ITG Next’s January 2026 Georgia Female Athlete of the Month is Valdosta High School basketball player Summer Eberhart.
Eberhart, a junior, plays at forward for the Lady Wildcats basketball team. She has played for the Valdosta girls basketball team in each of her three seasons at the high school varsity level, as a three-year starter.
In her freshman season, Eberhart split the season between the Valdosta ninth-grade squad and the varsity team. She worked her way up in time spent on the floor, averaging right around three minutes per game during her freshman season. Eberhart quickly proved her value to the team, and with that came extended minutes as she moved on to her sophomore season (2024-25).
Eberhart became a well-rounded player, a skill set that Valdosta girls basketball head coach E.A. Wilcox picked up on right away.
“Summer has started for us since her freshman season, and I could see the potential right away with her,” Wilcox said. “She has a serious post presence and is very good on the block.”
As Eberhart learned to grow into her position, there were growing pains for her and her teammates.
As a sophomore, Eberhart improved in every category compared to her freshman season, averaging 7.2 rebounds per game while averaging 8.1 points per game. Despite Eberhart’s best efforts and those of her teammates, Eberhart’s first two years breaking in with the Lady Wildcats was a struggle for her personally and for the team.
Valdosta finished 14-12 overall in Eberhart’s freshman year, which included a winless 0-8 region record. Then, last year, Valdosta struggled with a 9-17 record while Eberhart played through nagging injuries.
So far, this year has been a completely different story, as Wilcox has led the Lady Wildcats to a 19-2 record, including a 6-1 region record. At the time of writing, Valdosta and Lowndes are separated by a mere half-game in the Region 1-6A race.
Eberhart described the road she has taken to get to this point.
“This year has marked a significant turnaround for our team,” she said. “The previous two seasons were far from ideal. Personally, this season represents redemption for me, as I faced several injuries last year that limited my performance on the court.
“I have approached this season with a renewed focus, and I’m achieving a new personal career high in points, rebounds, blocks, and overall strength in the paint.”
Through the Wildcats’ first 21 games, Eberhart averaged 12.6 points per game, with 8.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals per game, and 1.9 blocks per game, all career highs.
Wilcox said Eberhart has grown into the player he knew she would from the first time he saw her play as a freshman.
“She’s the main player on our team,” Wilcox said. “She’s our leading scorer, lead shot-blocker, and she is our vocal leader.”
He said Eberhart has what it takes to be a special player at the next level, with her on-the-court abilities and doing what she needs to do in the classroom.
“She is definitely college-bound, either as a high D2 player or even a D1 mid-major,” Wilcox said. “But she makes the grades too. Summer is a great honors kid with a 3.8 GPA.”
While Eberhart still has another season left with the Lady Wildcats, she isn’t looking too far ahead as far as her future plans after high school is concerned.
“For me, there is only one answer regarding my future,” she said. “I’m going to follow the ball.”
Congratulations to Valdosta High School basketball player Summer Eberhart, ITG Next’s January 2026 Georgia Female Athlete of the Month.
