Collegiate Twirler Spotlight - Mississippi State University Feature Twirlers

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We just love that College Football is back in full swing and has included some awesome field twirling. We loved getting to follow along with these Twirlers through her Instastory Takeover, and now we are excited to have them as this week’s Collegiate Twirler Spotlight.

Each season this blog likes to get to know many of our awesome Texas twirlers a little better by learning about their experiences. We will be meeting many High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School and Collegiate twirlers take over our Social Media Story for their Game Days! Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

Our first Collegiate Twirler Spotlight is on the Mississippi State University Feature Twirlers!

Mississippi State University, also known as MSU, is located in Starkville, MS, and is the home of the Bulldogs, and lots of cowbells! “Mississippi State is the only school that is permitted to use artificial noisemakers, which are our beloved cowbells!” It is also home to the three Mississippi State University Feature Twirlers, Gracie Lane, Emmersyn Baxter, & Morgan Hewes!

Being an MSU Feature Twirler has not always been an option. “The Feature Twirler position at Mississippi State University has adjusted over time. MSU originally had a majorette line, and over time it has shifted to Feature Twirlers.” In order to earn these positions, they participated in a virtual audition. “More information regarding the audition process is posted on the FMB page for anyone interested!

We wanted to know why they chose MSU, and to all three of the twirlers it just felt right. As Gracie shared, “when I was a Senior in high school, I had the opportunity to visit multiple universities. Throughout this time, there was only one school that truly felt like home.”

Coming from Texas, California, and Alabama, all three of these twirlers had to make the choice to go out of state. There were many reasons that even though they wouldn’t be close to home, they felt MSU was the right way to go. “I chose to go out of state because Mississippi State offered an atmosphere and opportunities like no other school I visited. I knew from the very first football game I attended that it was meant to be my home. The traditions, community, and spirit of Mississippi State made the decision easy.”

With so many traditions and community spirit, we had to know what the best thing about attending MSU was! “My favorite thing about my school is the Famous Maroon Band. Being a member of the band has been an experience that I will be forever grateful for. The incredible opportunities, unforgettable memories, and lasting bonds that I have created through the band have truly shaped my college experience.” 

Did someone say cowbells? Well if they didn’t say it, you can definitely hear it! “The best tradition at Mississippi State is the cowbells. The gameday atmosphere is like no other. While performing with the band on gamedays, there are moments when you cannot even hear the band member playing right beside you because of the intensity and excitement created by thousands of fans ringing their cowbells.”

Finally, we wanted to know what they were looking forward to the most this season, and it was actually getting to share their first gameday of the season in Davis Wade Stadium with all of us! 

Now that we have learned more about twirling at MSU, let’s learn more about the twirlers!

Grace Lane, Graduate Student                              
Grace is a First Year Graduate Student from Henderson, Texas, that is earning her grad degree in Professional Geology with a focus in ocean sciences and a minor in GIS. She has been twirling for 11 years, and is a member of the Mickey’s Majorettes, where she is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey, as well as Paige Keitt. Her favorite twirling tricks are  Toss Leap Front Walkovers and Elbow Pops. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Danielle Hull. After grad school, she hopes to pursue work in ocean sciences while incorporating community engagement. 

Favorites! 

• Favorite Color – Light Pink and Blue
• Favorite Show/Movie/Book – Modern Family, Couples Retreat, and The Hunger Games

Must have Game Day Snack and/or Drink…
“Halftime Hotdog!”

Favorite Quote or the Life Motto…
“When I am afraid I will trust in him.” Psalms 56:3

When she is not twirling, she loves to… 
“Spend time with my family/friends, take my dog on walks, hiking, fossil hunting, board games, and movie nights!” 

Something people might not know about her… 
“I have been skydiving, and I hope to one day be a skydiving instructor!”

The best life skill she has gained from baton twirling is… 
“Progress not Perfection!”

The most memorable advice from her coach… 
“Although this is not an exact quote, the most memorable moments with my coaches have been the hours of dedication. There have been hours of privates spent crying on the floor discussing life's problems, in which all of my coaches have always chosen to listen and support. I will always attempt to come close to the level of compassion, generosity, and kindness my coaches have shown me.”

