NKY Girls Pre-Season Top 10 2025-26 Season

[The Double Deuce]

Good morning, Sports' Fans!  It is that time of year, Thanksgiving is on the Horizon, and as soon as we get through this upcoming Holiday weekend, the High School Basketball season is upon us!  We lost a ton of amazing seniors from last season in Girls' Hoops, so while there will be some commonalities in our Top 10, there is also a great deal of movement.  A reminder to those that may be new to this content, this is a NKY Poll each week, not a 9th Region poll, so please judge that accordingly.  This will be our last Poll until Monday, December 8th, the Monday following the first week of action, so we have plenty of time for you to tell me how wrong this is and why!  Here we go....

1.  Simon Kenton (Region 8 / District 32) -- Head Coach Jeff Stowers.  Simon Kenton brings back nearly all of their contributors from last season and look poised to have another great year led by Thomas More commit, Brynli Pernell.  They have a very aggressive schedule again this year, but there is so much continuity in their roster and coaching staff, it is hard to see them doing anything but continuing to get better.  Their opening week sees them go to Assumption, to Ryle (see you there), and playing Louisville Mercy at Dixie in the Hoops 4 Harvest event (see you there).  We'll know a fair amount about the Lady Neers right out of the gate.

2.  Cooper (Region 9 / District 33) -- Head Coach Christian Prohaska.  While she certainly has an amazing coaching background, and knows the area as a Boone County alum, Coach Prohaska is still a bit of a question mark for the Lady Jags, at least at this point.  When you replace the best NKY Girls' Basketball coach since Nell Fookes, the pressure and expectations are sky-high.  On the court, they lose Zene Thompson, so the majority of their contributors return, and they certainly expect to again represent the 9th at the Sweet 16!  They are led by the best player in NKY, Haylee Noel, and they have a lot of depth around her.  They open their season by hosting DuPont Manual, and then play Lawrence Central at Dixie in the Hoops 4 Harvest event.

3.  Notre Dame (Region 9 / District 35) -- Head Coach George Stoll.  I have a 3, 4, and 5 as very even teams heading into the season, but I give the edge to Notre Dame because of their depth.  While they lose major players in Sophia Gibson and Maya Lawrie, they return elite shooter, and Bellarmine commit, Emma Holtzapfel, and the ever-improving Amelia Stallard.  They also have Sarah Young in the middle, replacing the aforementioned Gibson, and Sarah may end the season as the 2nd best true big in the area.  Coach Stoll will ease his Pandas into the season with games at NewCath and versus Scott at Newport in the Donna Murphy Classic.  In fairness, I will point out that their schedule ramps up quickly after the opening week, and we'll have a better tide about them between week #2 and the end of the calendar year.

4.  Campbell County (Region 10 / District 37) -- Head Coach Davey Johnson.  The Camels bring back nearly everyone from last season and continue to be led by Thomas More commit, Izzy Jayasuriya.  This team has 7 juniors and seniors that have been together for many years, and they seem poised to make 2025-26 a very special season in Claryville!  They open the season with Fleming County at home, and then face the always tough Frederick Douglass team at Dixie in the Hoops 4 Harvest event.

5.  Ryle (Region 9 / District 33) -- Head Coach Katie Haitz.  For a team that brings back almost everyone from last year, and is looking to regain their spot near the top of the area, a Division 1 guard / wing (Jaelyn Jones, Western Illinois commit) and a 6'6" freshmen who spent part of 2025 training with USA Basketball in Tampa and by all accounts had a great summer (Jayden McClain), is a great place to start.  There are many that predicted McClain would play across the river this year, but I'm thrilled she remains at Ryle and in NKY!  You just can't understate the advantage of having a 6'6" middle with a ton of experience, and who is only getting better and better, and I'm excited to see how Coach Haitz uses her this year to complement the mature perimeter play of Jones.  The Lady Raiders also have a lot of talented players around those two (Emerson Dowell especially), so I think this Ryle team will be around the top of the area all year.  They open with South Oldham at home, followed by hosting Simon Kenton, and then they also play Lawrence Central at Dixie in the Hoops 4 Harvest (they get them after Cooper plays them in the morning).  Coach Haitz is REALLY challenging her team this year with a massive schedule.

