Despite the pull that prep schools have in New England, there is plenty of talent throughout the CIAC — so much so that it was difficult to narrow down this list to just 15 players.
Five on this list have already committed to a college basketball program, while two others are Division 1 non-basketball commits. Multiple others are on their way to playing collegiately.
Northwest Catholic, Sacred Heart Academy and Greenwich — also the top three teams in our rankings — have two players on this watch list. Players from nine other schools round out the list.
Here is our list of 15 CIAC players who you should be paying attention to this season.
MORE CONN. PREVIEWS: Girls Top 10 | Boys Top 10
Urielle Afoakwa-Abrokwa, East Catholic
Class of 2026, 5-10 forward
Afoakwa-Abrokwa is a three-time All-CCC selection who led the Eagles to the CCC and Class MM tournament finals. Heading into her senior season, she has already surpassed 1,000 career points and rebounds.
Aunee Brookshire, Hamden
Class of 2026, 5-9 forward
Brookshire averaged 12 points, 14 rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and was named to the All-SCC second team last year. The lefty forward is a rebounding machine who uses her strength to make up for a lack of height in the post.
Maddy Burke, Sacred Heart Academy
Class of 2026, 5-9 forward
NCAA: Bentley
Burke averaged 10 points per game for the Class LL champions last season. She supplied 11 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in the championship game victory over Southington. Burke does all of the little things at an elite level and will fill one of the forward spots for one of the state’s best teams.
Lia Calderon, North Haven
Class of 2027, 5-8 guard
Calderon was a CHSCA Class MM All-State and a first-team All-SCC selection as a sophomore last year. She is a do-it-all point guard. Calderon is a great 3-point shooter, has impressive court vision, is a strong rebounder, and is an active defender with a knack for disrupting passing lanes and getting steals.
Abby Casper, Northwest Catholic
Class of 2026, 6-0 forward
NCAA: Holy Cross
Casper averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 96 percent from the free-throw line last season as the Lions won the Class L title. Her 562 total points broke the Northwest Catholic record for most points scored in a single season. Casper has scored 1,472 career points and is just 157 points away from breaking the program’s career scoring record. She is a three-time state champion and three-time CHSCA All-State selection.
Zuri Faison, Greenwich
Class of 2028, 6-0 forward
Faison was the only underclassman selected to the CHSCA Class LL All-State team last season. Also a first-team All-FCIAC selection, she averaged a double-double with 15.1 points and 11 rebounds as a freshman, anchoring a Greenwich team that went 19-1 in the regular season and made the Class LL state semifinals. Faison was a player many thought would leave for prep school, but she’s back at Greenwich for another season.
Mila Harmon, Sacred Heart Academy
Class of 2027, 6-0 forward
Harmon averaged five points per game last season, coming off the bench for SHA. But she played a key role for the Class LL title-winning Sharks. Harmon scored nine points in the championship game, and Southington had no answer for her size. Colleges are taking notice as Harmon received her first Division 1 offer from Manhattan this summer.
Noelle Lawrence, West Haven
Class of 2026, 5-7 guard
NCAA: Springfield College
Lawrence is a returning All-SCC first team selection after averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists, with 65 made 3s at a 38 percent clip last season. She can spot up or take defenders off the dribble and is active getting steals on defense.
Nina Nardecchia, Amity
Class of 2026, 5-11 forward
NCAA: Franklin Pierce
Nardecchia enters her senior season just 10 points away from the 1,000-point milestone. She averaged 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and three blocks per game last season. Nardecchia had 18 double-doubles last season and made a school record 75 3-pointers.
Jalynn Presley, Stamford
Class of 2026, 5-8 guard
Pressly is a do-it-all guard for the Black Knights. She can play any position, bring the ball up the floor, guard the other team’s big, snag rebounds and drive to the rim. Presley averaged 8.1 points, 10 rebounds, 4.5 steals, and 3.5 assists last season. She missed a significant portion of time last season due to injury and still made it onto the All-FCIAC third team for her contributions when healthy.
Hazel Qua, Suffield (High)
Class of 2027, 5-9 guard
Heading into her junior year, Qua is a two-time CHSCA Class MM All-State selection. Qua is already in the 1,000-point club and is on pace to shatter the Suffield career points record. She sits at 1,022 points through two seasons and is 377 points away from the school record. Qua holds the school single-game scoring record, which she earned by scoring 42 points against SMSA last season.
Chloe Smith, Staples
Class of 2027, 5-10 forward
Smith is a returning All-FCIAC first-team selection. The talented junior forward is a constant double-double threat who does much of her damage in the paint. Smith has also verbally committed to playing lacrosse at Siena.
Maeve Staunton, Northwest Catholic
Class of 2026, 5-7 guard
A UConn soccer commit, Staunton is a three-time All-State selection in basketball and a three-time state champion. She is in the 1,000-point, 500 assists, and 500 rebounds club before even beginning her senior season. Staunton’s 503 career assists are the most in Northwest Catholic program history. She is also ninth on the program’s all-time scoring leaderboard. Staunton averaged 14 points and eight assists last season and shot 89 percent from the charity stripe.
Madi Utzinger, Greenwich
Class of 2026, 5-8 guard
A four-year starter, Utzinger averaged 9.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3 assists last season, helping the Cardinals go 19-1 in the regular season and reach the Class LL state semifinals. She received second-team All-FCIAC honors last season.
Megan Wresien, Sheehan
Class of 2026, 5-8 guard
NCAA: Pace
Wresien averaged 15.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists last season, leading Sheehan to a Class MM state championship and earning CHSCA All-State honors. She has also been selected to the All-SCC first team in each of her first three seasons. Wresien surpassed the 1,000-point threshold in a Class MM semifinal victory over Rocky Hill, supplying a team-high 16 points. She is an excellent shooter and ball handler with a high basketball IQ.
More players to watch: Sophie Desiano, Ridgefield; Michaela Diamond, Trumbull; Molly Gunning, Sacred Heart Academy; Sophia Hardiman, Fairfield Warde; Susie Hotaling, Sheehan; Hayden McBean, Fairfield Ludlowe; Abi Weidman, Mercy; Elsa Xhekaj, Greenwich