Advice to future Collegiate twirlers… 
“Twirling in college is an absolute dream! Make sure to enjoy every moment!! 

Her funniest memory as a baton twirler… 
“Halloween FMB contest my Freshman year of college! We decided to dress up as the presidents of Mount Rushmore, and then having the opportunity to see us twirl in full presidential outfits created quite a memory.”

What will she miss the most when football/field season ends…
“When this football season ends I will miss everything from the late night practices to the early gamedays!”

Emmersyn Baxter, Freshman
Emmersyn is a freshman from Menifee, California, and is majoring in Secondary Education. She has been twirling for 14 years, and is a member of the Fantasia Baton Twirlers where she is coached by Debbie Salem and Melissa Baxter. The competition title she is the proudest of winning was when she earned the gold medal in pairs at the 2022 World Championships in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, and her favorite twirling trick is a toss leap ground roll. In baton twirling, she has been the most inspired by Rebecca Lantz and Laney Puhalla. After College she hopes to become a middle school history teacher as well as start coaching baton. 

Favorites!

• Favorite color: Blue 
• Favorite movies/books: Harry Potter 

Must have snack/drink for game-day…
“Gatorade and sour airhead strips.”

Favorite quote…
“Win with grace, lose with grace.” 

When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Play pickleball and tennis.” 

Something people might not know about her is…
“That I know how to sew.” 

The best life skill she has gained from baton twirling is…
“How to think on her feet and respond professionally and gracefully.”

The most memorable advice from her coach is…
“To ‘have fun’ no matter what!” 

Advice she has to future collegiate twirlers…
“Reach for what you think you can’t achieve because you never know what God may have in store for you.”

Her funniest memory as a baton twirler is…
“Chasing after batons so they wouldn’t roll underneath the bleachers during practice.”

What she will miss the most when football season is over…
“The connections within the band and the cowbells ringing in Davis Wade Stadium.”

Morgan Hewes, Freshman
Morgan is a Freshman from Daphne, Alabama, who is majoring in Secondary Education Math and Chemistry. She has been twirling for 12 years and her favorite twirling trick is four batons. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by Annetta Lucero. After college, she hopes to become a high school math or chemistry teacher!

Favorites!

• Favorite Color – Pink
• Favorite TV Show, Movie, & Book – The Office, Gone With the Wind (movie and book)

Must have Game Day Snack and/or Drink…
“Biolyte and White cheddar Cheetos.”

Favorite Quote or the Life Motto…
“Great is His faithfulness!” I don’t think there’s any better phrase to describe my twirling career. Through practices, performances, and tryouts, the Lord has been so faithful to me, and I continue to remind myself of this as I head into my first college performance!”

When she is not twirling, she loves to… 
“Read, quilt, and go antique shopping!”

Something people might not know about her…
“My favorite trip I’ve ever taken was to Washington D.C.”

The best life skill she has gained from baton twirling is…
“Perseverance through both physical and mental challenges.”

The most memorable advice from her coach… 
“Practice the way you want to perform!”

Advice to future Collegiate twirlers…
“Be yourself! Don’t let comparison shape the way you twirl and perform and never stop having fun!”

Her funniest memory as a baton twirler…
“I was twirling fire batons in a Mardi Gras parade and as I did a high kick, my foot slipped leaving me on the ground with two fire batons in my hand! Me and my Dad were laughing for the rest of the parade, and I still wish we had a video!”

What will she miss the most when football/field season ends…
“Definitely the band practices every day! There's just something so special about practicing pregame and halftime with the full band that I know I’m going to miss so much!”


We want to thank Gracie, Emmersyn, and Morgan for sharing their Game Day with us, and we are so excited to follow them this season! Hail State!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it.  

Friday Night Lights Feature - Samuel Clemens High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!
We could not be happier to see twirlers all over Texas back on the field, and we can’t wait to see many more amazing moments as football season continues. 

