While some teams are already halfway through their regular seasons, the 2025-26 high school girls basketball season overall is still quite young.
A small handful of stars have already established themselves as frontrunners, but National Player of the Year is still up for grabs – and that probably won't change for months.
In fact, one of the premier contenders for the award is a player whose individual 2025-26 campaign is yet to begin. A player who's been out of action for a while but could plausibly earn MVP honors even while missing a significant chunk of the regular season.
Before going down with a torn ACL in January, 5-star Archbishop Mitty forward McKenna Woliczko had truly done everything she could on a high school floor to establish herself as a National Player of the Year candidate by halfway through her junior season. The sixth-ranked prospect in the Class of 2026 (per ESPN SportsCenter NEXT and 247Sports) was the consensus National Freshman of the Year in 2022-23 and the consensus National Sophomore of the Year in 2023-24. As a sophomore, she was also a near-consensus or consensus First Team All-American and POY finalist across all classifications.
To top it off, if there were a National MVP award for the first half of the 2024-25 season, Woliczko would have won that too. Woliczko and the Monarchs needed only eight games to prove themselves as the No. 1 team in the country up to that point. They stormed their way to a Nike TOC crown on Dec. 21, which was sealed by a 59-34 rout of Ontario Christian in a battle of the nation's two top-ranked teams.
The injury came two games later, on Jan. 4, in a rematch with Ontario Christian. It occurred early in the second quarter in what was a one-point game that Ontario Christian would go on to win 61-44. It was one of the most impactful injuries in recent high school girls basketball history, not just for the nation's top team but also for the entire national championship race.
Through the 9-0 start, Woliczko had averaged 22.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game on 59% shooting while anchoring perhaps the top defense in the country. As had been the case for her whole career, her numbers were quite a bit higher in the few games against top competition where Archbishop Mitty was pushed for four quarters. Woliczko dropped 37 points and 18 rebounds in the second round to beat Oregon powerhouse Clackamas in overtime. And she had 25 points against Ontario Christian in the finals to secure TOC MVP for the second year in a row.
Woliczko's dominance wasn't limited to the high school level. She was named a member of the All-Star Five at both the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup when she helped Team USA win gold medals.
Her injury was beyond crushing for a team that might've been on its way to topping the Monarchs' 2017-18 squad, which went 29-1 with a disputed national title to its name, as the best in Archbishop Mitty's storied history. But on the bright side, all six of the team's other top producers – Maliya Hunter, Ze'Ni Patterson, Devin Cosgriff, Tiera McCarthy, Emma Cook, and Abi James – are still Monarchs in 2025-26, in addition to Woliczko, who's now a senior.
With Woliczko on her way back to pick up where Mitty left off a year ago, the Monarchs were ranked No. 1 in the country to start the season by SN as well as MaxPreps. And Mitty is off to an emphatic 6-0 start even with Woliczko yet to make her season debut.
With all that said, we asked you – the fans – to vote last week on who you think is the top National Player of the Year candidate in all the land.
And it's not exactly hard to see why Woliczko was your pick.
Woliczko dominated the voting like she does the hardwood with 1,344 votes to run away with the top spot in the poll.
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What made Woliczko's rise unique compared to the rises of nearly all other high school players and prospects of similar stature in recent memory is that when it started, she was far from a household name. Because basketball was an afterthought for her.
The book on Woliczko as she started at Archbishop Mitty in the fall of 2022 was that she was a world-class prospect in softball – not basketball – who might also be good enough at hoops to contribute for the Northern California regional champion right away. With softball in the forefront, she didn't even begin playing travel basketball until the summer before eighth grade.
But it turned out that she was one of the premier posts in high school hoops from day one. Mitty's established 5-star prospect, junior G/W Morgan Cheli (now at UConn), went out just a few weeks into the 2022-23 season with an injury and missed 17 games. And Woliczko was ready to anchor a nationally ranked program right way. She kept the Monarchs afloat (and then some) with season averages of 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
At 6-foot-2 with length, physicality, high-caliber athleticism, and tremendous pound-for-pound strength, Woliczko had the physical tools of a next-level recruit from the start. But what made her an outlier from a skill set perspective was her ability to consistently finish through heavy traffic at a remarkably efficient clip – something that takes most post players at the very highest levels many years to master.
Playing a national schedule at Archbishop Mitty, she's always been tasked with scoring in the post, in transition, or off dump-offs and pick-and-rolls against teams with the size and length to challenge her. But Woliczko shot well above 50% from the field even as a freshman. While she's always excelled at playing off the ball to create easy looks, her ability to elevate and finish through the trees anywhere near the basket and even from mid-range was aberrational for a young post player without much seasoning. And her tenacity, physical gifts, and feel for the game always translated to defense and rebounding as well.
