Ta'Shaun Beatty Earns Star Press Player of the Year for 2025-26 Season

Ta'Shaun Beatty dominated East Central Indiana this winter the same way he dominated opposing frontcourts: relentlessly. The Monroe Central senior averaged 14.5 rebounds per game to lead every classification across the entire state of Indiana, paired that with 13.7 points per game, and capped a standout career in Parker City by earning The Star Press Player of the Year award for the 2025-26 boys basketball season.

The honor, announced April 7, caps a season in which Beatty was the most physically imposing presence in the coverage area. He announced his intentions early, opening the year on Nov. 25 with 24 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocks in a 57-46 win over Winchester. That baseline never dipped. Opponents who tried to neutralize him with double-teams left Monroe Central shooters open; those who stayed with their assignments paid for it on the glass.

Monroe Central's season ended in the Class 2A regional, where North Vermillion beat the Golden Bears 63-55 to end their tournament run. The loss came after Monroe Central had already cleared their sectional bracket, a run fueled in large part by Beatty's interior dominance.

With Beatty departing as a senior, Monroe Central faces a significant void in the frontcourt heading into 2026-27. Sophomore Luke Morgan is the clearest returning piece for the Golden Bears, and his development over the offseason will shape how quickly the program can reload around a core capable of competing in the sectional again.

The Star Press All-Area selections cover programs across East Central Indiana, recognizing first-team, second-team and honorable mention performers who drove postseason results this season. Beatty's Player of the Year designation is the highest individual honor in that package, and it arrives with a statistic that speaks for itself: no high school player in Indiana pulled down more rebounds per game during the 2025-26 season.