Each season this blog likes to get to know many of our awesome Texas twirlers a little better by learning about their experiences. We will be meeting many High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School and Collegiate twirlers take over our social media Story for their Game Days! Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

Our next Friday Night Lights Feature is the Samuel Clemens High School Feature Twirlers!

Samuel Clemens High School, located in Schertz, Texas, is the home of the Buffalos. It is also home to these two twirlers that you can find each week sporting the blue and gold and supporting their team. This week we are excited to meet the Samuel Clemens High School Feature Twirlers, Abigail Smith and Ainsley Martin!

Not only are Abigail and Ainsley on the same twirling team, they are also duet partners, which they love to bring to the field. They also enjoy getting the chance to twirl together. “We were the first twirlers at our school after 6 years of not having any twirlers!” In order to get the chance to twirl together, we wanted to know what their audition process was like, and they said it was based around the UIL ratings. “We create a UIL routine and have to get a superior rating (1) at the Region Solo and Ensemble contest.”

Getting to twirl together brings lots of fun memories, especially with all their school traditions. We asked what their favorite was, and they said they had several! “Our principal is involved in all school activities, we have a light up the night pep rally the week of Homecoming, and twirling with drumline 3rd quarter at every football game!”

Finally we wanted to know which event they were most looking forward two this season, and they both agreed it was the Battle of 3009 Game! “It is our district rivalry game against Steele High School!”

Now that we have learned more about twirling at SCHS, let’s learn more about Abigail & Ainsley!

Abigail Smith, Senior
Abigail is an Intermediate level competitor that has been twirling for 8 years. She is a member of the Twirling Sweet Sensations where she is coached by Michele Pangrac. The competition title she is the proudest of winning was the 2026 Spring Fling Competition Intermediate 16+ Pageant. Her favorite twirling trick is any multi-baton trick or rolls. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coaches, friends, and family. After High School, she hopes to either join the band or twirl for whichever college she chooses to go to as well as major in Animal Science, on the Pre-Vet pathway. 

Favorites
• Favorite Color – Teal, and pink
• Favorite TV Show – Gilmore Girls 

Must have Game Day Snack and/or Drink… 
“Orange Gatorade and Rice Krispie Treats.”

Favorite Quote or the Life Motto…
“In Omina Paratus (Ready for Anything).”
 
When she is not twirling, she loves to… 
“Crochet!”

Something people might not know about her… 
“I love to go to Renaissance Fairs.”

 
The best life skill she has gained from baton twirling is… 
“Learning the importance of hard work.”

The most memorable advice from her coach…
“You win some you should lose and you lose some you should win.”

Advice to future high school twirlers… 
“Have fun with your friends, it goes by fast.” 

Her funniest memory as a baton twirler… 
“When Ainsley and I added 4 tricks to our duet, we still lost 10 seconds off of our routine time.”

What will she miss the most when football/field season ends? 
“Teaching our principle how to do a one spin, and hanging out with all of my friends every day at practice.”

Ainsley Martin, Junior
Ainsley is a Beginner level competitor that has been twirling for 7 years. She is a member of the Twirling Sweet Sensations and is coached by Michelle Pangrac. The competition placement she is the proudest of was earning a top 10 spot at nationals in the 12 year old novice solo in 2023. Her favorite twirling trick is anything big. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by all the collegiate twirlers. “I love seeing them on TV!” After High School, she hopes to become a marketing manager. 

Favorites!

• Favorite Color – Blue
• Favorite TV Show, Movie, or Book – The Hunger Games

Must have Game Day Snack and/or Drink…
“WATER since it is always so hot!”

Favorite Quote or the Life Motto…
“I can do hard things!" 

When she is not twirling, she loves to…
“Read and watch movies with my mom.”

Something people might not know about her… 
“I love to learn about history and read historical fiction books.”

The best life skill she has gained from baton twirling is… 
“How to be confident, and ‘fake it till you make it’.”

The most memorable advice from her coach… 
“SMILE!”

Advice to future high school twirlers… 
“Have fun because it goes by really fast.”

