With high school basketball season tipping off in mid-late November throughout much of the nation, it's time to unveil SN's preseason girls high school basketball top 25. With 5-star forward and recent Iowa commit McKenna Woliczko returning from injury, Archbishop Mitty gets the nod for No. 1 to start 2025-26.
Before Woliczko went down early in a loss to Ontario Christian, the Monarchs stormed their way to a Nike TOC title to start 9-0 and achieve a consensus No. 1 ranking. They'll be back at the TOC in December looking to defend their title, which they achieved with a 59-34 rout of none other than Ontario Christian, which opens up at No. 2.
Two-time reigning California Open Division state champion and national champion Etiwanda comes in at No. 10 – No. 1 in among public schools – after graduating McDonald's All-Americans Aliyahna "Puff" Morris (Cal) and Grace Knox (LSU). As usual, the Eagles jump into the fire in November at Redondo Union's Battle at the Beach in a field that includes Carondelet, Sage Hill, and Harvard-Westlake.
In a landscape that sees new private schools and prep academies pop up and rise to relevance seemingly by the week, our top 25 includes some new faces. The St. James Performance Academy (Springfield, VA) opens up at No. 9 in its first year of existence, Kingdom Collegiate Academy (DeSoto TX) starts at No. 14 after overhauling the program following a year off, and second-year Texas powerhouse Legion Prep opens at No. 3 with a healthier season than last hopefully on the horizon.
2025-26 looks to be another captivating season of high school girls hoops, so buckle up and read on for SN's preseason top 25. We'll be updating our top 25 every week from now through the end of the season.
Following the top 25 is "The Bubble", which contains many more teams that warranted in a spot in our preseason rankings outside of the top 25.
STREAM: High school girls basketball, live on NFHS Network
Top 25 High School Girls Basketball Rankings
1. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA)
Photo courtesy of Aaron Woliczko
2024-25 record: 28-4
2024-25 year-end ranking: 12th
Head coach: Sue Phillips
When 5-star forward and recent Iowa commit McKenna Woliczko tore her ACL in January, Archbishop Mitty was the national title favorite coming off a Nike TOC crown and Woliczko was the frontrunner for National Player of the Year.
The Monarchs managed to stay in the national top 15 and California state title race even without her, and now the entire team is back to pick up where it left off. That includes a handful of Power-4 recruits in sophomore post Maliya Hunter, junior G Ze'Ni Patterson and Tee McCarthy, and senior W Devin Cosgriff, plus two of Northern California's top senior Ws in Abigail James and Emma Cook.
Injuries crashed the Monarchs' party for three seasons in a row, so the biggest questions facing them are one, whether or not they can avoid the injury bug, and two, who's going to challenge them at the top if they do.
MORE: Caitlin Clark snubbed on women's college basketball GOAT list
2. Ontario Christian (Ontario, CA)
Nicole Mullen/Arizona Republic / USA Today Network/ Imagn
2024-25 record: 30-2
2024-25 year-end ranking: 2nd
Head coach: Andre Cummings
Even with 5-star sophomore F Sydney Douglas transferring out and G Alanna Neale now a Nebraska Cornhusker, it's hard to imagine Ontario Christian won't again be in national title contention after coming two wins away from a state and national crown last year.
5-star PG Kaleena Smith, 5-star G/F Tati Griffin, and 4-star G Dani Robinson return as arguably the top trio in the country, and the Knights have some size and production transferring in to man the frontcourt in F Skylah Archer from Shadow Hills and F/C Layia King from St. Mary's Academy. The main X-factor is blue chip freshman PG Chloe Jenkins, and senior SF Savannah Philan could also emerge as a key role player.
3. Legion Prep (Dallas, TX)
2024-25 record: 22-10
2024-25 year-end ranking: 38th
Head coach: Del'vin Dickerson
There might not be a team in high school girls basketball with as much blue chip talent as LPA, which also has a year of continuity now among its top senior stars. The Bulldogs dealt with injuries while playing a national schedule for the first time last season in just their second year of existence, and as a result their consistency suffered. But when everything clicked, they were dominant, and year three should be the charm for the defending TCAL champs.
