Salpointe Catholic’s Isla Collins named MaxPreps national freshman of the year

Isla Collins turned a freshman season into national hardware on June 25, when MaxPreps named the Salpointe Catholic quarterback its inaugural girls flag football national freshman of the year and a first-team All-American. The Tucson signal-caller was one of 60 players selected from nearly 20 states on the sport’s first MaxPreps All-America team.

Collins backed up the honor with production that jumped off the page. MaxPreps credited her with 2,432 passing yards and 47 touchdowns while leading Salpointe Catholic to a 16-1 record and a 4A state championship. She also averaged more than 100 rushing yards over four playoff games during the title run, a number that shows how much she did beyond operating from the pocket.

For Salpointe Catholic, the award gives instant national validation to a program that rose quickly in its first varsity season. For Arizona, it puts another local name into the center of a sport that is still building its national hierarchy. The Arizona Interscholastic Association already has a dedicated girls flag football page and a 2025-26 tournament guide, a sign that the state has moved beyond novelty and into a more formal competitive structure.

The broader backdrop matters as much as the trophy. MaxPreps said 17 state associations sanctioned girls flag football during the 2025-26 season, and Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey and North Carolina are set to join that group in 2026-27. That expanding footprint makes Collins’ freshman-year recognition more than a personal milestone. It is another marker of how quickly elite quarterback play is emerging in a sport where national awards, recruiting attention and postseason honors are still taking shape.

Collins’ selection also gives Arizona a stronger place in the conversation with Florida and California, the sport’s traditional power centers. A freshman quarterback earning first-team All-America status, plus national freshman of the year, sets a new expectation level for Salpointe Catholic and for the next wave of flag football players in the state.