Her funniest memory as a baton twirler… 

“When my duet partner Abby and I added to our routine, but to our surprise it got shorter!” 

What will she miss the most when football/field season ends?
“Being in the stands with my friends and teaching our principal, Mr. Gonzalez, how to twirl.” 

Thank you to Abigail & Ainsley for sharing their game day with us. We wish them the very best rest of their season, and we know they will have a great time together. Go Buffs Go!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

Friday Night Lights Feature - Lake Highlands High School

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

We have returned and those Friday Night Lights are back to brighten up our weeks! As those Friday Night Lights return, we look forward to enjoying the sights and sounds of football teams, marching bands, and our favorite, lots of talented Texas baton twirlers! 

Each season this blog likes to get to know many of our awesome Texas twirlers a little better by learning about their experiences. We will be meeting many High School twirlers throughout the season with the Friday Night Lights Features and discovering more about our Texas Collegians with the Collegiate Twirler Spotlights. We will also be having many of our High School and Collegiate twirlers take over our social media Story for their Game Days! Make sure to follow us on Instagram @twirlingiscatchingtx or at facebook.com/twirlingiscatchingtx so you don't miss a thing!

This season’s first Friday Night Lights Feature is the Lake Highlands High School Feature Twirler!

Lake Highlands High School, located in Dallas, Texas, is the home of the Wildcats, and a football field nicknamed “The Boneyard”! With a name like that, you know you will have some exciting games, which are only made better by the wonderful Lake Highlands High School Feature Twirler, Breckyn Steele!

Sporting the Red, White, and Black, Breckyn is proud to be the first twirler in LHHS in over 25 years! To earn this position, she went through a slightly different audition process. “Since there was no twirler, I met with the band director when I was in 8th grade and he allows me to twirl 4-5 games a year, but I also play in the front ensemble of percussion with the band.”

Being a part of a spirit organization really puts Breckyn on the forefront of the LHHS community. “I love how the community comes together and supports EVERYTHING about Lake Highlands! All the sporting events are always packed with fans!”

Having such a supportive community always means the best traditions! We had to know what Breckyn’s favorite game day tradition was. “The Band always marches from the school, around the stadium and into the stadium before every home football game. The fans always stand on the sidewalks and watch the band enter!”

With this being Breckyn’s senior season, we wanted to know what event she was most looking forward to, and she told us about their Elementary School night. “It is so fun to perform at! The elementary school kids get SO excited! And after halftime I will meet so many kids and teach them a few fun tricks. I love seeing their faces light up!”

Now that we have learned more about twirling at LHHS, let’s learn more about Breckyn!

Breckyn Steele, Senior
Breckyn is an advanced level twirler that has been twirling for 14 years. She is a member of the Texas Touch of Class where she is coached by Sheila Rigelsky, and was previously also coached by the late Shirley Payne. The competition title she is the proudest of winning is a tie between earning the Jr. Miss Majorette of Texas title in 2024 or being named the Advanced Senior X-Strut Champion at the 2026 Super West Regional. Her favorite twirling trick is the split trick in her solo where she tosses it up and switches her split under the toss. In baton twirling, she has been most inspired by her coaches, Miss Sheila and Miss Shirley, but all of the "big girls" that really helped her grow and love twirling even more were Erica Kuntz, KK Tunnell, and Chailie Alsaffar. After High School, she hopes to become a dyslexia teacher.

Favorites!
• Favorite Color – Purple
• Favorite Movie – Frozen 

Must have Game Day Snack…
“Sour Patch Kids.”

Favorite Quote or the Life Motto… 
“Miss Shirley used to always quote Winston Churchill and say ‘Never, Never, Never Give up!’ It has always stuck with me.” 

When she is not twirling, she loves to…  
“Go to our lake house to ride the jet skis, swim, or go on the boat.”

Something people might not know about her… 
“I am dyslexic and my dyslexia teachers played a HUGE role in me wanting to be a teacher myself.”

The best life skill she has gained from baton twirling is… 
“Interviewing and being able to talk to adults.”

