Hauffe becomes the fourth Hemlock High School athlete to receive the prestigious Saginaw County honor.
Hemlock Public School District is proud to announce that 2026 Hemlock High School graduate Victoria Hauffe has been named the female recipient of the 2026 Dr. Tom Slade Athlete of the Year Award, recognizing the top senior male and female athletes in Saginaw County.
Hauffe was formally recognized and presented with her award at the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame Banquet, celebrating an extraordinary high school career marked by athletic excellence, academic achievement, and outstanding leadership.
A standout multi-sport athlete, Hauffe was a four-year varsity basketball player and three-year varsity tennis player. During her senior year, she also helped organize Hemlock's inaugural girls' varsity golf team, serving as both a team member and captain.
On the basketball court, Hauffe was part of Hemlock's 2023 Division 3 State Championship team as a freshman and went on to establish herself as one of the most accomplished players in program history. She finished her career sixth on Hemlock's all-time scoring list with 1,110 points, first in career free throw percentage at 79.5%, and second in career three-pointers with 206. She also ranks sixth in program history in assists and fourth in steals.
Her basketball career included four consecutive conference championships, three First Team All-Conference selections, and recognition as the 2026 TVC Blue Player of the Year. She was also named to the MLive Dream Team during both her junior and senior seasons. Additional honors included Associated Press honorable mention All-State and Detroit Free Press Third Team All-State recognition in 2025, followed by honorable mention All-State selections from BCAM, the Associated Press, the Detroit Free Press, and the Detroit News in 2026. She also earned BCAM Individual Academic All-State honors during her junior and senior seasons and received the BCAM Senior Student-Athlete Award in 2026.
Hauffe's success extended to the tennis court, where she competed at No. 1 and No. 2 singles. She was a four-time TVC champion, four-time regional champion, and four-time state qualifier. She earned First Team All-Conference honors all four years and received Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association All-State honorable mention recognition during her senior season.
Beyond her individual accomplishments, Hauffe demonstrated a commitment to building opportunities for future Huskie athletes. She played an instrumental role in organizing and planning Hemlock's inaugural varsity girls' golf program, which began competition in 2025.
Her contributions to Hemlock extended well beyond athletics. An academic standout, Hauffe graduated ranked in the Top 10 of her senior class and was a member of the National Honor Society. She served as Class President and participated in Athletic Leadership Club, Student Council, Math Olympics, and the Great Lakes Bay Region Youth Leadership Institute.
She also shared her passion for athletics through coaching, serving as an assistant coach for Hemlock's eighth-grade girls' basketball team and head coach of the girls' seventh-grade travel basketball team. During her junior and senior years, she was selected for Hemlock's Homecoming Court and was named Homecoming Queen by her peers during her senior year.
Hauffe is continuing her education at the University of Michigan, where she is majoring in Business at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business while pursuing a minor in Russian with a focus on International Business.
Established by the Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, the Dr. Tom Slade Athlete of the Year Award recognizes outstanding senior athletes throughout Saginaw County. The award was renamed in 2009 in honor of Dr. Tom Slade and has become a longstanding tradition celebrating excellence in high school athletics.
With this recognition, Hauffe becomes the fourth Hemlock High School athlete to receive the honor, joining Greg Bartlett (2006), Peyton Apsey (2011), and Regan Finkbeiner (2023).
Victoria's accomplishments reflect the dedication, determination, leadership, and Huskie pride that make Hemlock so special. Her impact reaches far beyond the records she established, leaving a lasting mark on Hemlock athletics and the community.
Congratulations, Victoria, on this well-deserved recognition! Once a Huskie, always a Huskie!
#HemlockHuskies #PullTheSled #Since1863