We take a brief pause from grassroots basketball this weekend for an early tease of the upcoming NEPSAC winter season.
The NEPSAC Girls Scholastic Showcase, running Thursday through Saturday at Greenwich Country Day, provides teams a summer opportunity to compete and build chemistry. There are stakes though — this is a live recruiting event and dozens of college coaches from Divisions 1-3 will be taking notes on the sidelines.
There truthfully isn't a ton to learn from a team perspective at this showcase. Most of the "teams" include multiple schools combining shorthanded rosters to go at it. But we can get a sense of the individual talent level at different schools, and separately, it's a worthwhile event to evaluate on the recruiting trail.
Importantly: This list will not include many of the region's best-of-the-best prospects who will compete. They're obviously must-see, but we cover them so frequently that to list them again here feels redundant. Check out our class watch lists from May (linked below); most of the prep stars on these lists will appear at Greenwich Country Day.
WATCH LISTS:Â Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028
Instead, this preview will focus on some of the notable transfers, either within NEPSAC or new to NEPSAC, as well as some players I want to see continue their breakout summers or step up in a larger role as these new rosters take shape.
I will be in attendance all of Thursday and up until mid-Friday afternoon. Unfortunately this means I will miss a handful of schools competing late Friday and Saturday, but I've still included members of some of those teams here for the coaches and spectators to follow.
Gracyn Barnes, Worcester Academy
Class of 2027, 5-6 guard
Hometown: Grafton, Mass.
I've written about Barnes plenty already as one of the spring's premier stock-risers. She was an impact player on the Class AA champion Hilltoppers last winter, but this year, she'll lead the group of guards stepping up to replaces graduates led by Elyse MacDonough and Saige Youngberg. Worcester Academy brought in Kiyla Fowler (2026 transfer from St. Andrew's) and Lily Downing (2028 transfer from Natick) to boost the guard depth, and I'll be monitoring both of them as well.
Maddie Benigni, Hamden Hall
Class of 2027, 5-5 guard
Hometown: Middletown, Conn.
Benigni caught my eye at the Atlantic City Showcase for her compete level and standout communication as well as her quickness at the point. Her voice should carry even louder in this setting with fewer spectators. I expect Benigni to jump into a major role right away for the reigning Class C champs, joining 2026 guard Reilly Chernovetz and helping replace Maine-bound Mackenzie Mori.
Addison Brennan, Wilbraham & Monson
Class of 2028, 6-3 center
Hometown: Monroe, Conn.
Brennan just missed the cut for my first 2028 watch list and she's quickly making me look silly. A legitimate floor-stretching center already, Brennan can knock down 3s consistently off the catch, make smart passes inside from the perimeter and protect the rim on defense. The Titans are running back most of the same roster from last season and should be one of the best in attendance at this showcase.
Kendra Foy, St. Luke's
Class of 2027, 5-10 guard
Hometown: Danbury, Conn.
St. Luke's graduated one of NEPSAC's elite scorers in Camdyn Nelson as well as starting shooting guard Emma Sollenne. Foy transfers in and should immediately be a go-to option. She's among the best pure bucket-getters in her class, a legitimate three-level scorer with quick-twitch dribble moves and a reliable pull-up game. I'll be interested to see how Foy fits in during these runs alongside returners like Iona commit Olivia White.
Lauren Fitzgerald, Tabor
Class of 2027, 6-0 forward
Hometown: North Attleboro, Mass.
With the graduation of its superstar trio, Tabor has questions to answer particularly on the wing. It's a great opportunity for Fitzgerald, who showed flashes off the bench last season. She can hit threes off the catch, attack driving lanes hard and block shots on the other end. I want to see consistent impact from Fitzgerald once we get to winter, but she has the physical tools and base skills.
Jacylah "LaLa" Goode, Loomis Chaffee
Class of 2027, 6-0 forward
Hometown: Derby, Conn.
Loomis Chaffee might be the most intriguing team for me at this showcase; after four straight NEPSAC Class A titles, the Pelicans graduated their entire starting five and more. Enter Goode, a transfer from Greens Farms who can stretch the floor, making scoring moves herself and play with physicality. She and classmate Leah McKenzie are among my leaders to make an early impact on this roster.
Morgan Jenkins, Newman
Class of 2026, 6-2 forward
Hometown: Higganum, Conn.
