With students back on campus and open gyms underway, it's time to start gearing up for the prep school season.
We'll be rolling out previews for several of the projected top teams in NEPSAC girls basketball. The goal is to give you a picture of what to expect. Who are the big names that define the program? Who's new to the squad, and who could be on breakout watch? And there's no better team to start us off than our No. 1 ranked program from last season.
The power balance in NEPSAC girls basketball received a shakeup when Hoosac emerged as a Class AAA champion for the first time. What does this fast-rising program have for an encore?
Here's what to expect this winter.
State of the program
Hoosac's ascendance is stunning. One of the westernmost schools in NEPSAC, it's often overlooked compared to the pedigree of legacy programs that define most of Class AAA. Hoosac is also one of the smaller schools among the top classes with a rough enrollment of about 250 students.
Though the school itself was founded in 1889, girls were not admitted until the mid-1970s. Hoosac girls basketball was largely off the map. Head coach Julie McBride even yelled "from the bottom!" after winning the AAA crown. They made the Class AA playoffs for the first time in 2023-24, moved up with the addition of AAA the following season and have now established themselves as a class power.
Last year Hoosac went 19-5 and only two losses occurred in NEPSAC play. They then overcame multiple early playoff deficits to defeat Newman, Tabor and New Hampton in a statement March run.
Hoosac also puts together some of the most ambitious non-NEPSAC schedules. That included games against national powerhouses Westtown (Pa.) and Friends Central (Pa.) last year. McBride says those teams are back on the calendar with more high-powered matchups in store.
Editor's note: We had Hoosac's record from last season listed incorrectly. That has since been fixed.
The coach
Since taking over the program in 2022, Julie McBride has revamped Hoosac girls basketball into its championship-winning status.
She's still probably most well-known for her playing career, ranking seventh in Syracuse program history with 1,605 points. A native of Mechanicville, N.Y., McBride made three All-Big East teams before graduating in 2004, briefly signed a contact with the Chicago Sky in 2006 and played more than 15 years of overseas basketball.
McBride also coaches in the Albany Capitals grassroots program.
The star
Anna Moser, our NEPSAC AAA Player of the Year, returns to put a bow on a remarkable three-year run in NEPSAC. The Rutland, Vt., native (who now lives in Clifton Park, N.Y.) has boosted her name nationally in the months since, debuting and climbing to No. 74 in ESPN's 2027 class rankings. She also committed to Florida amid a spring surge in college interest.
FEATURE STORY:Â How Moser has become one of Vermont's best prospects ever
Moser doesn't have much left to prove with a AAA title, individual honor and SEC commitment in hand. But she'll be tasked with leading Hoosac in its title defense while fine-tuning her game for college and beyond. At the prep school level, Moser hammers opponents with her off-ball movement and 3-point shooting, and last year she came into her own as a dynamic individual playmaker. She averaged 20.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals with a 43 percent 3-point clip in AAA matchups.
"I see her almost every day because we live about 10 minutes from each other, and she goes to my gym every single day," McBride said. "At the personal level, I know her future goal is to be a professional, which obviously, I've been there, so it's more about that — getting her there, even through college."
Under-the-radar name to know
Around Moser, Hoosac's 2026 championship was defined by toughness and physical defense. Teagan Keane was an underrated part of that identity. The Marist commit is a critical piece to this year's team for her returning experience and her impact as a 6-foot-1, strong shot-blocker.
McBride has liked Keane's chemistry with Moser, and though McBride wants to see Keane score more, she also appreciates Keane's value as a passer and defender.
"Se's one of the most unselfish players," McBride saoid. "She can dominate a game without shooting the ball, which is very special."
Top newcomers
Hoosac leaned heavily on one-year 2026 transfers like A'Briyah Cunningham (now at Albany), Tanavia Turpin (now at New Haven) and Sophia Lee (now at SNHU) in its run to a title. Though McBride stressed that her younger bench players and second-team players will step into new roles this season, transfers remain important to the championship defense.
That starts with the Lanni sisters. Giada and Sofia Lanni are 5-10 guards who are identical twins, both with a handful of early Div. 1 offers. They posted near-identical numbers at Shaker High in Latham, N.Y. before transferring and reclassifying to 2028. McBride expects both of them to add a new dimension of speed and skill at the guard positions.
Akarri Gaddy joins them as another important New York transfer. The 6-foot-1 forward put up 19.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals during her senior year at Albany High and should help fill the missing size and toughness lost with Hoosac's graduates.
"If she can be disciplined, she can be under control, I think she'll be very good," McBride said.
McBride teased additional names coming to Hoosac from abroad, where she uses her connections as a former overseas player to aid in recruiting. She's had success in this area before, most recently with standouts like Russian wing Lee Doronina (now at Quinnipiac).
Our expectations
It's going to be tough for Hoosac to repeat. Class AAA is deeper across the board compared to last year. Between graduating Cunningham, Turpin, Doronina, Lee and Rhya Wilson, Hoosac has significant rotation pieces to replace.
However, as long as Moser is on the floor, Hoosac has a shot. I think this squad will be less physically imposing than the 2026 iteration, but at first glance, it looks faster and more skilled. I enjoyed watching Gaddy for the first time at the NEPSAC Scholastic Showcase and I think she complements Keane well in the frontcourt.
Hoosac is always tricky to get a read on before the season begins. They were my dark-horse title pick last season, and I still was unprepared for Cunningham and Turpin's standout seasons. By the Nickerson Showcase in December, we'll have a better handle on how this team plays and what surprise names will keep Hoosac in the title hunt.
