Per the Cincinnati Enquirer the Statewide Media Poll, which was initially organized by the Louisville Courier-Journal prior to the 2023 football season, has undergone a few tweaks and has been re-branded to the "Kentucky Elite 16 Poll" for basketball, as an homage to Kentucky's Sweet 16.

Voting Media Members, By Region:

1st Region- Steve Springer, Murray Ledger & Times
2nd Region - Edward Marlowe, WKDZ-FM
3rd Region - Mark Mathis, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
4th Region - Micheal Compton, Bowling Green Daily News
4th Region - Josh Claywell, Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News
6th Region - Demetrius Stanton, DeadStock Visuals
7th Region - Jason Frakes, The Courier Journal
8th Region - James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer
9th Region - Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer
10th Region - Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com
11th Region - Jared Peck, Lexington Herald-Leader
12th Region - Mike Marsee, Danville freelance
13th Region - Les Dixon, 13thRegionMediaNetwork.com
14th Region - Brendon Miller, Bluegrass Sports Nation
15th Region - Randy White, Appalachian News-Express
16th Region - James Collier, WLGC-FM

Initial 2025-2026 Boys Basketball Poll: January 6th

Rank-School (Record); Points
1. Male (10-2); 238 [14 first place votes]
2. St. Xavier (9-4); 229
3. Madison Central (12-1); 217
4. Covington Catholic (11-1); 210
5. Daviess County (12-3); 187
6. Frederick Douglass (7-3); 151
7. Warren Central (8-1); 149 [2 first place votes]
8. George Rogers Clark (8-3); 145
9. North Laurel (9-4); 74
10. North Oldham (8-4); 67
11. McCracken County (10-3); 62
12. Butler (10-3); 61
13. Boyd County (9-4); 51
14. Lexington Catholic (8-4); 47
15. Ballard (8-4); 45
16. Eastern (12-2); 42

Also receiving votes:
Jeffersontown 24, Seneca 24, Covington Holy Cross 21, Highlands 21, Bryan Station 18, Pikeville 17, Caverna 14, Marshall County 9, Pleasure Ridge Park 9, Montgomery County 8, Ashland Blazer 7, Bell County 7, Evangel Christian 6, Grayson County 6, Butler County 3, Danville Christian 3, Adair County 2, Christian Academy 2.

2025-2026 Boys Basketball Poll: January 13th

Rank-School (Record); Points
1.) St. Xavier (11-4); 247 [11 first place votes]
2.) Male (11-4); 229 [3 first place votes]
3.) Madison Central (15-1); 224 [1 first place vote]
4.) Covington Catholic (13-1); 215
5.) Daviess County (14-3); 195
6.) Warren Central (12-1); 170 [1 first place vote]
7.) George Rogers Clark (11-3); 158
8.) Frederick Douglass (8-4); 126
9.) North Laurel (11-4); 92
10.) North Oldham (11-4); 76
11.) McCracken County (12-3); 71
T-12.) Boyd County (11-4); 66
T-12.) Jeffersontown (8-2); 66
14.) Ballard (9-4); 55
15.) Lexington Catholic (9-5); 27
16.) Butler (12-4); 20

Also receiving votes:
Bryan Station 18, Eastern 17, Pikeville 16, Highlands 14, Caverna 13, Bell County 10, Seneca 10, Covington Holy Cross 8, Evangel Christian 6, Adair County 5, Ashland Blazer 5, Christian Academy 5, Grayson County 4, Marshall County 3, Pleasure Ridge Park 3, Manual 2.

