Reigning national champion
Etiwanda (Calif.) is No. 1 in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings, returning much of a team that grabbed its second straight Open Division state title.
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), who fell in each of the past two seasons to Etiwanda in California's state final, checks in at No. 2. The Monarchs are led by MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year
McKenna Woliczko, a low-post presence that can also play on the perimeter. All-American Morgan Cheli is gone via graduation but sophomore point guard
Tee McCarthy has a bright future and transfer
Devin Cosgriff helps Mitty keep pace in the Golden State.
In addition to the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25, we will continue our preview of the 2024-25 campaign with Preseason MaxPreps All-America
Teams (Nov. 14) as well as the best team (Nov. 21) and player (Nov. 27) in each
state.
To be eligible for consideration in the MaxPreps Top 25, schools must belong to a recognized governing body and compete for a state championship as a member of the association.
1. Etiwanda (Calif.)2023-24: 32-3, No. 1 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: The 2023-24 MaxPreps National Champions and two-time Open Division state champions lose All-American Kennedy Smith to graduation. Coach Stan Delus, however, has a good mix of senior experience and upcoming youth. Senior point guard Morris and post presence Knox will lead the Eagles in the quest of an unprecedented third straight state title.
No. 2. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
2023-24: 30-1, No. 2
Breakdown: Woliczko, the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year, is at or near the top of all the player rankings for her class. McCarthy shined last season and the addition of Cosgriff helps offset the loss of Morgan Cheli. The Monarchs have come up short in the Open Division final three straight years.
No. 3. Hebron Christian (Dacula, Ga.)
2023-24: 32-2, No. 10
Breakdown: Returning four starters from last year's AAA championship team that competed on a national level is a good start for the Lions. The addition of a player with Power 5 offers in Minus is a boost. Beckham was a MaxPreps Junior All-American who averaged 13.7 points, 5.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game.
No. 4. Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.)
2023-24: 29-1, No. 8
Breakdown: Rahim Huland El takes over the program after being an assistant for six seasons and the Crusaders are again led by the Pauldo twins. They went 29-1 last year, winning a second straight Non-Public B title as Mia Pauldo averaged 19.9 while Mya added 14.8 points per night. Matus is back after playing last season at St. John-Vianney (Holmdel). Junior Brown and sophomore Edelman round out the rotation.
5. Red Bank Catholic (Red Bank, N.J.)
2023-24: 27-5
Breakdown: The Non-Public A champions last season were young and return all eight of their top scorers, led by 15.0 points per night from Nyemchek. The Caseys also added transfer 6-foot-2 combo guard
Scarlet LeVake from Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.).
6. Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)
2023-24: 30-1, No. 17
Breakdown: A young Bears team went 30-1 last season capped with a Class 4A title as Jaylah Lampley averaged 18.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in her junior campaign. McKenzie, Abdurraqib and Lola Lampley all averaged double figures as well under former WNBA player and coach Jannon Lampley.
7. Thomas Dale (Chester, Va.)
2023-24: 24-2
Breakdown: Head coach Pamela Walker is bullish on her trio of guards — Dawson (2027), Harris (2028) and Epps (2028) — and the experienced gained in the state runner-up finish a year ago. They lost Nyla Wilson (21.0 points per game) to IMG Academy but Dawson, Broadus and Harris all averaged double figures last season.
8. Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.)
2023-24: 28-5, No. 7
Breakdown: Head coach Ronald James returns a deep and experienced team with five senior starters from a top 10 program last year. The loss of MaxPreps All-American Maddy McDaniel is profound. But the depth, including Freshman All-American Samuels, should have McNamara competing at a high level.
9. Duncanville (Texas)
2023-24: 35-4, No. 11
Breakdown: Off to a 2-0 start already in Texas, sophomore Holmen is averaging 25 after pouring in 28 in a win over Cypress Springs (Cypress). The Pantherettes have a handful of national games before settling into their in-state slate as they look to reprise their 2023-24 state title.
10. Ontario Christian (Ontario, Calif.)
2023-24: 28-5
Breakdown: Smith was the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year after averaging 34.9 points, 6.5 assists and 4.2 steals per game while piling up 1,153 points. She continued to dazzle on the summer circuit and teams with Douglas, a 6-6 highly-touted freshman. The Knights, under new coach Aundre Cummings, will again tackle an aggressive national schedule.
11. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
2023-24: 25-7, No. 18
Breakdown:
The Quakers lost UCLA commits Kendall Dudley and Zania Socka to
graduation but picked up transfer and MaxPreps Sophomore All-American
Fleary. She will team with Jackson to lead a starting five with
good supporting role players. Sophomore guard
Jayda Dixon is out while
recovering from an ACL injury.