Joining 4-star PG Rieyan DeSouze (Texas A&M), 4-star PF Kamora Pruitt (North Carolina State), and 5-star wing Jacy Abii (Notre Dame), who returns from injury after spending last season on the bench for LPA, are at least three key transfers: 5-star wing Jemini Mitchell from Cypress Springs, 4-star PG Jaidyn Gunter (Cincinatti) from McKinney, and 6-foot-3.5 post Hayden Hearst, who last played at R.W. Goines Stem Academy and has roughly two-dozen D-1 offers.
4. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, NY)
2024-25 record: 18-5
2024-25 year-end ranking: 41st
Head coach: Christina Raiti
After winning a disputed national title in 2023-24, Long Island Lutheran could have repeated had it not been for brutal injury luck. The good news is that this year's team might have the upside to be the program's best yet. That's a scary thought for the rest of the country.
The Crusaders have a whopping four perimeter players in ESPN's top 25 for the Class of 2026 – Olivia Jones (Vanderbilt), Savvy Swords (Kentucky), Emily McDonald (Kentucky), and Sanai Green (Duke). As if that weren't enough, they return 4-star PG Taylor Brown, who broke out last season as a sophomore, and welcome another 4-star junior guard, Cece Arico, from Detroit Country Day. While its dominant teams of a couple years ago had elite size, this year's LuHi squad end up as the physically smallest national champion in quite a while.
5. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, CA)
Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn
2024-25 record: 28-3
2024-25 year-end ranking: 13th
Head coach: Alicia Komaki
Last year's Trailblazers were closer to the top than most thought. They played a much easier regular season schedule than usual, but when it came time to face their toughest tests, they nearly beat Ontario Christian twice and otherwise lost only to a college team from Australia.
And with 5-star G/F Jerzy Robinson, 4-star F/C Emilia Krstevski (Oregon), and PF Payton Montgomery back as seniors to go with returning 4-star sophomore F/C Rosie Oladokun, Sierra Canyon can put together lineups with a combination of size, interior scoring, and defensive mobility that might be unmatched, as those four returners have an average height of 6-foot-3. With that said, don't sleep on Sierra Canyon's backcourt additions, Zaire "Cherri" Hatter from Desert Vista and Delaney White (UC Irvine) from Oak Park, who should form one of California's top guard combos and open up offensive capabilities this team hasn't had since Juju Watkins' senior year.
MORE: Former NFL All-Pro RB's daughter is a top hoops prospect
6. Westtown (West Chester, PA)
Shelly Stallsmith/York Daily Record / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn
2024-25 record: 27-4
2024-25 year-end ranking: 6th
Head coach: Fran Burbidge
Picking back up where they were ranked to end last season, the Moose only return two core players, but they form one of the best duos in the country – 5-star junior and 6-foot-2 W Jordyn Palmer and 4-star senior PG Atlee Vanesko (Ohio State). And their new additions should give them enough size and all-around talent to stay in the national title conversation. They include 4-star guard Jada Lynch, who was one of New Jersey's premier hoopers last year at St. Rose, highly-touted 6-foot-4 freshman forward Jordyn Jones, 6-foot-3 center and Ranney (NJ) transfer Ashley Kreiger, who has high major offers, and Hungarian star Lara Csaplar-Nagy, a 6-foot-2 post.
7. IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
2024-25 record: 19-4
2024-25 year-end ranking: 4th
Head coach: Frank Oliver Jr.
2025-26 brings yet another brand-new roster for the Ascenders, but that challenge is business as usual for the reigning Chipotle Nationals champions. Unfortunately its marquee senior, PF Kelsi Andrews (South Carolina), just announced that she's out with a knee injury. But there's still a lot of big-name talent to write home about.
IMG picked up a trio of 4-star juniors in 6-foot-3 W Miciah "Mimi" Fusilier from Camden Fairview, SG Jessie Moses from No. 6 Westtown, and SG Madeline Mignery from Cardinal Mooney. More impact transfers are junior Nevaeh Roberson and senior Cai Roberson, who are wings from Bishop McNamara, F Mya Clark from McDonogh, and senior UCLA commit Joyce Etute, a post from Luxembourg. Returning senior PGs Asia Keels and Emma Hart provide yet more D-1 caliber impact in the backcourt.