2025-2026 Boys Basketball Poll: January 20th

Rank-School (Record); Points
1.) St. Xavier (14-4); 255 [15 first-place votes]
2.) Madison Central (18-1); 225
3.) Male (13-5); 223 [1 first-place vote]
4.) Covington Catholic (17-1); 219
5.) Daviess County (16-3); 192
6.) Warren Central (14-1); 169
7.) George Rogers Clark (13-3); 154
8.) Frederick Douglass (10-4);  132
9.) North Laurel (14-4); 93
10.) Jeffersontown (11-3); 78
11.) Boyd County (15-4); 76
12.) McCracken County (14-3): 72
13.) Ballard (10-5); 66
14.) North Oldham (11-5); 59
15.) Eastern (15-4); 23
16.) Lexington Catholic (10-5); 22

Also receiving votes:
Highlands 15, Bryan Station 13, Butler 13, Caverna 12, Bell County 10, Seneca 9, Pikeville 8, Covington Holy Cross 7, Marshall County 5, Ashland Blazer 4, Christian Academy 4, Ohio County 4, Pleasure Ridge Park 4, Campbell County 3, Adair County 2, Grayson County 2, Manual 2, Ryle 1.

2025-2026 Boys Basketball Poll: January 27th

Rank-School (Record); Points
1.) Madison Central (20-1); 243 [8 first-place votes]
2.) St. Xavier (15-5); 238 [5 first-place votes]
3.) Covington Catholic (19-1); 229 [3 first-place votes]
4.) Daviess County (18-3); 203
5.) Male (14-7); 185
6.) George Rogers Clark (15-3): 172
7.) Warren Central (15-2); 148
8.) Frederick Douglass (10-6); 116
9.) North Laurel (16-4); 106
10.) Jeffersontown (12-3); 99
11.) North Oldham (13-5); 97
12.) McCracken County (17-3); 79
13.) Ballard (12-5); 72
14.) Boyd County (15-5); 36
15.) Lexington Catholic (11-5);  24
16.) Bryan Station (14-5); 21

Others receiving votes:
Butler 19, Highlands 19, Ashland Blazer 14, Caverna 14, Eastern 10, Seneca 8, Bell County 6, Covington Holy Cross 6, Manual 4, Christian Academy 2, Grayson County 2, Newport 2, Marshall County 1, Pikeville 1.

How many times does Ashland have to beat Boyd County to be ranked ahead of them?  Tomcats have beaten them twice pretty convincingly. 

2025-2026 Boys Basketball Poll: February 3rd

Rank-School (Record); Points
1.) St. Xavier (17-5); 247 [8 first-place votes]
2.) Covington Catholic (21-1); 240 [6 first-place votes]
3.) Daviess County (19-3); 216 [1 first-place vote]
4.) Madison Central (20-2); 213 [1 first-place vote]
5.) George Rogers Clark(16-3); 179
6.) Male (14-7); 176
7.) Warren Central (15-2); 145
8.) Jeffersontown (12-3); 106
9.) North Laurel (16-4); 103
10.) Frederick Douglass (10-6); 95
11.) North Oldham (14-5); 91
12.) McCracken County (18-3); 86
13.) Ballard (12-5); 82
14.) Boyd County (16-5); 37
15.) Bryan Station (14-5); 30
16.) Ashland Blazer (14-4); 26

Others receiving votes:
Highlands 24, Lexington Catholic 21, Butler 20, Caverna 10, Eastern 9, Covington Holy Cross 6, Manual 3, Woodford County 3, Christian Academy 2, Newport 2, Grayson County 1, Lyon County 1, Marshall County 1, Seneca 1.

On 1/16/2026 at 6:48 AM, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Per the Cincinnati Enquirer the Statewide Media Poll, which was initially organized by the Louisville Courier-Journal prior to the 2023 football season, has undergone a few tweaks and has been re-branded to the "Kentucky Elite 16 Poll" for basketball, as an homage to Kentucky's Sweet 16.