The most memorable advice from her coach…  
“Never, Never, Never give up!”

Advice to future high school twirlers… 
“Enjoy every moment. Take every opportunity you can to perform, and show your community what an amazing talent twirling is!”

Her funniest memory as a baton twirler… 
“In 2021 at Regionals we had covid protocols, so there wasn't an awards ceremony.  I went into the awards gym to get my bag of awards and there was a crown in the bag and I didn't realize it was because I had won the Intermediate 10-12 Southwest Pageant. I asked Ms. Ashley (Wood) what this was for! At that same time my Mom came in and hugged me because they had posted the results on the Band App and she saw I won. It didn't really register with me that I had won until I saw the sash and scoresheets!”

What will she miss the most when football season ends? 
“That means my High School twirling career is over and I will be 1/2 way through my Senior Year. However, it will be the start of a whole new chapter!”

We want to thank Breckyn for sharing her Game Day with us. We know she will have the very best senior season, and we are excited to see what the rest of this year will bring! Go Cats!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

2026 Texas State Pageant Winners - Advanced Pageant

Hello Texas Twirl Fans! 

With AYOP behind us, before we officially close the 2026 season, we want to take a moment to look back on the NBTA Texas State Championship that was held in June in Burnet, Texas. It was a wonderful Lone Star themed event with beautiful Hill Country views and lots of Texas Champions!

To celebrate our Texas State Pageant title holders we have been recognizing them here on the blog and are down to our final post. Congrats to all of these talented twirlers on their success at the State contest!

Today we will be recognizing the 2026 Miss Majorettes of Texas!

College Miss Majorette of Texas

Brooklyn Maxwell

Texas State University

Brooklyn is from Liberty City, TX, but is currently a Feature Twirler at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX. She is coached by Janice Jackson Seamands. Her favorite memory from State weekend was hearing her name announced as the Collegiate Pageant winner. "It was a complete surprise, and I truly wasn't expecting it, which made the experience even more special. I also loved spending time with one of my lifelong childhood friends, Keira George, who is one of the feature twirlers at the University of Houston. Being able to share the weekend with her made the experience even more memorable." This summer Brooklyn attended AYOP where she was most looking forward to representing both the great state of Texas and Texas State University on a national stage. "This competition is incredibly inspiring because it brings together so many talented athletes from across the country. I was excited to learn from others, build new friendships, and be surrounded by individuals who share the same passion and dedication for the sport of baton twirling. Eat Em Up Cats!"

Senior Miss Majorette of Texas

Analeia Aleman

Analeia is from Sherman, TX, where she is the Feature Twirler for Gunter High School... Go Tigers! She is coached by Christina Aleman and Catherine Lattimore with additional help from Lori Watters and Kathy Forsythe. Her favorite memory from state weekend is hearing her name called as Miss Majorette of Texas and receiving the Shirley Payne Memorial Trophy. A close second would be competing in Rhythmic Twirl for the first time since she was in the 7-9 division. "It was so much fun!" Analeia attended AYOP last month where she was most looking forward to takin on the blue curtain in the senior division and representing Team Texas, and she was beyond excited to earn a spot on Team USA where she will be competing this Spring in Italy! Way to go Analeia!

Junior Miss Majorette of Texas

Corin Salamon

Corin is from Rosenberg, TX. She is a member of the Mickey's Majorettes where she is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey-McIntosh. Her favorite memory from state was hanging out with her teammates and friends while curling their hair before awards and cheering for her duet partner when she won her pageant. This summer she was able to represent Texas at AYOP, where she was most excited for perform in front of the Blue Curtain for the first time, getting to check off her AYOP traditions with her mom, and having a fantastic time with teammates and old and new friends.

Preteen Miss Majorette of Texas

Payge Carroll

Payge is from Temple, TX. She is a member of the Legends twirling team where she is coached by Liane Aramaki. Her favorite memory from state was her coach being there, spending time with her twirl friends, and winning her pageant! While Payge did not attend AYOP, she did attend USTA Nationals where she had fun being with her team mates and seeing all her other twirl friends! 

