Dallas ISD Athletics delivered one of the most successful years in district history during the 2025-2026 school year, with its teams capturing six UIL state championships while earning statewide recognition for athletic excellence, leadership, and academic achievement.
In December, the South Oak Cliff High School football
team won its third state championship in five years, and head coach Jason Todd became the first Black head coach in Texas to win three state championships. Todd was also selected as the 5A State of Texas Coach of the Year by the Texas Sportswriters Association.
In March, the girls’ basketball team at Lincoln High School and Humanities/Communications Magnet won the UIL Class 4A Division II state title for the second consecutive year, while the Tigers’ girls’ track & field team earned a share of the UIL Class 4A state championship following a dominant performance at the UIL State Track & Field Championships in Austin earlier this month.
David W. Carter High School won its first state championships in boys’ basketball, claiming the title in Class 4A Division II, while Justin F. Kimball High School boys’ basketball won back-to-back state championships and its third state title in the last four seasons. James Madison High School won the UIL Class 3A Division I boys basketball state championship.
Dallas ISD athletes delivered championship moments during the state track & field championships. Lincoln opened the Class 4A finals in record-breaking fashion by winning the girls 4×100-meter relay in a meet-record time of 45.86 seconds. The Tigers added a silver medal in the girls’ 4×200-meter relay with a time of 1:38.40.
Lincoln student, Naomi J., continued her standout season by winning the girls’ 400-meter dash in 55.13 seconds to claim another state title. Lincoln nearly added another relay championship in the girls 4×400-meter relay, finishing third in 3:50.24 in a race that saw the Tigers finish just 0.15 seconds behind first place.
Carter also delivered one of the top performances at the state meet, finishing third overall in the final UIL Class 4A boys team standings. Charles Anderson led the Cowboys with a pair of state championships. After earning silver in the 800 meters last season, Anderson captured gold this year with a winning time of 1:54.57 before adding another title in the boys’ 400 meters with a time of 46.93 seconds. Carter capped the meet with a dramatic victory in the boys’ 4×400-meter relay, surging from fourth place to first over the final 200 meters to win the state title in 3:15.14.
Carter’s De’Ari P. M. earned a bronze medal in the girls’ high jump after clearing 5 feet, 6 inches.
Several Dallas ISD athletes earned all-state honors and state all-tournament recognition following standout postseason performances.
Lincoln senior Ar’Jayla E. was named all-state and earned state all-tournament honors in girls basketball by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches and Texas Girls Coaches Association. Sophomore Lanae D. added all-state recognition, state all-tournament honors, and championship game MVP honors after helping lead Lincoln to the state title.
Carter’s state championship boys basketball team featured multiple all-state selections, including Kaiden E., Amarion H., and Terrell J. Amarion also earned championship game MVP honors.
Kimball’s championship squad was led by Rylan A., David C., and Kayden G., who each received all-state and state all-tournament recognition. Jaylin H. was named the championship game MVP and earned state all-tournament honors.
Madison also celebrated major postseason success. Josiah C. earned all-state recognition, state all-tournament honors, and championship game MVP honors after leading the Trojans to a state title. Jamirion R. was named all-state, while Aiden D., Darius H., and Demondre J. earned state all-tournament selections.
South Oak Cliff football continued its tradition of excellence with multiple Texas Sports Writers Association all-state selections. Jamarion P. earned first-team all-state honors and was named the Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year. Brian S., Kordae H., and Isaiah U. also earned first-team all-state recognition, while Mikail T.r was named second-team all-state.
Kimball wrestler Quintraylon J.finished second at the UIL state meet in the 175-pound division and earned all-state honors, while teammate Cruz B. captured third place in tennis at the state championships.
Hillcrest High School wrestler Victor R.earned third place at state in the 113-pound division, and Sunset High School’s Victor M. placed fourth at state in wrestling. W.T. White High School’s Brodie K.finished second at the state tennis championships.
Woodrow Wilson High School swimmer Landon F. stood out as one of the district’s premier athletes after earning recognition as a two-time state champion, and the 5A Male Athlete of the state swim meet following victories in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly.
Dr. L.G. Pinkston Sr. High School’s boys soccer team finished third in the UIL Class 4A Division II state tournament, while Kriss A. and Jose R. earned first-team all-state honors.
At the annual end-of-the-year athletics awards luncheon, Dallas ISD also celebrated outstanding coaching and leadership accomplishments.
Seagoville High School athletic coordinator and head football coach, Gordon Booker, was named Region I High School Coach of the Year after leading success across multiple sports programs, including football, basketball, girls’ track & field, and tennis. Daniel Cruz of Pinkston earned Region II High School Coach of the Year honors for leading the Vikings boys’ soccer program on its historic run.
Carter’s Williams Conner was selected as Region III High School Coach of the Year after guiding the Cowboys boys’ track program to a third-place finish at the state meet, while Charles Doty of Sunset High School earned Region IV High School Coach of the Year honors for continuing the growth and success of the girls’ basketball program.
Daniel Ortiz Portillo of Bryan Adams High School Leadership Academy was named Region V High School Coach of the Year after leading the boys soccer team to the regional finals, where the Cougars lost to the eventual state champion on penalty kicks. Keandra Thomas of W.T. White received Region VI High School Coach of the Year honors after leading the Longhorns girls’ track and field program to a second-place district finish and multiple UIL regional qualifiers.
At the middle school level, Jada Underwood of Seagoville Middle School earned Region I Middle School Coach of the Year honors, while Will Carr of Boude Storey Middle School, Bernard Chevis of D.A Hulcy STEAM Academy, Joseph Lashley of L.V. Stockard Middle School, Kizzy Lovald of J.L. Long Middle School, and Carleton Szeto of E.D. Walker Middle School also received regional coach of the year recognition for their leadership and success across multiple sports.
Dallas ISD student-athletes also continued to shine in the classroom. Numerous athletes earned academic all-state recognition through the Texas High School Coaches Association, including elite, first-team, and second-team selections from schools across the district. Woodrow Wilson’s John M. earned Elite Academic All-State honors in track and cross country, while teammates Stephen G. and Jackson R. earned first-team honors.
Additional Academic All-State honorees included athletes from W.H. Adamson, Bryan Adams, Carter, Emmett J. Conrad, Lincoln, Skyline, South Oak Cliff, and Woodrow Wilson high schools.
