Newsday's top 20 high school girls badminton players for 2026
Clockwise, from left: April Chu, Sandra Chen, Katherine Cheung.
Newsday's annual list of the top 20 Long Island high school girls badminton players, listed in alphabetical order, for this spring. All stats listed are from last season unless otherwise noted.
Abigail Chen, Manhasset, Sr.
Chen went undefeated during the regular season and will begin this season at first singles for the fourth straight year.
Sandra Chen, Jericho, Jr.
Chen went 18-0 in singles for a Jericho team that went undefeated and won its first Long Island title.
Vicky Chen, Lindenhurst, Sr.
Chen went 9-4 at doubles and will convert to singles, becoming Lindenhurst’s top seed.
Katherine Cheung, Great Neck South, Sr.
Cheung played at second singles last season and will take her turn at first singles this year.
April Chu, Commack, Sr.
Chu went 12-2 in singles, helping Commack win its first county title since 2019.
Catherine Li, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK, Sr.
Li went 12-2 at third singles and has been preparing to lead the team at first singles this year.
Clockwise, from top left: Judy Liang, Catherine Li, Olivia Liu, Jasmine Peng.
Judy Liang, Jericho, Sr.
Liang is a five-year player and went 14-0 for the Jayhawks. She is one of two returning seniors who went undefeated for Jericho.
Olivia Liu, Jericho, eighth
Liu went undefeated at second doubles and will play singles this season.
Gia Ninan, Herricks, Sr.
Ninan went 16-2 at first singles and has been a top player for Herricks since her freshman year.
Jasmine Peng, Jericho, Sr.
Peng is the second undefeated returning senior for Jericho. She went 14-0 in singles.
Mahita Rallabhandi, Syosset, Jr.
Rallabhandi went 8-7 at first singles and will lead a Syosset team that graduated just three starters.
Aanya Sharma, Half Hollow Hills, Soph.
Sharma had nine wins at third singles for a Half Hollow Hills team that returns 20 players.
Sania Tirmizi, Half Hollow Hills, Jr.
Tirmizi went 8-6 at second singles as a sophomore.
Gabriella Varellas, Whitman, Sr.
Varellas went 6-6 and will continue to play at first singles for the Wildcats.
Raaya Zheng, left, and Siddhangi Wickramasinghe.
Siddhangi Wickramasinghe, Calhoun, Jr.
The Nassau singles champion and Newsday’s Player of the Year went 14-0 at first singles.
Rayya Zheng, Bethpage, Sr.
Zheng is a heavy hitter who returns to the first singles spot for the Golden Eagles.
Melonie Erdman and Julia Polander, Lindenhurst, Jrs.
The talented duo finished last season with just one loss after posting a 9-4 record as freshmen.
Emma Ding (Sr.) and Eva Westbay (Jr.), Great Neck South
Ding and Westbay have won the Nassau doubles championship the past two seasons. Ding also won the doubles title as a freshman.
Eva Westbay, left, and Emma Ding of Great Neck South. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.
