Kentwood’s Diya Thomas and Brandon Tagle named 2026 KSD athletes of the year

Published 12:20 pm Wednesday, June 10, 2026

The Kent Reporter in partnership with the Kent School District hosted the third annual ‘Night of Champions’ on June 9 at the Kent-Meridian East Wing Auditorium.

The award ceremony is the culmination of the high school athlete of the week partnership with Kent schools as well as the final send off for many seniors who were nominated for the athlete of the year award.

This year’s winners, after receiving over 10,000 votes from the Kent community, were Brandon Tagle and Diya Thomas, both from Kentwood High School.

“I want to give a shout-out to the whole community for helping me as well, all the people in Kent that voted for me as well,” Tagle said. “It’s more than anything I could have dreamed of.”

“I didn’t expect anything, I thought every other person was just as deserving,” Thomas said. “I just was going in there and not thinking too much, I am really grateful I won by God’s grace.”

Tagle is a two-sport athlete, who jumped into football during his junior year but predominantly is a basketball star. Tagle is heading to Seattle Pacific University to continue his basketball career and was in genuine shock when his name was announced.

“It was a really big surprise, winning the Kentwood award was just a blessing upon itself,” Tagle said. “When they called Kentwood and me and Diya’s name, it was just a surreal moment. Just really happy.”

Thomas on the other hand has played in almost every season every year of her four years of high school. She played soccer, girls flag football, fastpitch and track and field. Her post-high school plans are to attend Seattle University with hopes to walk on for the soccer team.

“I never thought it would be this big and get this many opportunities,” Thomas said. “I am really blessed to have gotten these opportunities.”

The two winners not only shared the stage Tuesday night but also shared a classroom at Kentwood. Thomas and Tagle both attended sporting events that they don’t play in. So Tagle has seen Thomas on the soccer pitch and on the flag football field.

“Athletes at Kentwood are bonded together,” Tagle said. “We talk to each other pretty much every day. For her to win the Seahawks player of the year, that was a huge deal. Always happy to congratulate her on her achievements. It’s really cool that two people from Kentwood ended up getting this award. Big shout-out to Diya.”

While Thomas, who transferred to Kentwood from Seattle Christian, has seen Tagle play under the lights of the gridiron and the hardwood, she had already heard of Tagle before she even walked through the Kentwood doors.

“He’s an even better person off the court and field. I am really glad to be his friend,” Thomas said.

Thomas is starting to fill up her own personal trophy closet, after being named the 2026 Seattle Seahawks Flag Football Player of the year, now she is crowned athlete of the year in Kent.

“It’s so special to know that so many people support me and believe in me. It makes my day,” Thomas said.

Tagle’s resume at Kentwood will be cemented as one of the best to come out of Kentwood. He set three school records in his time as a Conk. He has the record in single season and career in assists, Tagle also has made more three pointers than anybody in Kentwood history and set the career mark in free-throw percentage.

“If freshman Brandon looked at senior Brandon, I would probably be unrecognizable,” Tagle said. “It’s always keep chasing your dream, keep putting your head down and work hard. It always works out in the end.”

Tagle and Thomas are the first Kentwood students to be named Kent Reporter Athletes of the Year in the three years of the event. They join Ethan Loughery and Ella Wick (Kentlake) 2024 and Sam Doma and Riley Gardner (Kent-Meridian) 2025.

Other winners of the night include:

Coach of the Year: Jeffery ‘Marty’ Martin – Kentlake (volleyball, girls basketball)

Unified Athlete of the Year: Macario Wells – Kentridge

Partner Athlete of the Year: Koper Jones – Kentwood

Unified Program of the Year: Canyon Ridge

KSD Student Athlete Leadership Team Winners:

Benjamin Sanders – Kentlake

Jayden Bautsta – Kent-Meridian

Genesis Miller – Kentridge Brody Myers – Kentwood

Top vote receivers:

Kentwood – Brandon Tagle and Diya Thomas

Kent-Meridian – Candice Le and Adonai Garza

Kentlake – Hi’ilei Gomes and Erck Kelly

Kentridge – Mackenzie Coble and Giovanni Moimoi