6.  Dixie (Region 9 / District 34) -- Head Coach Joel Steczynski.  I have Dixie as the best of the third tier this year, in spite of big losses to the roster, led by emotional leader Catherine Buddenberg.  They return three of their top 6 from last year in sophomore Peyton Gibson, senior Cora Pelfrey, and what may be the best true PG prospect in the area, junior Asia Carner.  Those three, with a lot of depth, and one of the best and most underrated coaches in the area, and I think Dixie will be a threat to beat the 5 above them every time they cross paths.  Dixie opens by hosting Highlands, going to Grant County (sneaky good game with a pair of high energy ball-hawking PGs on both sides), and then hosts Example Academy (IL) in their Hoops 4 Harvest event.  Example is an all-girls national prep program, so I'm sure that will be all you want as an opponent.  

7.  Holy Cross (Region 9 / District 35) -- Head Coach Ted Arlinghaus.  The Indians have had a great run the last few years, with two KY All A State Championships under their belt, but they have to replace a lot of production again this year after losing Aniyah Carter and Aumani Nelson (both hooping in college) and Ella Lehmkuhl.  They picked up a transfer in Riley Eberhard from Notre Dame, and will be led by D-1 recruit, junior, D'Myah Williams.  They also have experienced guards, Alyssa Arlinghaus and Jai Johnson to play major roles.  Beyond those 4 there isn't a lot of known depth, but I'm sure Coach Arlinghaus will develop that as the season unfolds.  The Indians will ease into their season in the opening week by hosting Lloyd, St. Henry, and Rowan County, before going to cross-district rival Notre Dame in week #2.

8.  Conner (Region 9 / District 33) -- Head Coach Michelle Gambrel.  With a rebuilding year behind them, and with nearly everyone back, the Lady Cougars look poised to again be a regular feature in our NKY Top 10 each week.  They admittedly shifted up a spot last week after an unfortunate injury to another team, so they'll start the season at 8th for experienced and outstanding coach, Michelle Gambrel.  They are led by senior Izzy Kerns but have a ton of returning depth around her.  There will likely be a lot of movement in the bottom third of our Top 10 each week as not a lot separates 8-13 in my mind, at least today, but I think the Lady Cougars are best positioned to steal a few wins against the 7 above them as the season kicks off.  The Lady Cougars open the season against two of the teams just below them in our ranking, so a lot will be known as they host Walton-Verona and then travel to Bishop Brossart.

9.  Bishop Brossart (Region 10 / District 37) -- Head Coach Aaron Stamm.  Look who is now coaching out in Alexandria, the legendary Aaron Stamm has arrived to lead the Lady 'Stangs!  While they lose three leaders and heavy contributors from last year, led by Zoe Meyers, they return a great deal and have talented experience at all three levels with Shewmaker in the post, Kramer on the wing, and the uber-talented, Kylie Smith.  As I said previously, I think 8-13 are pretty even on most nights, but I like bringing in an experienced head coach, and you have to like talented returnees at each level of your offense to help the others get acclimated and ease into the season.  They host Badin (OH) to kick-off the season, and then host Beechwood and Conner to complete the first week.

10.  Highlands (Region 9 / District 36) -- Head Coach Jaime Richey.  Highlands would have been 8th on this poll before news of the unfortunate injury to star guard Maren Orme began to leak out a couple of weeks ago.  I haven't heard anything definitive in terms of a timetable, but for a team that lost a great deal from last year, losing your lead guard for any amount of time can be quite a challenge.  They are a veteran team, 5 seniors return who have played together a long time, and have a tremendous coach / staff to help them navigate the choppy waters, but I think it is going to take this version of the Birds a while to find their way with all of the changes.  They will play super hard, and together, and will likely find ways to compete with the teams above them, but I'm not sure we'll see the best version of this team until the calendar flips into 2026 -- I still expect them to be a tough out at NKU in late February.  They jump into their schedule by traveling to Dixie and then heading south to Walton-Verona.