Voting Media Members, By Region:

1st Region- Steve Springer, Murray Ledger & Times
2nd Region - Edward Marlowe, WKDZ-FM
3rd Region - Mark Mathis, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer
4th Region - Micheal Compton, Bowling Green Daily News
4th Region - Josh Claywell, Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News
6th Region - Demetrius Stanton, DeadStock Visuals
7th Region - Jason Frakes, The Courier Journal
8th Region - James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer
9th Region - Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer
10th Region - Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com
11th Region - Jared Peck, Lexington Herald-Leader
12th Region - Mike Marsee, Danville freelance
13th Region - Les Dixon, 13thRegionMediaNetwork.com
14th Region - Brendon Miller, Bluegrass Sports Nation
15th Region - Randy White, Appalachian News-Express
16th Region - James Collier, WLGC-FM

Great choice for the 12th.

2025-2026 Boys Basketball Poll: February 10th

Rank-School (Record); Points
1.) Covington Catholic (22-1); 252 [12 first-place votes]
2.) St. Xavier (18-6); 230 [2 first-place votes]
3.) Madison Central (23-2); 219
4.) Daviess County (20-4); 217 [2 first-place votes]
5.) George Rogers Clark (19-4); 176
6.) Warren Central (17-2); 161
7.) Jeffersontown (15-3); 137
8.) North Laurel (21-4); 123
9.) Frederick Douglass (13-6); 112
10.) Male (14-9); 110
11.) North Oldham (16-5); 107
12.) Ballard (14-6); 91
13.) McCracken County (20-3); 87
14.) Highlands (21-2); 35
15.) Bryan Station (16-6); 24
16.) Butler (17-5); 18

Others receiving votes:
Boyd County 16, Caverna 12, Lexington Catholic 11, Eastern 10, Grayson County 8, Covington Holy Cross 6, Manual 6, Ashland Blazer 3, Pikeville 2, South Oldham 2, Ryle 1

8 hours ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

2025-2026 Boys Basketball Poll: February 10th

Rank-School (Record); Points
1.) Covington Catholic (22-1); 252 [12 first-place votes]
2.) St. Xavier (18-6); 230 [2 first-place votes]
3.) Madison Central (23-2); 219
4.) Daviess County (20-4); 217 [2 first-place votes]
5.) George Rogers Clark (19-4); 176
6.) Warren Central (17-2); 161
7.) Jeffersontown (15-3); 137
8.) North Laurel (21-4); 123
9.) Frederick Douglass (13-6); 112
10.) Male (14-9); 110
11.) North Oldham (16-5); 107
12.) Ballard (14-6); 91
13.) McCracken County (20-3); 87
14.) Highlands (21-2); 35
15.) Bryan Station (16-6); 24
16.) Butler (17-5); 18

Others receiving votes:
Boyd County 16, Caverna 12, Lexington Catholic 11, Eastern 10, Grayson County 8, Covington Holy Cross 6, Manual 6, Ashland Blazer 3, Pikeville 2, South Oldham 2, Ryle 1

I'm not really sold on McCracken County and Highlands in the top 16.  I believe Lex Cath and Ashland should replace them.

2025-2026 Boys Basketball Poll: February 17th

Rank-School (Record); Points
1.) Covington Catholic (25-1); 255 [15 first-place votes]
2.) Daviess County (23-4); 231 [1 first-place vote]
3.) St. Xavier (19-7); 216
4.) Madison Central (25-3); 212
5.) George Rogers Clark (21-4); 185
6.) Warren Central (19-3); 145
7.) Frederick Douglass (16-6); 133
8.) Jeffersontown (18-4); 132
9.) North Oldham (19-5); 107
10.) McCracken County (24-3); 105
11.) Ballard (17-6); 96
12.) North Laurel (22-6); 83
13.) Male (15-9); 82
14.) Butler (19-5); 30
15.) Boyd County (20-6); 26
16.) Highlands (22-4); 23

Others receiving votes:
Bryan Station 17, Bell County 16, Caverna 14, Lexington Catholic 13, Manual 11, Eastern 10, Lloyd Memorial 5, Pikeville 5, South Oldham 5, Ashland Blazer 4, Covington Holy Cross 4, Ryle 4, Woodford County 4, Grayson County 1, Henderson County 1, North Hardin 1