A signing ceremony was held Monday afternoon at the Multipurpose Athletic Center for nine members of the Brownwood High School Class of 2026 who will continue their athletic and academic careers at the next level.

Four-year varsity multi-sport athlete Icess Hall decided to continue her basketball career after graduation, as she will stay close to home and play for the Howard Payne Lady Jackets.

Hall said of the chance to play basketball in college, “It means a lot because that’s what I worked for the last four years. I knew since middle school that’s what I wanted to do.”

Regarding the decision to attend HPU, Hall said, “I really like Coach (Rodney) Gee and I’ve talked to a lot the girls there and they’ve made it feel like that would be the right choice for me.”

During her high school basketball career, Hall was named Texas Girls Coaches Association All-State as a senior. Hall also earned first-team all-district accolades as a senior, junior, and sophomore, and was tabbed second-team all-district as a freshman.

Hall also won multiple all-district honors while playing soccer, volleyball and track, and was a member of the 2025 Lady Lions state championship squad, including one of the legs on the gold-medal 4×100 relay. Just last week, Hall competed in her second straight state track meet in both the 4×100 and 4×200 relays.

Reflecting on what she will remember most in terms of her time as a Brownwood athlete, Hall said, “Hohertz pushing me constantly, playing with my sister (Nylah), and playing with a team that I made family the last four years.”

Hall intends to major in Nursing at Howard Payne with plans to become a pediatric nurse.

Lady Lions basketball head coach Heather Hohertz said of Hall, “I started coaching Icess when she was in sixth grade and I don’t know if I coached a person that’s been a harder worker in the gym. As difficult as it is to let her move on to the next level, she’s left a legacy on the Lady Lions program, and I couldn’t be more proud of you for that. I know you’re going to do great things for Coach Gee at Howard Payne, the program’s back on the rise and Coach Gee picked a good one that will be able to represent and lead the program in the right direction. I know you’ll still be around, but I’ll miss your leadership to the program, to the school, and I’m just really proud of everything you’ve done the last four years as a Brownwood Lady Lion.”