Hancock, Lady Blazers look to defend Region 2 soccer title

Eight seniors will lead the University Heights Academy Lady Blazers’ attempts to defend their 2025 Region 2 championship as the 2026 season gets underway. 

Leading the way will be senior Region 2 Player of the Year candidate Kendall Hancock, who is coming off a junior season where she was named Honorable Mention All State. Hancock scored a school single-season record with 56 goals and added 20 assists as UHA completed an 18-3-1 campaign. The Lady Blazers were defeated 2-0 by Daviess County in the first round of the 2025 KHSAA State Tournament. 

This season, Hancock is taking aim at the school’s all-time scoring leader mark as she needs 30 goals to pass Lilly Strader. Hancock also needs 52 goals to score 200 in her career. She would become only the second Region 2 player to reach that mark. Henderson County’s Maddie Griggs scored 217 goals from 2015-18. 

The superlatives don’t stop there for Hancock.  

She also second in UHA history with 51 career assists, behind only former teammate Audrey Perry, who graduated with 100. 

The Lady Blazers have to find a replacement for graduated seniors Skyler Cantrell, Alyssa Grice, Cecelia Langhi, and Ajae Oatts, who combined to score 30 goals and provide 23 assists a year ago. 

While a lot of the offensive attention will be on Hancock in 2026, opponents can’t forget about fellow seniors Gracie Ausenbaugh, Maggie Mohon, Kate Adams, and Kate Lynn Gibson, who combined to score 15 goals a year ago. 

Head Coach Michael Parker’s challenge will be who replaces Perry and directs his high-powered and fast offense. Perry had 40 assists a year ago to go along with 17 goals as she also was named Honorable Mention All State. 

Defensively, the Lady Blazers are in the hands of senior Goalkeeper Madison Williams, who was spectacular last season as a junior. She allowed only 22 goals and had 92 saves. 

Seniors Palin Hampton and Kate Cayce, juniors Pressley Bruce, Emory Lester, and Anne Hampton, and sophomore Rhyss Sallie also should provide quality minutes for the Lady Blazers.  

Sophomores Adalyn Isom and Emma McCarley will challenge for major minutes as well for UHA. 

The Lady Blazers open the season at Greenwood tonight. 

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