The NEPSAC Girls Scholastic Showcase has quickly become one of the most valuable opportunities for prep school players to elevate their profiles.
Just look at the big winners from last year. Williston Northampton's Skyler Walker entered the showcase as an unheralded post player, broke out in a major way, earned multiple scholarship offers and ultimately committed to Stonehill. Sacred Heart star Eva Wilkerson nabbed three Div. 1 offers (including her ultimate destination, Towson) from the weekend. The Scholastic Showcase is a unique atmosphere, with no spectators aside from the hundreds of college coaches.
I've been combing rosters and preparing myself for a jam-packed three days, starting Thursday. There are a few players I'm particularly intrigued by, both from a recruiting standpoint and with their potential impact on the next winter school season. The only ground rules: you won't see many of the well-known top prospects in this list (I write about them plenty), and you won't see new-to-NEPSAC athletes (I just highlighted many of them).
Here are 12 players I'm interested to track during the 2026 NEPSAC Girls Scholastic Showcase.
SCHEDULE:Â Full slate for the Scholastic Showcase
Juju Booth, Suffield
Class of 2028 5-7 guard
Hometown: Hartford, Conn.
Sammi Santacroce has transferred to MacDuffie and it opens up a big spot in the backcourt. Booth, who had already grown into an impact starter last season, has even more runway to grow into a high-level 2028 guard. She's an explosive, quick-twitch point guard who's best scoring at the rim and in the short-to-mid-range areas. Booth also shows promise as a point-of-attack defender.
NEPSAC NEWCOMERS:Â 12 guard transfers | 10 forward transfers
Ava Bryant, Tilton
Class of 2027, 6-5 center
Hometown: Rye, N.Y.
Bryant is the best college prospect listed here; she's fourth in our Best of New England 2027 rankings with some high-major interest. She backed up Brooke Golden in her first year at Tilton last season, but we saw the flashes of game-altering rim protection and finishing around the basket. Bryant will presumably replace Golden in the starting lineup next season, and I'm curious how her role expands with the changes. She'll be a major determinant in Tilton's AAA title chances.
Saige DeJesus, New Hampton
Class of 2029, 5-8 guard
Hometown: Brockton, Mass.
DeJesus just scored her first Division 1 scholarship offer from Dartmouth. She earned major bench minutes on New Hampton's runner-up squad before reclassifying to 2029 this spring. With Elyse Ngenda off to Stanford, the Huskies lose their primary floor general and poised decision-maker. DeJesus seems best-equipped to fill some of Ngenda's responsibilities, though she'll have support with 2027 guards Ava Perry and Casey Stores. The Scholastic Showcase will be a great test run for DeJesus as an on-court leader, and she could add to her recruiting momentum.
Jordynn Elijah, Kimball Union
Class of 2028, 6-1 wing
Hometown: Ozone Park, N.Y.
Elijah emerged as a key piece to Kimball Union's finalist run, averaging 12 points and seven rebounds as a versatile defensive wing. She's also improving on her jump shot and has looked confident attacking off the dribble when I've watched her on the grassroots circuit with New England Storm. Elijah has Div. 1-level size at her position and I think she's lined up to capitalize on the Scholastic Showcase audience.
Itansan Eugene-Ajayi, Loomis Chaffee
Class of 2028, 6-1 (estimate) center
Hometown: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Eugene-Ajayi came stateside for prep school last year and found her footing as a backup center during Loomis Chaffee's run to the Class A final. The Pelicans have done a great job developing centers in recent years, highlighted by Alicia Mitchell (now at Columbia) and Lauren Wright (American). Eugene-Ajayi could be next in the pipeline; she's a strong rebounder with some punch as a face-up scorer. I'm excited to see her featured on a Pelicans team with several potential breakout prospects.
Ashley Fontanella, Ethel Walker
Hometown: Higganum, Conn.
Fontanella burst onto the scene as a quick, entertaining guard alongside star senior Liana Salamone, earning All-Class B Small Second Team honors from us. With Salamone now at Central Connecticut, Fontanella has even more on her plate at Ethel Walker. She's currently third in Nike EYCL 15U play with 19.2 points per game on the Mass Huskies.
Jhene Fortunat, Lawrence Academy
Class of 2028, 6-2 center
Hometown: West Boylston, Mass.
Fortunat returned from a torn ACL last winter and ended up an important starter as Lawrence Academy broke out and reached the Class B Large championship game. She'll suit up for the Lawrence Academy/St. Thomas More team at the Scholastic Showcase. Fortunat can stand out with her size, toughness and paint scoring. I think she's done a great job reestablishing herself as a physical post player post-injury.
Amanda Martin, Rivers
Class of 2028, 6-1 forward
Hometown: Wayland, Mass.
This is a great opportunity for me to check in on Martin because I haven't watched much of her in grassroots play yet. But I was intrigued in moments during the past winter season at Rivers, where her strength in the post, solid defense and passing popped to me. Rivers brings back most of its talent from last year and should be lined up for a leap.
Allie McBride, Tabor
Class of 2028, 5-9 guard
Hometown: Etna, N.H.
I recall McBride absolutely torching the NERR Frosh/Soph Showcase last fall, and she kept up her truly elite 3-point shooting at Holderness during the winter. Tabor lost most of its backcourt production from last season, with Lily Davis the only returner who played major minutes. McBride and classmate Mackenzie Martinez will both be critical to filling that depth and keeping the Seawolves in contention.
Nahla Perkins, Nobles
Class of 2029, 5-11 (estimate) forward
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
Perkins has been one of my favorite new names (to me) on the grassroots circuit, where she's one of Shooting Touch's better prospects. She's a lanky, fast forward who defends and competes at a high level. Nobles boasts a deep roster, but Perkins should be on track for more workload with this group. She could put herself on more Div. 1 radars with a quality Scholastic Showcase effort.
Dariia Serednytska, Mount St. Charles
Class of 2027, 6-2 center
Hometown: Ukraine
Serednytska missed all of the winter with a knee injury, but she's been back with the Bay State Jaguars this spring. This will be the first time I've watched her in person since 2024-25 at Mount St. Charles, when I appreciated Serednytska's flashes of scoring and court vision out of the post. Restoring confidence can be tricky coming off a major injury, but Serednytska has the tools to be an impact player again with this program. She's playing on the Mount St. Charles/Newton Country Day squad this week.
Ella Smith, Phillips Exeter
Class of 2027, 5-8 guard
Hometown: Rye, N.H.
After powering Berwick to the Class C championship last season, Smith is adding on a postgrad year with Phillips Exeter in Class A. She's a dynamic scoring guard who thoroughly dominated Class C en route to NEPSGBCA Player of the Year honors. Smith set Berwick's career scoring record last season playing next to her sister, Gracie, and coached by their father, Jonathan. Smith will play at the Scholastic Showcase on the Dana Hall/Phillips Exeter/Kents Hill team.