CONGRATS TO ALL OUR 2026 MISS MAJORETTES OF TEXAS!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

2026 Texas State Pageant Winners - Intermediate Pageant

 Hello Texas Twirl Fans! 

With AYOP behind us, before we officially close the 2026 season, we want to take a moment to look back on the NBTA Texas State Championship that was held in June in Burnet, Texas. It was a wonderful Lone Star themed event with beautiful Hill Country views and lots of Texas Champions!

To celebrate our Texas State Pageant title holders we will be recognizing them here on the blog over the next week. Congrats to all of these talented twirlers on their success at the State contest!

Today we will be recognizing the 2026 Texas State Intermediate Pageant Winners!

Senior Intermediate Pageant Winner 

Olivia Crisp

Olivia is from Canyon Lake, TX, and just finished her freshman year at Texas State University where she was a Feature Twirler for the Bobcat Marching Band. She is a member of Twirling Sweet Sensations where she is coached by Michele Pangrac. Her favorite memory from state was spending time and laughing with her twirl sisters. This summer Olivia attended AYOP where she was most looking forward to the TSS team dinner, and seeing her twirl friends from across the country. 

Junior Intermediate Pageant Winner 

Abigail Gorring

Abby is from The Woodlands, TX, where this Fall she will be a Feature Twirler at The Woodlands College Park High School. She is a member of the Mickey's Majorettes where she is coached by Patti Mickey and Kayli Mickey McIntosh. Her favorite memory from state weekend was cheering on her teammates and qualifying for AYOP. Abby attended AYOP this summer where she was most excited for all of the yummy snacks in South Bend and the noodles from a favorite restaurant spot! 

Preteen Intermediate Pageant Winner 

McKenzie Hubbard

McKenzie is from San Antonio, TX. She is a member of the Twirling Sweet Sensations where she is coached by Michele Pangrac. Her favorite memory from state weekend was getting to watch her teammates perform their advanced solos and cheer them on. McKenzie attended AYOP for the first time this summer and was so excited to see all of the advanced twirlers compete and be inspired while making memories and having fun!

CONGRATS TO ALL OUR TEXAS STATE INTERMEDIATE PAGEANT WINNERS!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

2026 Texas State Pageant Winners - Beginner Pageant

Hello Texas Twirl Fans!

With AYOP behind us, before we officially close the 2026 season, we want to take a moment to look back on the NBTA Texas State Championship that was held in June in Burnet, Texas. It was a wonderful Lone Star themed event with beautiful Hill Country views and lots of Texas Champions!

To celebrate our Texas State Pageant title holders we will be recognizing them here on the blog over the next week. Congrats to all of these talented twirlers on their success at the State contest!

Today we will be recognizing the 2026 Texas State Beginner Pageant Winners!

Senior Beginner Pageant Winner 

Arielle Garcia

 

Arielle is from Corpus Christi, TX. She is a member of the Texas Stingerettes and is coached by Kim Berger. "She coached all of my events and helped me drive for this title." Her favorite memory from state weekend was performing a duet with her twin sister, Arianna. "We love twirling together and performing in front of our parents and friends. It is such a great feeling." This summer Arielle was excited to attend AYOP, where she was most excited to perform with her team. "I had teammates coming along this year. I love twirling with them and getting closer through spending time together."

Junior Beginner Pageant Winner 

Laurel Scallan

 

Laurel is from Liberty Hill, TX, where she is the Feature Twirler at Liberty Hill High School. She is a member of Twirl ATX and is coached by Whitney Coons, as well as Ashley Wood and Jassandra Sadler. Her favorite memory from the Texas State Championship was winning her first pageant title and receiving her awards from three of her favorite twirlers. Laurel represented Texas at AYOP this summer,  and was most excited to eat lots of pretzels and watch the Big Show.