Jenkins is one of three exceptions to the rule on this list. She's already a member of our 2026 watch list, but her move to Newman from Hotchkiss makes her one of the top-flight transfers in NEPSAC. Newman boasted a ton of depth at the guard and wing spots last season and will have leaders like Shannon Welburn, Gabby Middleton and Ava Egan back. But the Cardinals lacked a consistently imposing frontcourt presence, which Jenkins could provide.
Daniella McLean, Darrow
Class of 2026, 6-3 forward
Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
I really like this Darrow roster and could have gone in a few directions, but McLean has some momentum after most recently landing a Div. 1 offer from West Georgia. She's the ideal rim-running center: strong, fast, a monster shot-blocker and rebounder and an improving finisher around the basket. McLean can also handle the ball a bit in the open floor and drive. She and frontcourt partner Daniella "DD" Harcourt (2027) should be among the top interior duos in NEPSAC next season.
Alannah Morantus, Nobles
Class of 2028, 6-0 guard
Hometown: North Attleboro, Mass.
Morantus, a member of our 2027 watch list, has since reclassified to 2028 and transferred to Nobles. She's a significant playmaking addition to a Bulldogs roster that just graduated three of the 10 players, period, in New England. I expect Morantus to make an immediate impact; she could lead the re-tooled roster in scoring next winter. Along with Morantus, stretch forward Izzy Kittredge is a notable 2027 reclass who transferred after winning two MIAA championships at Medfield.
Bella Owumi, Tilton
Class of 2027, 6-0 guard/forward
Hometown: Lynn, Mass.
Owumi is the most highly-touted transfer to NEPSAC. The No. 32-ranked national recruit by ESPN, Owumi just spearheaded St. Mary's to an MIAA Division 3 championship, winning our MIAA Defensive Player of the Year award in the process. She headlines a massive transfer haul for Tilton in an effort to defend its first Class AAA championship. Owumi's St. Mary's teammate, Lily Norton, transferred with her and reclassified to 2028; 2027 guard Kamryn Derba joins from Dexter Southfield.
Sarah Poland, Rivers
Class of 2027, 6-0 forward
Hometown: Sudbury, Mass.
Rivers looks to defend its Class B championship but graduates four Division 1-bound starters from last year's squad. This is a new-look Red Wings group and Poland, a transfer from Lincoln-Sudbury, should be a key member. She's a prolific catch-and-shoot threat who fits in as a solid team defender and passer. Rivers only has one 2026 player (Lily Finton) at this showcase and is a much younger team led by high-level 2028 guard Joy Robinson.
Maeve Powers, Dexter Southfield
Class of 2028, 5-7 guard
Hometown: North Quincy, Mass.
Powers transfers and reclassifies after powering North Quincy to a historic MIAA Div. 2 semifinals appearance. She led the Raiders with 12.9 points per game as a tough slashing guard with strength and skilled scoring moves. Dexter Southfield is flush with talent — you should know Ella Peper, Izzy Adams, Brooke Nunnally-Gardner, etc. by now — but Powers adds to a roster that remains young and promising.
Molly Sisson, Northfield Mount Hermon
Class of 2026, 6-3 forward
Hometown: Rochester, Mass.
Another talented post player in a 2026 class defined by this position group, Sisson heads to Northfield Mount Hermon from St. Andrew's. She's a strong yet mobile forward who can anchor a defense, run the floor, finish around the basket and catch fire in the mid-range. NMH graduated two critical forward pieces in Grace Minihane and Ava Hoy, so Sisson has room to stamp her impact.
Kailey Sullivan, New Hampton
Class of 2026, 5-8 guard
Hometown: Foxboro, Mass.
Sullivan might be one of the more underrated additions to NEPSAC. She joins New Hampton for a postgrad year after an illustrious run for Foxboro. Sullivan captured two MIAA state titles, scored nearly 1,900 career points and averaged 25.2 points as a high school senior, landing on our All-MIAA First Team. I'm extremely intrigued by the backcourt potential with Sullivan, nationally-ranked guard Elyse Ngenda and 2027 riser Casey Stores.
Autumn Udoh, MacDuffie
Class of 2027, 6-0 forward
Hometown: Bristol, Conn.
Udoh follows her iBelieve Elite coach, Kahari Beaufort, to try to jump-start a MacDuffie program that has struggled in recent seasons. She's a versatile forward and great team defender who also puts in effort on the glass, and her jump shot continues to develop. Udoh recently landed an offer from Central Connecticut State and should get a lot of runway to make plays on the Mustangs.