8. Montverde Academy (Montverde, FL)
2024-25 record: 26-2
2024-25 year-end ranking: 5th
Head coach: Anthony Jones
Like its rival IMG, Montverde Academy has nearly an entirely new team in 2025-26 – including new head coach Anthony Jones from Dr. Phillips – but it might be a talented enough one to stay in the national title race.
The roster only has three six-footers for a change, but it's quite a trio. The returning duo of 5-star junior and 6-foot-7 C Jayla Forbes and 4-star senior and 6-foot-2.5 PF Missy Odom (Florida State) is joined 6-foot-1 W Mia-Elle Lieverst, one of the Netherlands' top rising stars. And the Eagles are dangerous in the backcourt too with 4-star senior PG Zaniyah Williams (Auburn) transferring in from No. 4 Long Island Lutheran, W Kendall Perry in from Dr. Phillips, and 4-star junior PG Jordan Speller, a former All-American, coming in from Grace Christian. Montverde probably won't be as deep as usual, but that might actually make things easier from a chemistry and rhythm standpoint if the team stays healthy.
9. The St. James Performance Academy (Springfield, VA)
2024-25 record: N/A
2024-25 year-end ranking: N/A
Head coach: Tamika Dudley
If you want to make a splash in your first year as a program, hiring Tamika Dudley from Sidwell Friends, where not long ago she coached arguably the best high school girls basketball team of all time, is an amazing starting place. With her came 5-star G Jordyn Jackson, the seventh-ranked senior in the country and a Maryland commit, and 4-star junior PG Jayda Dixon.
Jackson, Dixon, 5-star PG Jezelle "GG" Banks, 4-star W Ashley MacCalla, and twins Denver and Dru Carlton form what could prove to be the best perimeter group in the nation. The X-factors are 6-foot-2 W Lyla Coogan and 6-foot-2 PF Rylee Spinner, who could push this team over the top. If everything comes together, The St. James could absolutely win a national title in its first year of existence.
10. Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Nicole Mullen/The Arizona Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn
2024-25 record: 28-5
2024-25 year-end ranking: 1st
Head coach: Stan Delus
After graduating three McDonald's All-Americans in two years, the two-time reigning national champion and top public school program in the nation might still be in the mix.
Very few backcourts can go toe-to-toe on both ends of the court with the lethally quick duo of 4-star Gs Arynn Finley (Florida) and Chasity Rice. And 6-foot-2.5 F Tess Olden is a monumental addition after emerging as one of California's top Class of 2027 talents last year at Chino. Those three, sharp-shooting junior W Andrea Alamo, and junior Aliyah Phillips, a 6-foot-2 interior anchor at PF, give Etiwanda yet another projected starting five filled with D-1 talent that can match up with just about anybody. The group's upside is yet to be determined. Three more players to watch are freshman Gs Hailey Henderson and Cassidy Morgan and junior W Lisa Stewart.
MORE: Why Etiwanda is already on its way to a third straight national title
11. SPIRE Academy (Geneva, OH)
2024-25 record: 7-13
2024-25 year-end ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Krista Phillips
Any team with Saniyah Hall (USC), the No. 1 recruit in high school basketball and a true do-it-all guard/wing, has a chance to do something special. And she's not exactly alone at SPIRE. Transferring in alongside Hall are Ariyana "Peanut" Cradle, a 4-star Louisville commit from Westerville, and SG Frankie McClain (Albany) from St. Joseph of Kenosha. They join the team's lone returning star, 6-foot-2 F Gianel-Iman "Gigi" Quist (VCU).
It's hard to know exactly what to expect, but with four seniors with that much talent and a lot of championship pedigree coming together to win, the team is in great shape.
12. Bishop McNamara (Baltimore, MD)
2024-25 record: 30-2
2024-25 year-end ranking: No. 3
Head coach: Ron James
The Mustangs might have been a mere bucket away from a national title last season, having an amazing season and going undefeated in WCAL play before losing by one point in The Throne semifinals to Bishop Ireton. Bishop Ireton went on to smoke Sidwell Friends for the title, which would've made Bishop McNamara SN's national champion. Can the Mustangs stay in the race after graduating one of the nation's deepest classes in terms of D-1 talent?