Preteen Beginner Pageant Winner 

Shree Roy Karmakar

 

Shree is from Leander, TX, where she is the Feature Twirler for Stiles Middle School. She is a member Twirl ATX where she is coached by Jassandra Sadler, as well as Whitney Coons and Ashley Wood. Her favorite moment from state weekend was winning both her pageant and open X-Strut! Shree was able to attend her first AYOP this summer, where she was most excited for her first chance to compete on a national-level platform, and she enjoyed learning from other talented participants and experiencing their dedication, positive attitude, and commitment to the sport. She was also especially excited to try the famous pretzels with vanilla icing! "I had heard so much about them!"

Juvenile Beginner Pageant Winner 

Gracen Kerley

 

Gracen is from Hutto, TX, where she twirls as an elementary student for the Hutto High School games. She is coached by LynnDell Harrell. Her favorite memory from state weekend was the award ceremony. She LOVED the way the award ceremony was done and the pomp and circumstance that NBTA brings to the Twirling World! While Gracen did not attend AYOP this year, she is looking forward to attending in future years and getting to immerse herself in a new adventure! 

CONGRATS TO ALL OUR TEXAS STATE BEGINNER PAGEANT WINNERS!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it. 

2026 Texas State Pageant Winners - Basic Skills

Hello Texas Twirl Fans! 

With AYOP behind us, before we officially close the 2026 season, we want to take a moment to look back on the NBTA Texas State Championship that was held in June in Burnet, Texas. It was a wonderful Lone Star themed event with beautiful Hill Country views and lots of Texas Champions!

To celebrate our Texas State Pageant title holders we will be recognizing them here on the blog over the next week. Congrats to all of these talented twirlers on their success at the State contest!

 

Today we will be recognizing the 2026 Texas State Basic Skills Pageant Winners!

Senior Basic Skills Pageant Winner

Miracle Chavarria

Miracle is from Crane, TX. She is a member of the Odessa Twirl Elite where she is coached by Naticia Dodson and Pam Brewer. Her favorite memory from State weekend wasn't receiving this award, but rather it was watching the people who made the entire experience possible be recognized. "My coaches, Naticia Dodson and Pam Brewer, took me under their wing and showed me what true baton twirling is. They believed in me, supported me, and lifted me up when I needed it most. I’m beyond grateful for every opportunity I’ve been given since joining them. They, without a doubt, deserve this recognition just as much as I did." This summer Miracle was able to attend her very first AYOP where she was most looking forward to living her dream of attending and experience twirling on such a big stage. 

Junior Basic Skills Pageant Winner 

Emily Rieg

Emily is from Tyler, TX. She is a member of Precision Twirl, where she is coached by Paige Keitt with additional support from Kayli Mickey-McIntosh. She is homeschooled but will have the privilege of being the feature twirler at King’s Academy in the 26-27 school year. Emily’s favorite memories from State were meeting new friends and hearing her name called as pageant winner. 

Preteen Basic Skills Pageant Winner 

Millie Martin

Millie from Sunnyvale, TX. She is a member of the Texas Touch of Class and is coached by Sheila Rigelsky and Kassie Steele. Her favorite memories from State were spending time with her twirling friends (and her twirling sister) and watching them succeed!

Juvenile Basic Skills Pageant Winner

Reese Hewitt

Reese is from Spring, TX, where she is coached by Kelley McCormick as a member of Forever Twirl Texas. Reese's favorite memory from the state competition was practicing her solo and struts with her twirl friends!

Little Miss Basic Skills Pageant Winner 

Stevie Palmer

Stevie is from Corpus Christi, TX, where she is a member of the Texas Stingerettes and is coached by Kim Berger. Her favorite memories from State weekend were seeing all the friends she has made this season, doing her model walk, and competing in her duet and x-strut for the first time. She had the chance this summer to attend her first AYOP where she was most excited to show off the new skills that were added to her solo as well as fly on an airplane and leave Texas first the very first time! 

CONGRATS TO ALL OUR TEXAS STATE BASIC SKILLS PAGEANT WINNERS!

We hope you have enjoyed this blog post. We are always looking for great new stories about Texas twirlers. Do you have an idea or some information we could use to help highlight our sport? Contact us at texastwirlcontact@gmail.com and we would love to hear more about it.