12. Purcell Marian (Cincinnati, Ohio)
2023-24: 28-1, No. 15
Breakdown: Alexander, a MaxPreps All-American and two-time Ohio Ms. Basketball,
averaged 18.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5
steals per game, shooting 64 percent from the field. The Cavaliers enter the season on a 26-game win streak and are 81-4 in Alexander's career.
Miller averaged 13.1 points and 4 rebounds and assists per night.
13. Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.)
2023-24: 34-1, No. 20
Breakdown: Fields, a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American, has multiple Power 5 offers including Georgia and Mississippi State. She averaged nearly 24 points per night as the Bearettes grabbed a second straight state title. Ware earned state tournament MVP honors while Brewer and Stovall were all-tournament nods.
14. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
2023-24: 31-3, No. 9
Breakdown: A three-point loss in the Southern California Open Division final prevented a third trip to the state championship game in five years. MaxPreps All-American Robinson is among the top-rated players in her class. Krstevski's game has made leaps and provides a good post presence. Transfers
Payton Montgomery and freshman
Rosie Oladokun add depth for Alicia Komaki's squad.
15. Edmond Memorial (Edmond, Okla.)
2023-24: 23-4
Breakdown: The duo of Hjelmstad and Williams have fuel for their fire after falling short in last year in the semifinals to Edmond North. Hjelmstad averaged 16.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while
Williams put up 16.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per
night.
16. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2023-24: 25-8
Breakdown: Having a
healthy Deal helps new coach Jody Wynn, who took over for longtime leader Kevin Kiernan. She inherits a squad with eight future
Division I players and four-star junior Kaeli Wynn. An aggressive
national schedule will have Mater Dei battle tested for the California
postseason.
17. Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.)
2023-24: 27-4
Breakdown: Lost star power with the graduation of Trinity Turner (Georgia) but the Panthers have experience and depth with the freshmen Michelle McKenzie and Aniyah Eldell, junior
Jamila Ray (missed last year due to injury) and transfers Jasmine Monroe and Kiarra Orphelia.
18. Johnston (Iowa)
2023-24: 29-0, No. 12
Breakdown: Senior Jenkins and junior Lewis provide leadership for the Dragons coming off an unbeaten state title. Lewis averaged 12.7 points per game and Jenkins chipped in 12.5 per contest for a program that lost Aili Tanke to graduation but is 96-4 over the past four years. Freshmen
Kelli Kalb and
Paige Andernacht should provide depth for coach Chad Jilek.
19. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, Mo.)
2023-24: 31-0, No. 13
Breakdown: It was an emotional rollercoaster for the Red Knights on their way to a seventh straight state title as coach Dan Rolfes suffered a near-fatal heart attack following the semifinal game. He is back coaching IWA as Caffey leads the team into the 2024-25 season after averaging 14.0 points per game. The program is chasing history, only eight wins from breaking the all-time win streak mark of 138 games.
20. Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Va.)
2023-24: 25-2
Breakdown: The Cavaliers have one of the nation's brightest young talents in MaxPreps Freshman All-American Ojo. She averaged 18.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.4 steals, 4.2 blocks, and 3.6 assists per game as Princess Anne coach Darnell Dozier won his 14th state title.
21. Clackamas (Ore.)
2023-24: 24-4
Breakdown: Davidson, a 6-1 wing, is among the top-ranked seniors in the country and the leader of a group has been playing varsity together since they were freshmen. The Cavaliers are on a mission after falling in the Class 6A semifinals a year ago. All-Stater Barhoum is a 1,000-point scorer.
22. Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.)
2023-24: 27-6
Breakdown: The Dolphins were young and talented last season with Jackson leading the way with 16.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per night. Johnson poured in 14.3 per night and 5-8 combo guard Domercant added 8.4 points per night in her freshman season.
23. Pewaukee (Wis.)
2023-24: 29-1
Breakdown: The Pirates brought home a Division 2 title last season behind the Terrian sisters and Janowski, who combined to average 36.7 points per game. All-Stater
Kylie Pieper (7.9 points per game) will miss the year with the year with an ACL injury. They travel to the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational in December and have matchups with defending Division 1 champion Arrowhead and Division 2 runner-up Notre Dame.
24. Blue Valley North (Overland Park, Kan.)
2023-24: 20-5
Breakdown: Davis averaged nearly 20 points per game as the Mustangs finished third in the state tournament. She has multiple Power 5 offers and will break the school scoring record this season. Behind her are 6-3 Shaw and multi-sport athletes Parks and Gregory.
2023-24: 32-4
Breakdown: The Roadrunners have played for a state title in five of the past six seasons and feature size, experience and depth. Sakalas, an All-State pick, and Manecke provide size while freshmen Emerson Hyland and Macy Polito join with sophomores Samantha Austin and Molly Moore to bolster the bench.
