Last year, Class AA only sent five teams to the playoffs, and it took some weight off the final bracket in March. That'll change this year with eight of the class' nine programs now automatically qualifying for the postseason.
It's not the only major difference. Darrow, last year's champion, is off to Class AAA. That leaves the throne wide open.
I still see a clear top four of championship contenders. But this is the strongest Class AA has looked across the board since it got an overhaul two years ago. The plucky underdogs feel more dangerous this season, and it should make for an exciting winter to track.
Here's my locked-in championship prediction, as well as my 1-through-8 playoff seeding projection for the class.
Championship prediction
The pick:Â Worcester Academy
Runner-up:Â Wilbraham & Monson
Dark horse:Â MacDuffie
Worcester Academy has what the other three top contenders don't: experience. The Hilltoppers have played in the last two AA championship games with a 1-1 record in those contests. They boast a senior class that might not be heading to flashy Div. 1 schools, but they're all rock-solid, productive prep school players who know coach Dan Sullivan's expectations. I think Worcester Academy is the deepest team as far as rotation-ready talent. And Gracyn Barnes (Grafton, Mass.), who is a Div. 1 commit to Stony Brook, shouldn't be overlooked as a NEPSAC star.
You can take your pick between Worcester Academy, Wilbraham & Monson, Northfield Mount Hermon and MacDuffie. All have a reasonable championship case. I do think the core that MacDuffie now has presents the highest upside, so if things click, we could see a massive breakout season.
Playoff projection
1. Worcester Academy
Last season: Lost to Darrow in Class AA championship
As I wrote above, Barnes is the engine for this team, but it's about more than her. Jazzy Mora (Methuen, Mass.), Maddie Keough (Norfolk, Mass.) and Addie O'Connor (Shrewsbury, Mass.) are all reliable contributors in the returning senior class, and when Sadie Metzger (Lexington, Mass.) comes back from injury, she'll be a meaningful player, too. Sullivan trusts his younger forwards new to the program and the guard depth is great. Worcester Academy was shackled by injuries last year and still made the championship game. With better health on their side, they should feel confident.
2. Wilbraham & Monson
Last season: Lost to Worcester Academy in Class AA semifinals
The Titans field a strong 2028 class headlined by high-level center prospect Addison Brennan (Monroe, Conn.), Avery Vanderburg (Madison, Conn.) and Gabby Ravosa (East Longmeadow, Mass.). They have a budding backcourt that includes Div. 1 2029 prospect Olivia Macklin (Waterbury, Conn.) and an exciting postgrad in Yuka Kanatani. WMA needs to find its go-to scorers after graduating its stars from last season. But if that pans out, it has versatility and depth to challenge for a championship.
3. Northfield Mount Hermon
Last season: Lost to Darrow in Class AA semifinals
It sounds like NMH will play a more balanced style of offense this year, though do-it-all senior Zariah Ottley (Rockland, Mass.) will surely be the focal point. Meg Allbee (Westminster, Vt.) leads a group of guards and wings who can shoot, drive and keep the ball moving. The X-factor is highly-touted 2029 transfer Ceanna Forney, a 6-foot-6 center who can obviously change the game at her size. We'll see if the pieces coalesce this year, but NMH is deeper than some might expect.
4. MacDuffie
Last season: Missed Class AA playoffs
Is MacDuffie ready for contending expectations? On paper, the Mustangs have the best top four in Class AA: Central Connecticut commit Autumn Udoh (Bristol, Conn.), two sharpshooting guards in Layla Ljubuncic (Burlington, Conn.) and Sammi Santacroce (North Haven, Conn.), and a huge ceiling-raiser in 2029 prospect Reese Jeamel (Coventry, Conn.). The latter three, however, are new to MacDuffie and Class AA. We also need to learn about this roster's depth. But it has championship upside.
5. Marianapolis
Last season: Lost to Northfield Mount Hermon in Class AA quarterfinals
Marianapolis has a new head coach in Dan Nagle, but there's reason to buy into the Golden Knights as ready to hang with the top tier. They bring back a good chunk of last year's core, including Sidney Anderson (Brooklyn, Conn.), Sophia Webb (Worcester, Mass.) and multiple solid guards. I think Jaidelis Rivera (New London, Conn.) is one of the more underrated transfer additions in this class. Marianapolis should be able to play fast and put up a lot of shots, and if those fall, they could earn some surprise big wins.
6. St. Andrew's
Last season: Lost to Tilton in Class AAA quarterfinals
St. Andrew's has moved down to AA and I think the program will find a better groove of competitiveness here. The Saints have returners with plenty of game experience, like 2028s Aaralyn Scott (Providence, R.I.) and Ryanne Sheehan (Providence, R.I.) as well as Manhattan commit Zoe Knight (Wakefield, R.I.). I also was so impressed by new 2029 transfer Yu-Yen Tsai and can't wait to see her defend some of the elite guards in this class. Depth is going to matter a lot with this team and is something I'll learn more about early in the season.
7. Brimmer & May
Last season: Missed Class AA playoffs
Though the Gators are a low seed here, I think there's a world they get up as far as No. 5. They're young but developing fast and they added a notable transfer in 2029 point guard Genesis Castro (Barrington, R.I.). She joins a backcourt powered by classmate Jaliah Duplessy (Boston, Mass.), and standout 2030 prospect Corey Sims (Boston, Mass.) continues to lead on the wing. We'll see if this roster has enough experience to take a step forward.
8. Austin Prep
Last season: Missed Class AA playoffs
Fope Ayo's graduation leaves a void impossible to fill in the frontcourt. Austin Prep is much younger this season. Seniors Tiffany Burns (Methuen, Mass.) and Ruby Thompson (Stoneham, Mass.) must carry the offensive burden. The future will be bright with a handful of promising 2030 and 2031 players joining the program this year, but they'll have to learn a lot on the fly.
