THS' Maxwell Dean Named 2026 Touchdown Club of Houston Football Scholar-Athlete Award Recipient

TOMBALL - Tomball High School senior football student-athlete Maxwell “Max” Dean has been named the 2026 recipient and scholarship winner of the prestigious Touchdown Club of Houston Football Scholar-Athlete Award.

The program honors senior starters from across Greater Houston who excel in academics, athletics, leadership, and service. Only 25 finalists are selected, with top recipients earning scholarship funding and nomination to the National Football Foundation Regional Award. Finalists were recognized at the Bayou City Event Center on February 18.

Dean, a First Team 15-6A All-District Offensive Lineman, was a key contributor to the Cougars’ success this season while mentoring younger teammates and helping lead position practices.

“It was a pleasure to get to coach a kid like Maxwell,” said Dave Handal, Tomball High School Football Head Coach. “He consistently modeled a growth mindset, a relentless work ethic, and was one of our most reliable players. Maxwell is going to be successful wherever he winds up.”

A four-year Cougar Elite member and THSCA Academic All-State Elite honoree, Dean ranks among the Top 10 in his class. His honors include the Rensselaer Medal, AP Scholar with Distinction, and the TISD A+ Student Award.

Dean’s leadership extends far beyond football.

At Tomball High School, he serves as Volunteering Coordinator for the Bureau of Young Technology Enthusiasts club, organizing weekly outreach efforts to expand computer science access in local schools. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and a decorated UIL Computer Science competitor.

Outside of school, Dean has been deeply involved with the Young Men's Service League for four years, serving as Chapter President in 2023 and Life Skills Chair in 2022. He is a three-time recipient of both the Platinum Service Award and the Mom & Son Award for completing the highest cumulative service hours in his chapter.

Dean has also competed in coding competitions hosted by Hewlett Packard Enterprise and the University of Texas at Dallas. He balances his academic and athletic commitments with part-time employment at Trader Joe's and previously served as a youth flag football coach for Next Level Sports, mentoring young athletes both on and off the field.

From anchoring the offensive line to mentoring younger teammates, from excelling in advanced STEM coursework to leading meaningful service initiatives, Maxwell Dean embodies the true spirit of a scholar-athlete.

Dean plans to major in Computer Science and has been accepted to multiple universities nationwide.

Tomball ISD proudly congratulates Max on this outstanding honor and looks forward to watching his continued success at the collegiate level and beyond.

ABOUT TOMBALL ISD
Tomball ISD empowers students to become impactful, contributing citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous and personally valuable educational experiences while partnering with the community. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates over 23,000 students across 25 campuses.