November 9, 2022

Three Wimberley High School sports standouts took the next step in their athletic careers at a National Signing Day ceremony at Texan Gym on November 9th. Lady Texan soccer standouts Emily Thames and Claire Valentine inked to play at Angelo State University and Angelina College respectively, while softball star Addison Kirbo signed to play at Navarro College. All three have received numerous accolades while competing for the Lady Texans.

Thames has excelled in four different sports while at WHS. In soccer, she is a two-time Texas Association of Soccer Coaches (TASCO) First-Team All-State honoree (2021, 2022) and was selected as the District 26-4A Most Valuable Player (2022), Utility Player of the Year (2021), and Co-Newcomer of the Year (2020). She was also twice named to the Academic All-District team (2021, 2022). In track and field, Thames is a two-time state qualifier in 4A long jump, winning a silver medal in 2021 and finishing fourth in 2022. She was also a nine-time regional qualifier, across five different events during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In addition, in 2021, she was a member of the school-record-holding 4x100 meter relay team.

In volleyball, Thames was named to the District 28-4A Honorable Mention team, while receiving Academic All-District honors for the 2021 4A Region IV finalist Lady Texan squad. In 2022, she was named to the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) Academic All-State First Team. During her freshman and sophomore years, Thames competed in basketball for the Lady Texans, twice earning First-Team All-District in 28-4A and twice being named to the Academic All-District team. She was also named to the 2021 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) Region IV team.

Valentine will be entering her third year as the starting goalie for the Lady Texan soccer team, playing on the region finalist (2021) and region semifinalist (2022) squads the past two years. In 2022, Valentine was named TASCO First-Team All-State goal and District 26-4A Co-Goalie of the Year. In 2021, she was named Second-Team All-District. Over the past two seasons, the Lady Texans have achieved 24 shutouts with Valentine as the starting goalie. She was also named to the Academic All-District team in 2021 and 2022.

Kirbo has been a standout on the softball team her entire high school career. In 2021, she was named to the 28-4A All-District Second Team, and in 2022, was named to the First-Team. During her junior year, she led the Lady Texans in home runs, with four, and was second in RBI, with 18. She batted .333 on the season.