==============================================================

11.  Grant County (Region 8 / District 32) -- Head Coach Shawn West.  While the Lady Braves lose their star from last year, Jada Cummins, they bring back 7 juniors and seniors that are poised to have a terrific season for Coach West.  They'll have a lot of balance most nights, but are led by fiery PG, and Southeastern University commit, junior, Olivia Ginn.  The Lady Braves are going to play especially hard, and what they may lack in experienced scorers on most nights, will be balanced by cohesion, competitiveness, and depth to help them get over the hump.  The Lady Braves play a fun brand of basketball and should hover around the bottom of our Top 10 most of the year.  We'll know exactly how they stack up with the teams around them right out of the gate as they travel to St. Henry and Scott in week one, sandwiching a home game with Dixie in-between.  

12.  Walton-Verona (Region 8 / District 32) -- Head Coach Rianna Gayheart.  The Bearcats will have to overcome the loss of four-year starter, Bray Terrell, and emotional leader, Campbell Christy, this season for Coach Gayheart.  While there is a fair amount of youth on their roster this year, they will have the calming presence, and terrific scoring, of junior Elin Logue to help them get the others up to speed.  Playing in a very competitive district with Simon Kenton and Grant County, WV should improve as the year unfolds, and I expect them to be very competitive when the 32nd Tournament rolls around in February.  With four of their first 5 games on the road, Coach Gayheart will test her Bearcats right off the tip.  They open week #1 with a road game to Conner, by hosting Highlands, and then traveling to Trimble County.

13.  St. Henry (Region 9 / District 34) -- Head Coach Danny Trame.  The Crusaders have a fair amount of production to replace from last year, notably from Blackburn, Unkraut, and a couple of players no longer on their roster, in Knollman and McElheney.  However, the cupboard isn't bare for Coach Trame as he brings back a strong guard in Joey Powers, a sharp-shooter in Gia Jones, and a ball-hawking defender, in Audrey Pieczonka.  What they lack in depth this year, they'll make up with three dependable perimeter players and a very good coaching staff, to help them develop experience and improve throughout the campaign.  They open the season by hosting Grant County, traveling to Holy Cross, and then playing Martin County at the Madison Central Shootout.

14.  Scott (Region 10 / District 37) -- Head Coach Eric Pouncy.  While the Lady Eagles lost a ton from last year, they do return one of the better guards in NKY, with sophomore Noelle Price.  I certainly believe Scott is capable of getting wins over 8-13 above them, but I also think they are going to suffer through periods of inconsistency as outstanding Coach, Eric Pouncy, figures out his rotations around Price as the season unfolds.  It wouldn't surprise me to see Scott be a much better team in February than they are December and make the 37th District semi-finals an amazing elimination game in late February.

15.  NewCath (Region 9 / District 36) -- Head Coach Trevor Steiner.  There is no bigger fan of Coach Steiner in this area than me, I truly love how he coaches his team and builds his culture, but no one lost more heading into this season than the Breds.  Caroline Eaglin is one of the best players in recent memory in NKY, and the Brannens provided length, energy, experience, and composure for last year's team.  Plus, not to be forgotten, their 2nd leading scorer last year, Madison McFarland.  Coach Steiner has a deep but inexperienced roster with which to rebuild this year, but he has a lot to figure out about his team over the course of the season.  I absolutely believe he and they will figure it out, and they'll have plenty of wins over 1-14 above them, but clawing all the way into our Top 10 this year seems like a bridge too far to cross for the young Breds.

*  Ludlow (Region 9 / District 34) -- Head Coach Justin Wade.

*  Beechwood (Region 9 / District 35) -- Head Coach Celeste Brockett.

*  Holmes (Region 9 / District 35) -- Head Coach Zuri Hill.

*  Bellevue (Region 9 / District 36) -- Head Coach Trevor Gould.

*  Newport (Region 9 / District 36) -- Head Coach Beau Menefee.

*  Boone County (Region 9 / District 33) -- Head Coach Marcus Harris.

 

Edited November 24 by The Double Deuce

[BiggestFan]

Sounds like there will be alot of (potentially) great games on the girls side of the ledger this year.

Just my opinion- maybe better season than the boys side as far as more competitive games day in and day out- just my opinion.

Great basketball games are the best way to get thru the cold winter season !!!

[MaddenCurse44]

Let's go Lady Pioneers!