They face long odds with only two returning members of their rotation, but those two form arguably the top tandem in the Class of 2027: Qandace Samuels and NyAir McCoy. They also have two big-time transfers in senior G Kai Powell (American) from Bullis and sophomore G Jaylah King from Our Lady of Mount Carmel. So don't rule the Mustangs out from making another run for No. 1.
13. Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, VA)
2024-25 record: 28-1
2024-25 year-end ranking: 14th
Head coach: Darnell Dozier
Princess Anne lived up to its lofty expectations last season, going undefeated through a VHSL state championship and coming one bucket away from taking down Sidwell Friends in the quarterfinals of The Throne for its only loss.
The Cavaliers lose a D-1 guard with Ellery Giddens transferring to Grassfield, but the rest of the core is back. That means a perimeter-heavy group with chemistry and continuity in 5-star W Micah Ojo, 4-star W Tristan Rickenbacker, Jizelle James, Bahaar Grewal, and Alauna and Amani Olds. Without much size, it's unclear if this group has a substantially higher gear to reach than last year, but it's a safe bet to be one of the premier teams on the East Coast.
14. Kingdom Collegiate Academy (DeSoto, TX)
2024-25 record: N/A
2024-25 year-end ranking: N/A
Head coach: Chris Smith Jr.
After a one-year pause, KCA girls basketball is back and much better than ever with most of Faith Family Academy's top players from last year now enrolled.
The Knights have a stacked roster featuring 4-star PF Amari Byles (Notre Dame), Texas Tech-bound sisters Gianna (No. 67 in ESPN C/O 2026 rankings), Natalia, and Milania Jordan, and 6-foot-2 senior F Cora Bennett (Grand Canyon) – and that's just their seniors. They have at least four more D-1 prospects on the roster in junior W Gabriella Grigsby, junior PGs Mia Chambers and Nadia Jordan, and 3-star sophomore W Syniyah Grigsby. If it all comes together, KCA could be in the national title hunt quickly.
15. Corona Centennial (Corona, CA)
Robyn Jones/Stockton Record / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn
2024-25 record: 16-10
2024-25 year-end ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Matt Tumambing
It's hard to project exactly how good the new-look Huskies will be, but they'll be formidable. Centennial was on the national radar from 2020-22, and now Matt Tumambing takes over as head coach for a totally revamped program a couple years after leading Ontario Christian to national relevance.
The other key additions joining 4-star senior C Cydnee Bryant, Cen10's only returning focal point, are 5-star sophomore PF Sydney Douglas, sophomore W Talithakoum Poialii-Hunkin (Santiago-Corona), PG Armanyie Reed (Bishop Montgomery). Any time you have two McDAAG-caliber bigs averaging 6-foot-6 in the frontcourt, a blue chip wing, and a blue chip lead guard, you're going to be among high school girls basketball's top teams.
16. Johnston (Johnston, IA)
2024-25 record: 26-0
2024-25 year-end ranking: 15th
Head coach: Chad Jilek
The bad news for Dragons fans: there's a void in the paint where 4-star PF/C Amani Jenkins used to be before heading off to Virginia Tech. The good news for Dragons fans: their team hasn't lost since March of 2023 and the core of last year's team is still around.
It starts with 4-star senior G Jenica Lewis, arguably the top player in the midwest. And with so much talent around her, Johnston should play up to its standard and could even have its best year yet if size isn't a problem. The other top names to know are junior SG Ari Phillips, senior G Jaliyah Kinnetz (Missouri Western State), sophomore W Kelli Kalb, and junior F Kiya Hood, all of whom are primed for all-state caliber campaigns. Sophomore F Paige Andernecht is another X-factor.
17. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
2024-25 record: 29-5
2024-25 year-end ranking: 9th
Head coach: Jody Wynn
We made the mistake of sleeping on Mater Dei entering last season, and it proved to be a legitimate national title contender in its first year without legendary head coach Kevin Kiernan. Even with McDonald's All-American Addie Deal off to Iowa and no huge-name transfer filling her shoes, plus Amaya Williams (Arizona State) and Devyn Kiernan (Southern Utah) also graduating, Mater Dei still can't be counted out from finding a way to stay in the mix this season too.
5-star F Kaeli Wynn is fresh off a commitment to South Carolina and looks to pick up where she left off after a massive junior year. 6-foot senior forward Noelle Mulvanny (UCSD), 6-foot-2 junior forward Stella Hoss, and 5-foot-7 junior guard Harmony Golightly project to be Wynn's co-stars. Other impact players will be senior F Ava Kanaly, senior G Amiah Lewis, and freshman Gs Legend Tyler and Nelly Strong.
18. Tualatin (Tualatin, OR)
2024-25 record: 26-2
2024-25 year-end ranking: 18th
Head coach: Wes Pappas
Love Lei Best was already one of the best PGs in high school hoops last season as a freshman when she led the Timberwolves to a 26-2 season and an upset of Clackamas for an OSAA 6A state title. Best, senior G Maaya Lucas, and most of the rest of the core are back, so Tualatin is guaranteed to be elite again in 2025-26. The only major question for the team's upside is how it handles the graduation of 6-foot-2 C Jordyn Smith (Cal Poly). If size doesn't prove to be an issue, 18th will probably prove to be too low. Other top players to watch include Gs Kendall Dawkins, Ries Miadich, and Bella Amens and C Alex Padilla.
19. Ryan (Denton, TX)
2024-25 record: 32-7
2024-25 year-end ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Monesha Allen
With a few of its seven losses coming against unranked competition, Denton Ryan didn't quite do enough to crack SN's season-end top 50 last year. And surely, winning a UIL 5A D1 state title in dominant fashion sufficed. But looking ahead to the upcoming season, the Raiders are a promising bet to leap a lot of teams.
They finished 2024-25 on a 13-game tear, avenging all three of their stock-killing losses before beating multiple other powerhouses in the playoffs, and now essentially the whole rotation is back to pick up where it left off. That rotation is talented and well-balanced featuring senior F Kaylin Jackson (SMU), F Kinley Lewis (James Madison), and PG Zaviyana Madison (Incarnate Word). Ryan also has a trio of talented junior Gs in Jamyla Anderson, Dez King, and Atiyah Everett.
20. Providence Academy (Plymouth, MN)
2024-25 record: 32-0
2024-25 year-end ranking: 23rd
Head coach: Conner Goetz
Yet another team in this part of the rankings that returns nearly its whole squad except its inside presence after finishing in the top 25 last season. 5-star Kentucky commit Maddyn Greenway might prove to be the best point guard in the country, and that counts for a lot. She's accompanied on the perimeter by junior SG Emma Millerbernd and freshman PG Beckett Greenway, the latter of whom was already an impact player for the Lions in middle school.
Will Providence Academy stay in the top 25 with 6-foot-2 forward Hope Counts (Lipscomb) and W McKenna Schafer gone? It's hard to tell. They will certainly score a lot of points and win a lot of games either way. Juniors Lexie Nicolai and Lily Sabers are the top returning breakout candidates.
21. Bullis (Potomac, MD)
2024-25 record: 24-8
2024-25 year-end ranking: 22nd
Head coach: Justin Leith
We wouldn't be surprised to see Bullis make a push for the top 10 or fall well out of the top 25. It graduated its second and third leading scorers, rebounders, and shot-blockers in Meghan Yarnevich (LSU) and Sanai Troutman (Robert Morris), who were also the difference between Bullis having the size to battle with anybody versus being undersized against most teams on this list. And senior G Kai Powell transferred to Bishop McNamara.
But we still like the returning Bulldogs' chances of picking up most of the slack. 5-star junior and 6-foot-2 G/F Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka is on a shortlist of National Player of the Year candidates, and the other key returners are 5-foot-9 Gs Mackenzi "Blu" Jackson, Adora Nwude, and 6-foot-2 G/F Sophia Brooks. Any other new focal points who emerge would lift this group's ceiling substantially.
22. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
Reggie Hildred/ USA Today Network via Imagn
2024-25 record: 27-4
2024-25 year-end ranking: 10th
Head coach: Talen Watson
2025-26 looked to be Sidwell Friends' strongest team since its legendary 2021-22 squad, but head coach Tamika Dudley and top player Jordyn Jackson departed for The St. James Performance Academy. That means it's time to see how far seniors Autumn Fleary (Duke), Ava Yoon (Princeton), and Genesis Schneeberg can carry the Quakers. It's probably not national title far, but that's still one of the absolute best senior trios in high school basketball, and those three will be fired up to lead the charge for a strong finish.
23. St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
2024-25 record: 26-6
2024-25 year-end ranking: 40th
Head coach: Jonathan Scribner
No stranger to competing for spots well inside the top 25, St. John's was in the neighborhood a season ago and brings back most of its players as seniors. The Cadets tout one of the premier inside-out duos in the Class of 2026 in high-scoring G Morgan Stewart (Florida State) and 6-foot-4 F/C Camille Nesmith (SMU). They are surrounded by a host of guards and wings ready for bigger roles in Sam Eller (New Hampshire), Logan Miller, Giselle Grant (Iona), and Emma Noncheva. St. John's enters 2025-26 with a desirable combination of a high baseline and the ability to upset almost anyone on a hot shooting night.
24. River Ridge (Woodstock, GA)
2024-25 record: 31-1
2024-25 year-end ranking: 17th
Head coach: Jason Taylor
After going 31-1 en-route to a GHSA 5A state title, River Ridge could still be a top-25 team this year despite graduating two of its five double-digit scorers, Kayla Cleaveland (Georgia Southern) and Sophia Pearl (Furman). 4-star junior F Finley Parker and senior Gs Makayla Roberson and Kyla Cantey form one of the top returning trios in the South and beyond, and Reagan Mulligan is likely to break out as one of the teams top players to make it a big four.
Put it all together and River Ridge isn't a safe bet to stay ranked, but it'll probably be in the national picture all year and might have the upside to finish higher than it did last season.
25. San Ramon Valley (Danville, CA)
2024-25 record: 27-4
2024-25 year-end ranking: Unranked
Head coach: John Christiano
The spiciest pick of our preseason rankings, and one we'd already decided on before the Wolves took down a slightly shorthanded Etiwanda in an exhibition game in October. San Ramon Valley was expected by many to have a rebuilding year in 2024-25 with so much youth on the team, but instead, one of Northern California's top programs turned in the best year in program history. That included blowing out two of the only three teams it lost to in the regular season in the playoffs and finishing narrowly outside our season-end national top 50.
And now, San Ramon Valley returns nearly every rotation player, including top producers Alyssa Rudd (San Jose State) and Ella Gunderson along with junior Ws Carly Stern and Hania Bowes and sophomore PG Kaitlyn Mills. While basically the whole team is guards and wings, that's rarely been an issue for one of the best program around at moving the ball, shooting from the perimeter, and gang rebounding.
AllSportsPeople high school girls basketball top 25 bubble
Arrowhead (Hartland, WI)
Belleville (Belleville, MI)
Boswell (Fort Worth, TX)
Bradley Central (Cleveland, TN)
Centennial (Las Vegas, NV)
Christ the King (Middle Village, NY)
Clovis West (Fresno, CA)
Decatur (Decatur, TX)
DME Academy (Daytona Beach, FL)
Friends Central (Wynnewood, PA)
Grind Prep (Oklahoma City, OK)
Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, MO)
Lancaster (Lancaster, TX)
Lincoln (Dallas, TX)
Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, IL)
Newton (Covington, GA)
Osbourn Park (Manassas, VA)
Paul VI (Haddonfield, NJ)
PHH Prep (Phoenix, AZ)
Pike (Indianapolis, IN)
Red Bank Catholic (Red Bank, NJ)
Riverdale Ridge (Thornton, CO)
Shining Star Sports Academy (Petersburg, VA)
St. John Vianney (Holmdel, NJ)
Summer Creek (Houston, TX)
Tascosa (Amarillo, TX)
Winston Salem Christian National (Winston-Salem, NC)