicine.
Hobby, a senior, has enjoyed a highly successful diving career as a four-time GHSA state qualifier, a fourth-place finisher in the 2025 Class 6A state championships, and most recently as the 2026 Georgia Class 6A diving state champion, setting the record for the highest score ever by a Colquitt County girls diver.
Along the way, Hobby has been recognized as a Georgia Player Spotlight for diving in 2024-25 and was a nominee for the 2026 Positive Athlete award.
It is a remarkable rise when you consider just how far Hobby has come in such a short period of time as an elite high school diver.
She had never dived before 2022. That was the year she decided to try diving for the first time, switching from gymnastics, where she was already a USA Gymnastics state champion.
She embraced the challenge with courage and a quiet confidence, according to diving coach Marissa Taylor.
“From the very beginning, when she (Hobby) decided to try diving, she faced moments that tested her, and time and time again she met those challenges with resilience, grit, and an unwavering work ethic,” Taylor said.
Once Hobby overcame the usual fears of a first-time diver, her determination quickly translated into success.
In just two years, Hobby won the 2024 YMCA National Platform Championship. She continued to rise on the national stage as a two-time USA Diving Junior Nationals qualifier on platform in 2024 and 2025.
Taylor said Hobby’s outstanding performance extends beyond the pool.
“Elizabeth maintains a 4.0 GPA, serves in peer leadership, participates in the school musical, is a member of the Honor Society, and has been named a UGA Merit Scholar, all while remaining deeply committed to her sport,” Taylor said.
Hobby will take the next step of her journey by signing with Liberty University.
Taylor said Liberty University is gaining much more than an elite athlete.
“They are gaining someone who is grounded and who understands that this sport is not who she is, but what she does,” Taylor said. “We are incredibly proud of Elizabeth Ann Hobby.”