As Woliczko's high school career has wound on, she has both stayed true to her established strengths and developed new ones. With a particularly agile frame for a 6-foot-2 bruiser, Woliczko quickly developed into more than just a paint anchor defensively – a true Swiss Army knife who can switch across all five positions and clamp wings in isolation just as well as she does interior-oriented forwards. To say that she has the most defensive upside in the Class of 2026 is a common take. And offensively, her range now stretches out to three-point land with consistency.
At any level she'll play at, Woliczko will be a legitimate threat to cause mismatch problems at all three front-court spots and arguably even more dangerous on both ends in the somewhat position-less systems that typify the modern game. And it can't be understated enough that she still might be earlier in her development arc than most of her peers as a relative latecomer to the game – one who also just spent a year away from action working exclusively on knee rehab and ball skills.
When Woliczko signed with Iowa on early signing day in November, she became the top-rated signee in the Jan Jensen era and the second-highest rated recruit in program history behind only Caitlin Clark.
McKenna Woliczko coordinated with Iowa’s video team to capture the moment she told Jan and her staff that will become a Hawkeye.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) October 1, 2025
“Is No. 20 available?” Pic.twitter.com/AvrWv6BVxU
So, the high school girls basketball community – along with Hawkeye Nation – eagerly awaits the return of Woliczko, who is expected to make a full recovery. The Nike TOC is a week out, and Archbishop Mitty also has high-profile non-league games against Clovis, Fairmont Prep, and none other than Ontario Christian in January before starting WCAL play. A healthy return for Woliczko with adequate time to get back into rhythm before the postseason starts in mid-February would give this Mitty core – and Woliczko's high school career – a serious chance at a storybook ending.
Aaron Woliczko
Aaron Woliczko
Voting results
Preseason watchlist (list of candidates)
Jacy Abii, F, Legion Prep, 6-3 – Sr. (Notre Dame)
Kie'Aundria Acree, G/F, Monroe, 6-0 – Jr.
Haylen Ayers, G, University School of Jackson, 6-0 – Jr.
Jezelle "GG" Banks, G, The St. James Performance Academy, 5-8 – Jr.
GiGi Battle, G, DME Academy, 5-11 – Sr. (Indiana)
Leelee Bell, F, Minot, 6-3 – Sr. (Oklahoma)
Love Lei Best, G, Tualatin, 5-7 – So.
Addison Bjorn, G/F, Park Hill South, 6-1 – Sr.
Aaliyah Blanchard, G, Hoover, 5-11 – Sr. (Middle Tennessee)
Strawberry Blankumsee, G, Winton Woods, 5-9 – So.
Lauren Bousquet, F, Moses Brown, 5-10 – Sr. (Marist)
Caroline Bradley, C, Oak Grove, 6-5 – Jr.
Cydnee Bryant, C, Corona Centennial, 6-5 – Sr.
Amari Byles, F, Kingdom Collegiate Academy, 6-2 – Sr. (Notre Dame)
Brihanna Crittendon, F, Riverdale Ridge, 6-3 – Sr.
Lanae Dallas, G, Lincoln, 5-10 – So.
C’india Dennis, G, Creekside, 5-4 – Jr.
Rieyan Desouze, G, Legion Prep, 5-7 – Sr. (Texas A&M)
Sydney Douglas, F, Corona Centennial, 6-7 – So.
Nihoa Dunn, F, Kamehameha Kapalama, 6-0 – Sr. (Portland State)
Kimora Fields, F, Bradley Central, 6-1 – Sr. (Clemson)
Arynn Finley, G, Etiwanda, 5-10 – Sr. (Florida)
Autumn Fleary, G, Sidwell Friends, 5-7 – Sr. (Duke)
Bella Flemings, G, Brennan, 6-0 – Sr. (Duke)
Miciah Fusilier, F, IMG Academy, 6-3 – Jr.
Jayla Forbes, C, Montverde Academy, 6-7 – Jr.
Khloe Ford, C, Hoover, 6-3 – Sr. (Missouri)
Kennedi Gaines, G, Bartlett, 5-5 – So.
Amayah Garcia, G/F, Faith Family Academy, 5-11 – Sr. (Washington)
Sanai Green, G, Long Island Lutheran, 6-0 – Sr. (Duke)
Maddyn Greenway, G, Providence Academy, 5-8 – Sr. (Kentucky)
Tati Griffin, G/F, Ontario Christian, 6-0 – So.
