Hermantown sophomore Taylee Manion was named the 2026 Duluth News Tribune All-Area Player of the Year after leading the Proctor/Hermantown Mirage to its sixth-straight Class A State Tournament. Manion finished the season with five goals and 22 points, despite missing three weeks helping the U.S. U18 women's national team win gold at the world junior championships in January.
Manion was an All-Lake Superior Conference First Team selection and was the top defenseman on the defensive-oriented 2025-26 Mirage squad.
Manion was joined on the DNT All-Area Girls Hockey Team by senior forwards Avery Milbridge and Mya Gunderson. Milbridge finished the season with 36 points and was a member of the All-LSC Second Team, while Gunderson led the Mirage with 38 total points and was an All-LSC Honorable Mention selection.
Manion becomes the sixth Mirage player to earn DNT All-Area Player of the Year accolades and the first since Abby Pajari in 2022.
Mirage DNT All-Area Player of the Year Selections
2026 // Taylee Manion
2022 // Abby Pajari
2021 // Alyssa Watkins
2016 // Sophie McGovern
2014 // Reilly Fawcett
2010 // Julia Gilbert
Read the full story here: Taylee Manion was everywhere on the ice for Mirage, Team USA