Irene Guiamatsia, F/C, Xavier College Prep, 6-4 – Sr. (North Carolina)
Saniyah Hall, G, SPIRE Academy, 6-2 – Sr. (USC)
Kate Harpring, G, Marist, 5-10 – Sr. (North Carolina)
Brooklyn Haywood, G, Union, 5-9 – Sr. (Oregon)
Amalia Holguin, G, Sage Hill, 5-9 – Sr. (Texas)
KK Holman, G, Hamilton Southeastern, 5-10 – Sr. (Florida)
Samari Holmen, G, Duncanville, 5-8 – Jr.
Jada Jackson, F/C, Frenship, 6-2 – Jr.
Jordyn Jackson, G/F, The St. James Performance Academy, 6-1 – Sr. (Maryland)
Charlotte Jasmin, G, Hartford, 5-10 – Sr.
Olivia Jones, G, Long Island Lutheran, 5-11 – Sr. (Vanderbilt)
Trinity Jones, G, Naperville Central, 6-1 – Sr. (Clemson)
Gianna Jordan, G, Kingdom Collegiate Academy, 5-7 – Sr. (Texas Tech)
Fran Kelly, G, Collierville, 5-10 – Sr. (Austin Peay)
Ashlyn Koupal, G/F, Wagner, 6-2 – Sr. (Nebraska)
Natalie Kussow, G, Arrowhead, 5-11 – Sr. (Minnesota)
Lola Lampley, F, Lawrence Central, 6-2 – Sr. (LSU)
Jenica Lewis, G, Johnston, 5-10 – Sr.
Karisma Lewis, G, Oak Park, 5-10 – Sr. (UC Santa Barbara)
Kaleigh Lucas, G, South Pointe, 5-5 – So.
Easton McCullough, G, Farmington, 5-9 – So.
Madeline Mignery, G, IMG Academy, 6-0 – Jr.
De'Andra Minor, G, Grind Prep, 6-0 – Jr.
Jemini Mitchell, G/F, Legion Prep, 6-2 – Jr.
Jessie Moses, G, IMG Academy, 5-10 – Jr.
Elyse Ngenda, G, New Hampton, 5-8 – Sr.
Addison Nyemchek, G/F, Red Bank Catholic, 6-1 – Sr. (Indiana)
Finley Parker, F, River Ridge, 6-3 – Jr.
Missy Odom, F/C, Montverde Academy, 6-2 – Sr. (Florida State)
Tori Oehrlein, G, Crosby-Ironton, 5-11 – Sr. (Minnesota)
Micah Ojo, G/F, Princess Anne, 6-1 – Jr.
Bella Owumi, G, St. Mary's, 6-0 – Jr.
Jordyn Palmer, G/F, Westtown, 6-2 – Jr.
Kamora Pruitt, F, Legion Prep, 6-2 – Sr. (North Carolina State)
Adyra Rajan, G, Fairmont Prep, 5-9 – Sr. (Harvard)
Arianna Robinson, G, Plano East, 5-10 – So.
Jerzy Robinson, G/F, Sierra Canyon, 6-1 – Sr.
Whitley Rogers, G, Little Rock Christian Academy, 5-11 – Sr.
Qandace Samuels, G/F, Bishop McNamara, 6-2 – Jr.
Sydney Savoury, G, Belleville, 6-0 – Jr.
Dasia Scott, F, Principia, 6-2 – Jr.
Julia Scott, F/C, Albertus Magnus, 6-3 – Sr.
Kaleena Smith, G, Ontario Christian, 5-6 – Jr.
Taylor Sofilkanich, C, St. John Vianney, 6-4 – Sr.
Aaliah Spaight, G, Bishop Gorman, 5-7 – Sr. (Texas)
Jordan Speller, G, Montverde Academy, 5-6 – Jr.
Morgan Stewart, G, St. John's, 5-11 – Sr. (Florida State)
Savvy Swords, G/F, Long Island Lutheran, 6-2 – Sr. (Kentucky)
Olivia Vukosa, C, Christ the King, 6-5 – Sr. (UConn)
Lilly Williams, C, Howell, 6-5 – Sr. (Michigan State)
Nation Williams, F/C, Las Vegas Centennial, 6-2 – Jr.
Zaniyah Williams, G, Montverde Academy, 5-8 – Sr. (Auburn)
Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka, G/F, Bullis, 6-2 – Jr.
McKenna Woliczko, F/C, Archbishop Mitty – 6-2 – Sr. (Iowa)
Kaeli Wynn, F, Mater Dei, 6-2 – Sr. (South Carolina)
More high school girls basketball news
- SN's preseason top 25 national rankings: Archbishop Mitty starts at No. 1
AllSportsPeople preseason All-America teams entering 2025-26